What is the difference between Codex Mobile and Shellular?

Codex Mobile lets you follow and steer a Codex thread. Shellular gives Codex a full mobile UI with slash commands, @ file mentions, permission approvals, and model controls, backed by the real machine: a terminal, file browsing, and Git, so you can also fix things yourself.

Can I run my own commands while Codex is working?

Yes. With Shellular you drop into the same shell Codex runs in, so you can restart a service, rerun a test, or edit a file, then let Codex continue.

Do I have to choose between Codex and other agents?

No. The same Shellular setup runs Codex, Claude Code, OpenCode, and other terminal agents, so you can switch between them in one place.

Where does Codex run, and does it have my project context?

Codex runs on your own computer, a PC, a Mac, a Mac mini, or a VPS, and your phone connects to it through Shellular. Because it runs next to your project, it has full context of your real files, branches, dependencies, and tools.

Is running Codex from my phone secure?

Yes. Shellular sessions are end to end encrypted and connect to your own machine. The pairing key never leaves your phone.

How to Run Codex on Your Phone or Mobile (2026 Guide)

There are two ways to use Codex on mobile, and they feel very different.

The first is the official mobile experience: follow a Codex thread, review diffs, approve commands, keep a long-running task moving. That is genuinely useful when Codex is the only tool you care about in that moment.

The second is a full Codex workspace you can actually drive: a real mobile UI for prompting Codex, plus a real terminal, your files, and Git when you want them. That is where Shellular comes in.

Run Codex in a real mobile UI

Shellular connects your phone to the actual machine Codex runs on, your PC, your Mac, a Mac mini, or a VPS. Codex runs there, right next to your project, so it keeps full context of your real codebase, branches, and dependencies. You are not watching a synced view, you are driving the real thing.

Install Shellular on iPhone or Android.
Run the companion on your machine, following the docs.
Pair by scanning the QR code. The key stays on your device.
Open Codex in the app and start prompting in a UI built for your phone.

A real Codex UI, not a raw terminal

Shellular does not just drop you into a shell and make you type. It gives Codex a dedicated, mobile-optimized interface with the controls you actually use:

Slash commands. Type / and pick from Codex's commands.
@ file mentions. Tap @ to pull a real file from your repo into the prompt.
Permission approvals. Approve or deny what Codex wants to run, with a tap.
Model picker and reasoning effort. Tune how Codex works for the task at hand.

And when you want to take over, the real terminal, your files, and Git are one tap away.

The difference in practice

Codex is partway through a task and a command fails because a local service is down. In a watch-only setup, you are stuck: you can see the failure but cannot fix it. With Shellular, you drop into the same shell, restart the service, and let Codex continue. No trip back to your desk.

Run any command yourself, not just approve the ones Codex suggests.
Browse and edit your real files, not a diff preview.
Use Git directly: stage, commit, push, inspect.
Switch between agents in the same setup if you also run Claude Code or OpenCode.

Want the head to head? See Shellular vs Codex Mobile for a full breakdown.

Is it secure?

Yes. Connections are end to end encrypted and you are talking to your own machine. The pairing key never leaves your phone. The security overview covers the details.

Bottom line

If you only want to keep a Codex thread moving, the official mobile flow is fine. If you want to actually drive Codex, with a real mobile UI for slash commands, @ mentions, permissions, and models, plus a real terminal, your files, and Git behind it, Shellular runs Codex on your phone with nothing held back.

Curious about the others? Read Claude Code on your phone and OpenCode on your phone.