Why Codex CLI waits for approval without telling you, and the fix

Why there was no alert

Codex's terminal UI sends a notification when it needs you: approval-requested covers command, edit and MCP approvals, and separate types cover a finished turn (agent-turn-complete), a plan mode prompt and a question. These settings decide whether you see it:

• tui.notification_condition defaults to unfocused, so nothing fires while the Codex terminal window has focus.
• tui.notification_method defaults to auto. In the Codex source, auto sends an OSC 9 desktop notification only in Ghostty, iTerm2, Kitty, Warp and WezTerm. Apple Terminal, the VS Code terminal, Windows Terminal, GNOME Terminal, Konsole and Alacritty get a plain bell character, which may be silent depending on the terminal's bell settings.
• Inside tmux, Codex wraps the notification for tmux to pass through, and tmux forwards it only with allow-passthrough on.
• The notify setting runs your program only on agent-turn-complete, so a notify script never fires for an approval prompt.

Fix 1: change the notification settings

Add this to ~/.codex/config.toml:

[tui]
notifications = true
notification_condition = "always"
notification_method = "bel"

In Apple Terminal, turn on Audible bell under Settings > Profiles > Advanced to hear the bell. For tmux, add set -g allow-passthrough on to ~/.tmux.conf and run tmux source-file ~/.tmux.conf.

Fix 2: a desktop notification from a hook

A PermissionRequest hook runs when Codex is about to ask for approval, such as a sandbox escalation, a network request or an MCP tool call that needs approval. It works in any terminal. On macOS, put this in ~/.codex/hooks.json:

{
  "hooks": {
    "PermissionRequest": [
      {
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "osascript -e 'display notification \"Codex is waiting for approval\" with title \"Codex\"'",
            "async": true
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Codex runs a new hook only after you review and trust it, so open /hooks once and trust this one. The hook prints no decision, so the normal approval prompt still appears. If nothing shows on macOS, allow Script Editor in System Settings > Notifications: osascript sends through it.

Fix 3: fewer prompts to wait on

• The default Auto preset (workspace-write sandbox, on-request approvals) asks only to edit outside the workspace or to use the network. /permissions switches presets mid-session, and /status shows the current policy and writable folders.
• approvals_reviewer = "auto_review" sends eligible approval requests to a reviewer agent instead of to you. It denies critical-risk actions, and /approve retries one recent denial. Reviews use extra model calls.
• For MCP tools, default_tools_approval_mode on a server, or approval_mode on one tool, sets when Codex asks: auto, prompt, writes or approve.
• --ask-for-approval never removes prompts but keeps the sandbox, so blocked actions fail instead of waiting. --dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox (--yolo) removes both, and OpenAI doesn't recommend it.

Fix 4: approve from your phone

The ChatGPT mobile app can follow Codex tasks on a computer you connect through the ChatGPT desktop app (Settings > Connections > Control this Mac or PC), approve requested commands and send new instructions. Availability depends on rollout and your workspace settings, and the computer has to stay awake and online.

Where Taskhold fits

Taskhold handles the other kind of stop: a question about the work. With the workflow snippet in AGENTS.md, Codex calls taskhold_block with one specific question instead of waiting in the terminal. The task moves to the top of the live board under Needs you, an open board tab can show a desktop notification, and you reply from any browser, including your phone. Codex reads the reply with taskhold_updates and can take the next task while it waits.

If you need a decision from me, call taskhold_block on the task with one
specific question, then take the next todo. Check taskhold_updates between
steps for my reply.

• Approval prompts still need an answer in Codex. Taskhold carries questions about the work, not sandbox approvals.
• Taskhold doesn't wake a session that has stopped. Codex reads your reply the next time it calls taskhold_updates.
• Setup is on the Codex page, the whole loop is in answering a blocked coding agent, and if the taskhold tools never load, see Codex CLI MCP server not loading and Taskhold troubleshooting.