Know when Codex needs approval
Codex pauses for a yes or no before running commands. Here is how to catch those approval prompts on macOS instead of finding the agent idle.
By Piotr Jura, creator of AgentNotch. Tested on macOS with AgentNotch v1.3.1.
Codex asks before it touches your system. It works through a task, reaches something it wants a yes or no on, and stops there. That pause is the point, and where your time leaks away.
By default the prompt is silent. Kick off a task, move to another window, and Codex can sit on a one-word question for ten minutes. The agent isn't slow, it's idle, held on a permission request that needs a single keystroke. A bell or alt-tabbing back catches one session; neither scales, as the table shows.
Where AgentNotch fits
AgentNotch shows an approval pause in the menu bar. The waiting session stays flagged until you deal with it, so a prompt can't sit unnoticed. With several agents running, it points at the exact one that stopped. Click straight through to the prompt. It reads Codex in Desktop and CLI, and never touches your code or keys.
Side by side
| What it does | Its limit | |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal bell | Rings the instant Codex pauses for a prompt, if the bell is on. | Fires once. Says something waits, not which agent. |
| Alt-tab checking | You poll the Codex window every so often for a prompt. | The interval you pick is the delay on every approval. |
| AgentNotch | Keeps the approval pause flagged in the menu bar until you act. | Points at the exact session; macOS only. |
Questions
- How do I know when Codex is waiting for approval?
- Codex pauses and shows a prompt in its window when it needs you to approve a command, but nothing alerts you if you are looking elsewhere. A menu-bar monitor like AgentNotch flags the session as waiting on approval so you catch the pause the moment it happens instead of finding the agent idle later.
- Why does Codex stop and wait?
- Codex asks for approval before it runs commands that change your system, so it pauses on a yes or no rather than acting on its own. The pause is a safety feature; the problem is only that it can sit unanswered while you are in another window.
- Can I get notified when Codex needs input?
- Yes. A terminal bell pings once when Codex stops for a prompt, while a menu-bar monitor like AgentNotch keeps the session flagged as waiting until you act on it.
- How long will Codex wait for approval?
- Codex holds at an approval prompt until you answer it, so the run makes no progress in the meantime. Every minute the prompt sits unanswered is a minute the task is stalled, which is why catching the pause quickly matters.
Keep reading
See which agent needs you.
Try AgentNotchfree for 14 days, no card. Watch Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex from your Mac's menu bar.
Updated 2026-07-17