Claude/Desktop/Code/Q/Why does claude ask for access to control Codex Computer Use?
Why does macOS say "claude" wants access to control "Codex Computer Use"?
The dialog
- Seen on 2026-10-30 Fri while several Claude/Desktop/Code sessions were running and the ChatGPT/App/Desktop was open.
- Title: "claude" wants access to control "Codex Computer Use". Body: allowing it gives access to documents and data in that app and lets claude act within it. Buttons: Don't Allow and Allow.
- The line under it, Claude Code needs to send Apple Events to open URLs and control applications you authorize, is Claude Code's generic reason for Apple Events. It says nothing about this particular request.
- Short answer: a Claude Code process sent macOS Apple Events to OpenAI's computer-use helper app, and macOS asks once for each pair of apps. Click Don't Allow. Claude Code never needs to control that app, and denying it breaks nothing.
- What "Codex Computer Use" is: a helper app that the ChatGPT/Codex desktop app installs and launches for its own screen-control feature.
- Path:
~/.codex/computer-use/Codex Computer Use.app - Bundle id:
com.openai.sky.CUAService - Process:
SkyComputerUseService, started by the ChatGPT app, so it runs whenever ChatGPT is open.
- What "claude" is: the
claude binary of a Claude Code session started by Claude/Desktop, at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude-code/<version>/…/claude.app/Contents/MacOS/claude. With several sessions open, the dialog doesn't say which one sent the events. - Likely cause: a session ran something that talks to running apps by name, such as an
osascript script or a screen-control or app-listing tool, and the Codex helper was one of the apps it reached. The investigation on 2026-10-30 Fri didn't find the exact command. - Changing the answer later: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation → claude → Codex Computer Use. To reset all Automation answers for claude and get asked again:
tccutil reset AppleEvents. That resets every app, so check what else is listed first.
Finding the source next time
- Check that the helper is running:
ps -axo pid,ppid,command | grep -i 'computer use'. The parent pid is the ChatGPT app. - List the Claude Code sessions:
ps -axo pid,lstart,command | grep 'MacOS/claude '. - Search the session transcripts under
~/.claude/projects/ for osascript or tell application near the time the dialog appeared.