ChatGPT iOS Widgets Add Task and Usage Views

ChatGPT iOS widgets now show recent tasks from selected computers on the Home Screen, while usage widgets show remaining usage and reset times on the Home Screen and Lock Screen. OpenAI lists these changes in ChatGPT for iOS 1.2026.267, dated October 2, 2026. For people checking Codex work from a phone, the useful next step is to confirm the connected computer and review the task inside the app before sending another instruction. Official release notes.

What the ChatGPT iOS widgets update adds

There are two viewing jobs: recent computer tasks on the Home Screen, and usage with reset times on either screen. The release also adds a setting that keeps the keyboard open after sending a message. Returning to the app refreshes task lists faster while preserving existing titles, and loading or scrolling no longer causes the missing-task issue described in the note.

Our suggested first check is to compare the widget with a task you can already identify inside the app. Use its title, connected computer and most recent instruction. This makes the comparison concrete: you are checking a particular conversation, not treating every task with a similar name as the same work. Pick one computer initially if you have several development machines.

The usage view answers a different question: what remaining usage and reset time are displayed? Consult our plan and allowance explanation for subscription context. This release note describes a display feature; it does not announce a larger allowance or a new reset policy. It also does not specify widget refresh frequency or detailed widget-installation steps.

Connect the computer you actually want to check

The official Codex mobile guide describes using the ChatGPT mobile app with Cloud or a connected Mac or Windows PC. Availability depends on rollout and workspace settings. For computer-backed work, setup starts in the desktop app: open Settings, then Connections, then Control this Mac or PC, and select Set up or Add. Approve access and scan the displayed QR code from the phone.

Sign in to the same account and workspace on both devices. In the iOS app, open Codex to select the computer and start or continue work; an app that still displays the older Remote label uses that entry instead. Keep the computer awake and online. These are existing connection requirements, not additional features introduced by this widget release.

Before leaving your desk, our recommendation is to open a known task on the phone and compare its last instruction with the desktop conversation. Record the computer name and project. If several machines have the same repository, give your check a specific target rather than relying on the repository name alone. For separate model and product eligibility questions, use the access guide.

A practical check for a mobile coding task

Consider a hypothetical task to fix a broken navigation link and run the relevant tests. Give it three acceptance criteria: the destination is correct, the link label stays unchanged, and the tests are reported. Then use the new task view as a reminder to inspect that particular conversation when you return to the app.

Our recommended review has four parts:

1. Read the latest task message and check whether your input is requested.
2. Inspect the changed file and confirm the destination, not just the displayed label.
3. Read the test result, including any failure or skipped step.
4. Send a follow-up for the unfinished criterion instead of repeating the whole task.

OpenAI’s mobile guide documents progress review, requested-action approval, changed files, diffs and test results. The checklist above is our proposed workflow, not a test result from this website. Use the widget as a reminder to open the app for review; make the acceptance decision after inspecting the work.

For an approval request, read the requested action before accepting it. In the example, a test command is different from a request to publish the website. If the instruction was only to fix the link locally, keep any deployment decision separate. A brief phone check can still preserve the original task’s scope.

Queued prompts and transcript recovery

Version 1.2026.267 also returns recoverable text and attachments to the composer when a queued prompt is canceled. Transcript fixes improve text selection and loading older messages. Worktree creation now respects the computer’s configured storage location. These changes address continuity when reviewing and steering work from a smaller screen.

For a queued correction in our navigation example, inspect the restored draft after canceling. Check that its text still names the correct link and that any needed attachment is present before sending it. If you revise the instruction, remove obsolete wording from the draft so the next turn has one clear request. This is a suggested recovery check, not a claim that every canceled attachment can always be restored.

The mobile update is separate from the Codex CLI 0.160.0 recovery release. Check the version of the client you are using when investigating a problem; a terminal upgrade and an iOS app update address different surfaces.

When the connected computer is unavailable

The remote connections guide says remote access stops if the host sleeps, loses its network connection or closes the app. It also explains that repository files, local tools and execution come from the host, with sandbox controls and action approvals still applying. Check host availability before interpreting an absent task as lost work.

Our troubleshooting order is account and workspace, desktop app, network, then the particular task. Save the task title and last visible instruction before retrying. Once the host is available, open the conversation and review its actual result. The useful improvement in this release is easier observation and recovery around that workflow—not a reason to skip the final diff, test result or requested approval.