Chooser

Cloud or my computer?

Pick the job. You'll see where your dot should do it, what has to be true first, and what to watch for.

What do you want your dot to do?
Its cloud computerCodex cloudenvironmentYour computeronly if you allow itIts cloudcomputerCodex cloudenvironmentYour computeronly if you allow it

Research, documents or data analysis

UseYour dot's cloud computer
Why
It has its own browser, files and software, and none of this needs anything from your machine.
You need
Nothing extra. Every dot has a cloud computer.
Watch for
Its browser has its own logins. Being signed in on your computer doesn't sign your dot in.

Work that has to keep going while your laptop is shut

UseYour dot's cloud computer
Why
Cloud work carries on while your devices are off. Anything on your computer stops when your computer does.
You need
Nothing extra.
Watch for
Ask your dot to put finished work somewhere you can reach, such as its Outputs or a connected Drive, so the result is waiting when you're back.

Files, apps or code that exist only on your computer

UseYour computer
Why
Your dot can't reach a local file or app from the cloud. It needs the machine they're on.
You need
Access allowed, and the computer on, awake and online with the ChatGPT app open.
Counts toward
Your plan's Work and Codex usage. Local jobs run as Work or Codex tasks.
Watch for
Only one of your computers can be connected at a time.

A website that blocks the cloud browser

UseYour computer
Why
The site refuses the cloud browser, and taking over the cloud browser yourself doesn't change that. The browser on your own computer is a different browser.
You need
Access allowed, the computer on and awake, and you signed in to the site in that browser. Then ask: "Try it from my computer."
Counts toward
Your plan's Work and Codex usage if it starts a local task.
Watch for
Nothing carries over from the cloud browser. The job starts fresh on your machine.

Carrying on a Codex task that already runs on your computer

UseYour computer
Why
That task lives on your computer. Your dot can pick it up there once the computer is connected.
You need
Access allowed, and a clear pointer: name the task and say what you want changed.
Counts toward
Your plan's Codex usage.
Watch for
Connecting a computer doesn't hand your dot every ChatGPT or Codex conversation on it. It works on the tasks you point it to and the ones it started.

A job that uses a local skill

UseYour computer
Why
Local skills only run on a connected computer.
You need
Access allowed, and the computer on, awake and online with the ChatGPT app open.
Counts toward
Your plan's Work and Codex usage when it runs as a local task.

Coding on a repository while your computer is off

UseA Codex cloud environment
Why
Your dot can start a coding task in a Codex cloud environment that already has your repository. Your computer can stay off.
You need
To set up the environment in Codex first, with the repository and its configuration.
Counts toward
Your plan's Codex usage.
Watch for
Open the task and review what it produced before you rely on it.