How to switch between multiple Codex accounts on macOS

Why multiple Codex accounts become difficult

Developers often keep separate ChatGPT accounts for personal work, company workspaces, or authorized client projects. Codex Desktop and Codex CLI read one active authentication file, so changing identities manually can involve logging out, opening a browser, completing authentication again, and then checking whether the correct account is active.

Codex Account Switcher keeps an independent local authentication snapshot for each saved identity. The menu shows the active account, remaining weekly allowance, and reset time before you commit a long task to a profile.

What you need before starting

• A Mac with Apple Silicon running macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
• Codex Desktop, Codex CLI, or both.
• At least two ChatGPT accounts that can use Codex.
• The latest signed and Apple-notarized Codex Account Switcher DMG from GitHub Releases.

Install the app in Applications and launch it once. The switcher appears in the macOS menu bar and can optionally start when you log in to your Mac.

1. Add each Codex account once

Save the account already active in Codex

Open Manage Accounts and import the current Codex login. The app reads the identity from the active Codex profile and stores a local snapshot with user-only permissions.

Add another personal, work, or client account

Choose Add Account. The switcher starts the standard Codex login flow inside a new local profile directory, so the account you are adding does not overwrite the active profile during authorization. Complete the browser sign-in and give the account a clear label.

Repeat this step for every authorized identity you need. The menu will show all saved accounts together and highlight the active row.

2. Compare weekly Codex usage

Open the menu before beginning a long Codex task. Each saved account row shows its remaining weekly percentage and the corresponding reset time. Successful usage values are cached locally, remain visible while a refresh runs, and update when fresh data arrives.

This gives you context before switching. The app does not recommend an account or rotate profiles automatically; the final choice remains yours.

3. Switch the active Codex account

1. Select a saved account that is not currently highlighted.
2. Read the confirmation explaining the Codex Desktop and CLI effects.
3. Confirm the switch.
4. The app saves the current profile, activates the selected credentials, verifies the selected identity, and reopens Codex Desktop.

The operation is deliberately sequential. If any stage fails, the switch stops and shows the original error so you can identify exactly where it occurred.

What happens to Codex Desktop and CLI sessions

Codex Desktop closes and reopens after a confirmed account change. A task running in Desktop may stop during that handoff, so switch before starting important work.

Existing Codex CLI processes keep the state they already loaded. They are not terminated by the switcher. Start a new Codex CLI process when you want the terminal to use the newly selected account.

Where the account profiles are stored

The active Codex credential remains at ~/.codex/auth.json. Saved switcher profiles and metadata live under ~/Library/Application Support/Codex Account Switcher/.

The app runs locally, keeps profile directories user-only, and does not use an account proxy, traffic router, cloud profile sync, or automatic account rotation. Removing an inactive profile deletes its local switcher copy; it does not claim to revoke every server-side session.

Choose the workflow that matches your use case

A menu-bar switcher works well when one Codex Desktop instance should use one clearly selected identity at a time. Separate CODEX_HOME directories or isolated app environments may be more suitable when you need multiple Codex processes running concurrently under different accounts.

Codex Account Switcher focuses on the first workflow: a small, visible, manual handoff with weekly usage context and no background account routing.