OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Linux App, Bringing Codex to Desktop Users

ChatGPT has finally arrived on Linux computers this week. OpenAI released a dedicated ChatGPT Linux app after years of requests from users. This matters because Linux has long been the one major desktop platform without an official ChatGPT app. Now, Linux users can access the same tools that Windows and Mac users have had for some time.

The Linux community had been asking for this app for a long time. Open source developers posted requests on OpenAI’s own community forum, pushing for the company to support their systems. These requests built up over time as more people wanted ChatGPT on their preferred operating system. OpenAI eventually responded to this demand this week.

OpenAI announced the launch in a statement on Tuesday. The company said Linux has been one of the most-requested platforms for its desktop app. OpenAI also said this release means ChatGPT and its coding tool, Codex, now work across every major desktop operating system. This makes Linux the final piece in that puzzle.

The new ChatGPT Linux app is being released as a preview version. It gives Linux users access to three tools: ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex. These tools were already available on other platforms, but now Linux users can use them directly on their desktops. The rollout began worldwide on Tuesday, so users everywhere can try it right away.

OpenAI listed the specific Linux versions that support the new app. These include Ubuntu 24.04 and 26.04 LTS, Debian 13, and Fedora 43 and 44. There are actually hundreds of different Linux distributions in use worldwide. However, many smaller distributions are built on these same systems, so they should also work with the app.

This launch puts OpenAI slightly behind a competitor in this area. Anthropic, another AI company, released its own Claude desktop app for Linux about a month earlier. Anthropic’s app supports Ubuntu 22.04 or later and Debian 12 or later. Both companies are now competing to serve the same group of Linux users.

In summary, the new ChatGPT Linux app closes a long-standing gap for OpenAI. The app supports major distributions and includes access to Codex as well. This move follows similar action from Anthropic, showing growing competition in the AI space. It remains to be seen how quickly OpenAI will expand support to more Linux distributions in the future.