How to turn off the annoying prompts for approval in Codex CLI / VS Code?
2 Likes
_j
September 18, 2025, 7:27pm
2
Hereâs a dialog on doing such. You can report if the guidance is helpful.
opened 10:04AM - 27 Aug 25 UTC
documentation
### What is the type of issue?
Documentation is missing
### What is the issue?âŚ
```
# ============================================================================
# Codex CLI â Comprehensive Configuration Template
# Generated: 2025-08-27
# ~/.codex/config.toml (aka $CODEX_HOME/config.toml)
# ============================================================================
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# NEW ENTRIES (added in this release)
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# 1) [tools].web_search = true # Added Aug 23, 2025
# Enables native web search tool. CLI flag is --search (TUI only); TOML key
# works for both TUI and codex-exec. Alias also accepted: web_search_request.
#
# 2) preferred_auth_method = "apikey" | "chatgpt" # Added Aug 18, 2025
# Prefer API key or ChatGPT auth when both are present.
#
# 3) [projects."/abs/path"].trust_level = "trusted" # Added Aug 7, 2025
# Mark specific repos trusted to reduce prompts in versioned workspaces.
#
# 4) model_verbosity = "low" | "medium" | "high" # Added Aug 22, 2025
# Controls Responses API text verbosity for GPTâ5 family models.
#
# 5) Per-provider network tuning in [model_providers.<id>] # Added Jul 18, 2025; caps Aug 25, 2025
# request_max_retries, stream_max_retries, stream_idle_timeout_ms.
# Note: only valid inside provider blocks; older topâlevel keys are ignored.
#
# 6) show_raw_agent_reasoning = true # Added Aug 5, 2025
# Surfaces raw chainâofâthought events when available.
#
# 7) shell_environment_policy.experimental_use_profile = true # Added Jul 25, 2025
# Advanced: run shell commands through a profile (optâin).
#
# 8) chatgpt_base_url = "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/" # Added Jul 11, 2025
# Advanced override for ChatGPT backend URL.
#
# 9) responses_originator_header_internal_override = "codex_cli_rs" # Added Aug 19, 2025
# Internal/testing only; do not set unless you know why.
# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
####################################
# Root (top-level) keys
####################################
model = "gpt-5" # default model
# model_provider = "openai" # key under [model_providers]
# model_context_window = 200000 # tokens; override when unknown
# model_max_output_tokens = 100000 # tokens; override when unknown
#
approval_policy = "never" # "untrusted" | "on-failure" | "on-request" | "never"
sandbox_mode = "danger-full-access" # "read-only" | "workspace-write" | "danger-full-access"
# disable_response_storage = false # set true for ZDR accounts
#
# file_opener = "vscode" # "vscode" | "vscode-insiders" | "windsurf" | "cursor" | "none"
# hide_agent_reasoning = false
# show_raw_agent_reasoning = false
#
model_reasoning_effort = "high" # "minimal" | "low" | "medium" | "high" | "none"
# model_reasoning_summary = "auto" # "auto" | "concise" | "detailed" | "none"
# model_verbosity = "medium" # GPTâ5 family only; "low" | "medium" | "high"
# model_supports_reasoning_summaries = false # force-enable reasoning block
#
# chatgpt_base_url = "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/" # advanced
# experimental_resume = "/abs/path/resume.jsonl" # advanced
# experimental_instructions_file = "/abs/path/base.txt" # advanced
# experimental_use_exec_command_tool = false # advanced
# responses_originator_header_internal_override = "codex_cli_rs" # internal/testing
#
# project_doc_max_bytes = 32768 # bytes to read from AGENTS.md
# preferred_auth_method = "chatgpt" # or "apikey"
#
# profile = "default" # active [profiles] entry
#
# instructions = "You are a helpful assistant." # extra system instructions (merged with AGENTS.md)
#
# notify = ["notify-send", "Codex"] # program argv; Codex appends JSON payload
####################################
# Tools (feature toggles)
####################################
[tools]
# Enable the native Responses web_search tool (same as TUI --search)
web_search = true
# alias for backwards compatibility:
# web_search_request = true
####################################
# Shell environment policy for spawned processes
####################################
[shell_environment_policy]
# inherit = "all" # "all" | "core" | "none"
# ignore_default_excludes = false # when false, drops vars whose NAMES contain KEY/SECRET/TOKEN
# exclude = ["AWS_*", "AZURE_*"] # case-insensitive globs
# set = { CI = "1" } # force-set values
# include_only = ["PATH", "HOME"] # keep-only whitelist (globs)
# experimental_use_profile = false # advanced
####################################
# Sandbox settings (apply when sandbox_mode = "workspace-write")
####################################
[sandbox_workspace_write]
# writable_roots = ["/additional/writable/path"]
# network_access = false
# exclude_tmpdir_env_var = false
# exclude_slash_tmp = false
####################################
# History persistence
####################################
[history]
persistence = "save-all" # "save-all" | "none"
# max_bytes = 10485760 # not strictly enforced yet
####################################
# MCP servers (tools via stdio)
####################################
# [mcp_servers.example]
# command = "npx"
# args = ["-y", "mcp-server-example"]
# env = { API_KEY = "value" }
####################################
# Model providers (extend/override built-ins)
####################################
# Built-in OpenAI provider can be customized here.
# [model_providers.openai]
# name = "OpenAI"
# base_url = "https://api.openai.com/v1" # OPENAI_BASE_URL env var also supported
# wire_api = "responses" # "responses" | "chat"
# query_params = {}
# http_headers = { version = "0.0.0" }
# env_http_headers = { "OpenAI-Organization" = "OPENAI_ORGANIZATION", "OpenAI-Project" = "OPENAI_PROJECT" }
# request_max_retries = 4
# stream_max_retries = 5
# stream_idle_timeout_ms = 300000
# requires_openai_auth = true
# Chat Completions-compatible provider example
# [model_providers.openai-chat-completions]
# name = "OpenAI using Chat Completions"
# base_url = "https://api.openai.com/v1"
# env_key = "OPENAI_API_KEY"
# wire_api = "chat"
# query_params = {}
# Azure example (requires api-version)
# [model_providers.azure]
# name = "Azure"
# base_url = "https://YOUR_PROJECT_NAME.openai.azure.com/openai"
# env_key = "AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY"
# query_params = { api-version = "2025-04-01-preview" }
# Local OSS (Ollama) example
# [model_providers.ollama]
# name = "Ollama"
# base_url = "http://localhost:11434/v1"
# wire_api = "chat"
####################################
# Profiles (bundled overrides you can switch with --profile)
####################################
# [profiles.default]
# model = "gpt-5"
# model_provider = "openai"
# approval_policy = "never"
# disable_response_storage = false
# model_reasoning_effort = "high"
# model_reasoning_summary = "auto"
# model_verbosity = "medium"
# chatgpt_base_url = "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/"
# experimental_instructions_file = "/abs/path/base_instructions.txt"
# [profiles.zdr]
# model = "o3"
# model_provider = "openai"
# approval_policy = "on-failure"
# disable_response_storage = true
####################################
# Projects trust (per-absolute-path)
####################################
# [projects."/absolute/path/to/your/repo"]
# trust_level = "trusted" # mark as trusted
####################################
# Quick reference: CLI overrides (for sharing/docs)
####################################
# codex -c model="o3"
# codex -c 'tools.web_search=true' "your prompt here"
# codex --sandbox workspace-write --ask-for-approval on-request
# Notes:
# - The TUI flag --search maps to [tools].web_search in TOML.
# - The built-in OpenAI provider also respects env: OPENAI_BASE_URL, OPENAI_ORGANIZATION, OPENAI_PROJECT.
# - OSS provider can be influenced by env: CODEX_OSS_BASE_URL, CODEX_OSS_PORT (envs, not TOML).
# NOTE: network_access is only valid under [sandbox_workspace_write].
# When sandbox_mode="danger-full-access", network is already unrestricted.
```
### Where did you find it?
_No response_
The VSCode installer doesnât set a CODEX_HOME env variable.
3 Likes
Thanks but that is not working. I tried added this to config.toml but still being prompted., and further more even when I says Always I am prompted again for same .
2 Likes
I think I have it now. typo ⌠not seemingly getting approval prompted. Thanks!
5 Likes
[approval]
3 Likes
UweKeim
September 25, 2025, 6:34pm
6
What worked for me is putting this right in the top section of my â~/.codex/config.tomlâ on Windows:
approval_policy = "never"
sandbox_mode = "danger-full-access"
The first 5 lines in my âconfig.tomlâ file look like:
model = "gpt-5-codex"
search = true
approval_policy = "never"
sandbox_mode = "danger-full-access"
model_reasoning_effort = "high"
Iâm currently using Codex version 0.41.0.
2 Likes
Thankyou so much but it cant work for me.
its really working bro thanks!
1 Like
Presently [v0.60.1] config.toml lines for network access and search:
[sandbox_workspace_write]
[features]
âsearch is a âcodexâ command line option
Deprecated:
1 Like