How to Use Dots
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Using your dot

Let your ChatGPT dot use your own computer

Connect your computer to your dot in the ChatGPT desktop app: click Allow, confirm, and it can work with your local files and apps while the computer is awake.

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To let your dot work on your own computer, open its profile in the ChatGPT desktop app on that computer, click Allow next to the computer's name, and confirm. From then on your dot can use the files and apps there whenever the computer is awake.

Tick these off before you start.

Before you connect

#Cloud or my computer?

First decide whether the job needs your computer at all. Pick a job and see where it belongs.

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.
Five of the seven jobs have something in common: the thing your dot needs exists only on your machine. Open on its own page

If your jobs all landed in the cloud, you can stop here. Otherwise, connect in one of two ways.

#Connect during setup

If you're creating your dot in the desktop app, the last setup screen does it for you. The switch beside Your local computer is already on, so leave it and click Continue.

Choose where your dot can work. Your dot's computer is ticked. Your local computer has a switch, turned on, and the text: Access files and work on this computer wherever you message your dot. This disconnects any other connected desktop
Image: Leon van Zyl

A green notice at the top of the conversation confirms it: "This computer is connected to your dot". Turn the switch off first if you'd rather connect later.

#Connect later, from your dot's profile

If your dot already exists, connect from its profile, in the desktop app on the computer you want it to use.

Walkthrough

Allow access to this computer

  1. A dot's profile. Under Computers there are two rows: the dot's own computer, Connected, and a second row labeled Your computer with an Allow button
    Image: Eric Michaud

    1Open your dot's profile and click Allow

    Click your dot's name or picture at the top of the conversation. Under Computers, find the row labeled Your computer and click Allow.

  2. A dialog: Allow access to this computer? Allow your dot to access files and work on Mac. Any other desktop connected to your dot will be disconnected. This access applies anywhere you can message your dot. Buttons: Cancel and Allow access
    Image: Futurepedia

    2Read the dialog, then click Allow access

    The dialog tells you three things: your dot can open and change files here, any other computer you connected is disconnected, and the access holds wherever you message your dot. Click Allow access.

  3. The dialog now reads Connecting Mac. This may take a few secondsMarker 1
    1. Nothing to click.
    Image: Futurepedia

    3Wait a few seconds

    The dialog changes to Connecting and closes by itself after three or four seconds.

  4. The Computers list after connecting. The second row, Your computer, now ends in a small icon of a laptop with a line through it
    Image: Nate Herk

    4Check the row

    Where Allow was, there's now a small crossed-out laptop. That icon means connected. If you don't see it, point at the row.

#Check it worked

With the computer connected, ask for something small that only it can answer.

Prompt
List the files in my Downloads folder. Don't change anything.

Your dot starts a separate task for the job, which shows as a chip in the conversation, and comes back with the names of files that are really in that folder.

#When your computer is asleep

The connection only works while the computer does. When it's off, asleep or off the network, its row in the profile says so.

A dot's profile. Under Computers, the dot's own computer reads Connected. The second row reads Offline and its Allow button is greyed outMarker 1Marker 2
  1. Offline: your dot can't reach this computer right now.
  2. The cloud computer stays Connected whatever yours is doing.
Image: Zinho Automates
  • Offline doesn't disconnect anything. Wake the computer and the connection is back.
  • A job that needs your computer waits for it. It doesn't move to the cloud by itself.
  • Meanwhile your dot can still chat, use your connected apps and work in the cloud.

#Common mistakes

If Allow isn't in your dot's profile, you're probably in a browser.

A computer linked to Codex still needs connecting to your dot.

#Check yourself

One question before you move on.

Predict

Your work laptop is connected. At home you open the desktop app on your own Mac and click Allow there. What happens to the laptop?

  • Nothing. Your dot now has both
  • It's disconnected. Your dot has the Mac
  • The Mac is refused until you disconnect the laptop
Show the answer

It's disconnected. Your dot has the Mac

The dialog says so before you confirm: "Any other desktop connected to your dot will be disconnected." To switch back, click Allow on the laptop again.

The dialog says so before you confirm: "Any other desktop connected to your dot will be disconnected." To switch back, click Allow on the laptop again.

#Next step

Your dot can reach your computer. Now try talking to it out loud.

Does local work use my Work or Codex usage?

Yes. Jobs on your computer run as Work or Codex tasks, and they count toward your plan's Work and Codex usage. Talking to your dot doesn't count toward your ChatGPT usage limits. Usage limits has the rest.

Can I send a job to my computer from my phone?

Yes. Once the computer is connected, it's available wherever you message your dot. The computer still has to be on and awake.

What does my workspace need?

An owner turns on Allow local computer access, which is off by default in Enterprise, and members need desktop app version 26.929 or higher. Each member still clicks Allow on their own computer. Dots for workspace admins covers the settings.

Can my dot see all my ChatGPT and Codex chats on that computer?

No. Your dot can carry on a local Codex task you point it to, and follow up on tasks it started.

  1. Rebuilt as a lesson with the real Allow access screens and the cloud-or-computer chooser.
  2. First published.

Sources

11
  1. OpenAI docs: Connect computers and apps to your dot learn.chatgpt.com
  2. OpenAI Help Center: Getting started with your dot help.openai.com
  3. OpenAI docs: Local computer access for Work Cloud and dots learn.chatgpt.com
  4. OpenAI docs: Tasks and memory learn.chatgpt.com
  5. OpenAI Help Center: Manage dots in ChatGPT workspaces help.openai.com
  6. OpenAI: Introducing dots openai.com
  7. Leon van Zyl on YouTube: screenshots of the setup switch and the connected notice youtube.com
  8. Eric Michaud on YouTube: screenshot of the Allow button youtube.com
  9. Futurepedia on YouTube: screenshots of the Allow access dialog youtube.com
  10. Nate Herk on YouTube: screenshot of a connected computer youtube.com
  11. Zinho Automates on YouTube: screenshot of an offline computer youtube.com
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by The Full Stack PM