Codex Desktop should clearly distinguish local-only tasks from cross-device sync

I worked on a long-running project in Codex Desktop for about a month on one Windows computer. When I signed in to Codex on another computer with the same account, the task list was empty and none of the previous task history was available.

I assumed that signing in with the same account meant the task history would follow the account. The current local-versus-cloud behavior is not explained clearly enough before a user starts a long-running project.

Feature request

  • During onboarding or when creating the first task, offer a clear choice: Keep tasks local or Sync tasks with my account/cloud.
  • Explain the consequence in plain language: local tasks will not appear on another computer just because the user signs in with the same account.
  • Make Remote/Handoff visible before users commit weeks of work to a local task.
  • Show a persistent status on every task: Local only or Available across devices.
  • Warn users before switching computers, uninstalling the app, or losing access to the original environment.

Local-first behavior is valuable, but it should be an informed choice. Clear messaging and an explicit sync option would prevent users from unexpectedly losing access to weeks of project context.

Thanks for explaining where this was confusing. Remote can let you continue work from another device while the original computer stays available: https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/remote-connections. It isn’t a standalone cloud backup. We’ll pass along the clearer setup, sync-choice and warning requests; no timeline to share.