How does this compare to what Claude has been able to do on Macs?
Claude has been doing Mac computer use since Cowork launched Mac-first in early 2026 — and already reached full Windows parity in February 2026, meaning Codex is replicating capabilities Claude users on both platforms already have.
Why it matters: OpenAI is catching up, not leaping ahead: by the time Codex gains Windows desktop control, Claude had already closed the Mac-to-Windows gap three months earlier.
- Claude's Cowork feature launched Mac-first, letting Claude see the screen, move the cursor, click buttons, and type into any app — the same core actions Codex now does on Windows.
- On February 10, 2026, Anthropic shipped Cowork for Windows with what it called complete feature parity; Windows x64 is supported, though ARM devices (Surface Pro X, some Copilot+ PCs) are not.
- In March 2026, Mac users got an extra layer: remote session handoff, letting you assign tasks from your iPhone and resume on your desktop — a capability not yet part of Codex's Windows release.
- Claude runs a fallback hierarchy before touching the screen — API connectors first, then browser, then direct system control — and requires explicit per-app permission; Codex's Windows integration is more direct, which is faster but carries more surface area for a wrong click.
- Anthropic frames its permission hierarchy and per-app approval as a safety feature; critics argue it makes Claude slower and more cumbersome for power users who want continuous autonomous operation — the kind of seamless control Codex's direct Windows integration is designed to deliver.
