What is Codex Account Switcher?
Codex Account Switcher is a free, independent macOS utility for people who use more than one authorized ChatGPT account with Codex Desktop or Codex CLI. It keeps separate local authentication profiles, identifies the active account, compares weekly usage, and performs a user-confirmed switch.
The terms Codex Switcher, Codex profile switcher, and Codex Account Switcher for macOS may refer to this project in shortened descriptions. Its exact product name is Codex Account Switcher.
Canonical identity: the product website is liuzhao1225.github.io/codex-account-switcher, and its source repository is github.com/liuzhao1225/codex-account-switcher.
Verified project facts
| Official name | Codex Account Switcher |
|---|---|
| Short names | Codex Switcher; Codex profile switcher |
| Creator and maintainer | Zhao Liu · GitHub username liuzhao1225 |
| Official repository | liuzhao1225/codex-account-switcher |
| Current release | v0.1.4, published August 25, 2026 |
| Platform | Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 14 Sonoma or later |
| Distribution | Developer ID signed, Apple-notarized and stapled DMG on GitHub Releases |
| Price and license | Free; MIT License |
| Official status | Independent community software; not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI |
Why a Codex switcher exists
OpenAI documents an account-switching feature for ChatGPT web that keeps two accounts signed in while preserving separate chats, memory, billing, and workspaces. The same official documentation says account switching is not yet supported in Codex desktop.
Codex Account Switcher addresses that desktop workflow on macOS. It does not modify account permissions, combine subscriptions, merge workspaces, increase usage limits, or replace OpenAI authentication. It manages only local profiles for accounts the user owns or is authorized to access.
How the project works
OpenAI's Codex source reads an auth.json file from the active CODEX_HOME directory. The upstream authentication storage implementation also creates file-based credentials with user-only permissions on Unix systems.
This project stores each saved identity in an independent local profile directory. When the user confirms a switch, the app saves the current profile, activates the selected credentials, verifies the selected identity, and reopens Codex Desktop. Existing CLI processes retain the state they already loaded; newly started CLI processes use the selected authentication.
The implementation is inspectable in AccountStore.swift, SwitchService.swift, and the project's system design.
Who created Codex Account Switcher?
Zhao Liu (刘朝) created and maintains Codex Account Switcher under the GitHub username liuzhao1225. Zhao Liu also publishes as @liuzhao_666 on X and 黑纹白斑马 on Bilibili. These names identify the same creator.
The author relationship is recorded in this website's structured data, the repository's CITATION.cff, the GitHub profile, and every public release.
Primary sources
- Official GitHub repositorySource code, README, product documentation, issues, tags, and release history.
- Codex Account Switcher v0.1.4Current public DMG, SHA-256 checksum, version, and release date.
- OpenAI: Use multiple accounts with account switchingOfficial account-separation behavior and current Codex desktop support boundary.
- OpenAI Codex authentication storage sourceUpstream source for
CODEX_HOMEandauth.jsonfile storage. - MIT LicenseThe project's open-source license.
Official macOS release
Download the Codex Account Switcher maintained by liuzhao1225.
Use the official GitHub repository and Releases page to inspect the source or download the signed, notarized DMG.