OpenAI finally gave Linux users what they have been asking for: an official ChatGPT desktop app. Announced on August 11, 2026, the preview release lands worldwide and closes the last major gap in ChatGPT's desktop coverage. macOS got the app in May 2024, Windows followed in October 2024, and now Linux completes the set.
The new app is not a browser wrapper. It combines ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex in one native interface, with a built-in web browser and the ability to run Codex directly inside your local repositories. For Linux developers, that means agentic coding assistance without bouncing between a terminal and a tab.
"Linux has been one of the most-requested platforms for the desktop app, and this launch extends ChatGPT and Codex across every major desktop operating system," the company said in its announcement.
What's Inside the Linux App
The Linux preview mirrors the desktop app OpenAI shipped for macOS and Windows in July 2026, when it merged the standalone Codex app with ChatGPT and ChatGPT Work into a single application. The three pillars work like this:
- ChatGPT: the classic assistant for questions, conversations, and everyday tasks.
- ChatGPT Work: longer, multi-step work tasks, with access to local files and programs when you give consent.
- Codex: software development built for your own repositories, from refactors to full agentic runs.
Prefer the older layout? OpenAI still maintains the previous desktop app, now renamed ChatGPT Classic, alongside the new one. Both stay available on the official download page, so nothing you rely on today disappears overnight.
How to Install It on Your Distro
At launch, OpenAI supports a focused set of distributions, and they were chosen deliberately: these distros act as the base for many downstream flavors, so compatible derivatives should work too.
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
- Debian 13
- Fedora 43
- Fedora 44
OpenAI tested the app on both Ubuntu LTS releases and Debian 13, with RPM builds prepared for Fedora. The download comes as a .deb installer for Ubuntu and Debian users, in 64-bit Intel/AMD or ARM64 variants, or an RPM for Fedora.
Installation takes five steps:
- Open the official Codex website from a Linux machine. The download links only appear when the site detects a Linux system.
- Grab the .deb for Ubuntu or Debian, choosing the x64 or ARM64 build that matches your hardware, or the RPM if you run Fedora.
- Install the package with your distribution's package manager.
- Sign in with a free OpenAI account. The app is free to download and use, though some features require a paid plan.
- Let updates flow in normally. Installing the .deb adds an official OpenAI repository to your system, so future versions arrive through apt alongside your other software.
What to Check Before You Rely on It
This is a public preview, and OpenAI is upfront about it. The app may be buggy, and feature integrations may not work reliably, so treat it as a testing ground rather than mission-critical infrastructure.
Keep the same privacy boundaries you would expect from the macOS and Windows versions. ChatGPT Work can touch local files and programs, but only with your explicit consent, and Codex only operates in repositories you point it at.
Linux users now have a direct comparison point. Anthropic shipped its Claude desktop app for Linux about a month ago, supporting Ubuntu 22.04 or later and Debian 12 or later. With both assistants running natively, your choice of AI no longer depends on your operating system.
The takeaway is simple. If you live on Ubuntu, Debian, or Fedora, the official ChatGPT app is finally yours to test. Install it, run Codex on a side project, and watch your package updates: OpenAI is moving fast, and this preview will only get better from here.
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