OpenAI brings ChatGPT desktop app to Linux in preview
OpenAI’s ChatGPT desktop app Linux preview is now available worldwide, with support for select Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora releases.
By Jordan Bell · Startups & Deals Reporter
· 2 min read
OpenAI has launched a ChatGPT desktop app Linux users can install in preview, expanding the company’s desktop software to another major operating system. For developers and other Linux users, the practical change is access to ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work and Codex through an official client rather than relying only on a browser or third-party software.
The preview is available worldwide, according to TechCrunch’s report published August 11. OpenAI’s own Codex page also now displays a Linux download option and says Codex is available in the ChatGPT app.
Which Linux distributions support the ChatGPT desktop app?
TechCrunch reported that OpenAI supports desktop editions of the following releases in the initial preview:
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
- Debian 13
- Fedora 43
- Fedora 44
A Linux distribution is a version of the operating system assembled around the Linux kernel, with its own software packaging and release cycle. OpenAI has named only those editions in the available reporting, so users of other distributions should not assume official support yet.
The company described Linux as one of the most-requested platforms for its desktop app, TechCrunch reported. An OpenAI community feature-request thread contains posts from users dating back to 2024 asking for an official Linux client, including some who said they preferred a dedicated app to browser-based access. Those posts are individual user accounts, not a measure of demand or an OpenAI commitment.
What does the Linux preview include?
The client includes ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work and Codex, according to TechCrunch. Codex is OpenAI’s coding agent product; its official page says it can be used through ChatGPT, an editor and the terminal under the same ChatGPT account. OpenAI’s page promotes Linux downloads for Codex in ChatGPT, but the supplied product page does not list compatible distributions, installation steps or a date when the wider app will leave preview.
Preview status means the release is not yet described as general availability. The available evidence does not establish whether Linux has feature parity with the macOS or Windows apps, which display systems are supported, or whether releases such as RHEL, Arch and openSUSE will be added.
Is this an official OpenAI Linux app?
Yes. The new release is an official OpenAI client, distinct from older community-made packages and wrappers. For example, a GitHub project called lencx/ChatGPT has long presented a cross-platform desktop application, including Linux, but it is not evidence of an OpenAI product. Users looking for the official release can start with OpenAI’s Linux download page for Codex in ChatGPT.
This story draws on original reporting from TechCrunch.
