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How to Restrict Codex to Read-Only Access

Configure Codex for read-only repository inspection, understand how sandboxing differs from approval prompts, and learn what the boundary does not guarantee.
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To make Codex inspect a repository without editing it, set sandbox_mode = "read-only" and approval_policy = "on-request", then restart Codex. OpenAI’s Help Center lists this configuration for Codex CLI 0.149.0 and later, and for the desktop app and VS Code extension version 26.818.31338 and later on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Check the current guidance for your installed version before changing settings: OpenAI’s Codex setup guidance.

Set Codex to read-only

  1. Check your Codex surface and version. The Help Center guidance names CLI 0.149.0 or later and desktop app or VS Code extension version 26.818.31338 or later, on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Interfaces and managed configurations may differ, so use documentation for the version and deployment you have.
  2. Set the two controls. Where the configuration applies, use sandbox_mode = "read-only" and approval_policy = "on-request".
  3. Restart Codex. OpenAI says to restart after updating the configuration.
  4. Check active permissions in the CLI. In Codex CLI, use /permissions to review what Codex is allowed to do. This is a CLI-specific path, not a universal instruction for the desktop app, IDE, cloud, or managed deployments. See the Codex CLI guide.
  5. Save a Git checkpoint. OpenAI recommends a checkpoint before and after a task so you can inspect and revert changes if needed. A checkpoint helps with recovery; it does not prevent writes.

What read-only and approval prompts each control

These settings complement each other, but they are not interchangeable. The sandbox sets technical execution boundaries, including where Codex can write, whether it can reach the network, and which paths are protected. The approval policy determines when Codex must ask before attempting an action beyond those boundaries. OpenAI explains this distinction in “Running Codex safely at OpenAI,” published May 8, 2026.

Control What it governs Why it matters for read-only use
sandbox_mode = "read-only" The sandbox’s technical boundaries for execution and local writes. Use it to restrict local filesystem modifications within the sandboxed environment.
approval_policy = "on-request" When Codex asks for permission to perform actions. It governs intervention and escalation; an approval prompt alone is not the read-only boundary.

Read-only is not the same as Codex’s default sandbox

OpenAI describes local Codex as sandboxed by default, with network access disabled by default and edits restricted to the current workspace in its risk-mitigation documentation: GPT-5.2-Codex: Product-Specific Risk Mitigations. A workspace-write configuration can still allow edits inside the project, so default sandboxing is not the same as explicitly selecting read-only.

OpenAI’s Windows sandbox article likewise describes Codex as running with the user’s permissions and says the default can allow broad reads and workspace writes while internet access remains off unless enabled: Building a safe, effective sandbox to enable Codex on Windows. If the requirement is inspection without local project edits, choose read-only rather than assuming that a sandbox by itself forbids writes.

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What this boundary does—and does not—cover

Read-only is a restriction on local filesystem changes made within the sandboxed execution environment. It is not evidence that every separately authorized integration, external system, or action outside that environment is controlled by the same setting. Likewise, disabled-by-default network access is not a guarantee if networking is enabled or another authorized tool can access external services. OpenAI’s descriptions of sandbox and approval boundaries concern Codex execution and network access; they do not establish a universal guarantee about every connected service.

Implementation details also vary by operating system. OpenAI describes different local sandbox implementations for macOS, Linux, and Windows; the same setting name should not be taken to mean identical enforcement mechanisms on every platform. Consult the documentation for your platform and deployment.

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Recovering if you find an unexpected change

Inspect the repository’s working tree and compare it with your Git checkpoint before deciding what to revert. A checkpoint gives you a recovery point, not a permission control. Avoid automatically reverting unrelated work: review the changed files and use your normal Git workflow to restore only what is appropriate.

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