Codex CLI v0.159.0: instant_interrupt steering, TUI welcome screen, Windows console fixes#
Published by Alex Sorokoletov
Part of the Codex CLI Version Tracker series. | Codex on GitHub | Official Changelog
Codex CLI v0.159.0 follows v0.158.0 with an opt-in instant_interrupt that lets new input steer a turn mid-response, a compact welcome screen with in-turn tips, Windows launches that no longer flash stray console windows, and transcript copies that keep Markdown tables and whitespace intact.[1]
Steering a Turn in Flight#
The headline addition is instant_interrupt, an opt-in setting. With it on, input typed while Codex is generating a response or running a long code-mode call steers the current turn instead of waiting for it to finish.[1] The supporting fixes land in the same cycle: queued output is preserved for observers when a code-mode call is terminated, and WebSocket continuations survive when a turn is steered, so redirecting work mid-flight does not drop the stream that was already in progress.[2]
Around that, the transcript becomes something you can read while a turn runs. You can scroll it while deciding whether to implement a proposed plan, and working tips stay stable during that interaction rather than shifting under the cursor.[1]
What Shipped#
| Change | What It Does |
|---|---|
instant_interrupt | Opt-in setting; new input steers Codex during a model response or a long-running code-mode call instead of queuing behind it.[1] |
| Welcome screen and tips | New sessions open on a compact welcome screen with a consistent borderless header, and tips appear during and after turns.[1] |
| Warnings viewer keep action | Reviewed warnings clear when the viewer closes; pressing k keeps one for later.[1] |
| Native Mermaid coverage | Flowchart rendering handles more edges, labels, and node groups, plus shape, relationship, and state descriptions.[1] |
| Thread history pagination | App-server clients can page thread/items/list from a specific item anchor.[1] |
Windows and Sandbox Hardening#
Windows launches stop spawning visible console windows for MCP servers, code-mode hosts, and piped child processes, and a restrictive launcher can fall back to embedded mode instead of failing.[1] Windows daemon launches also stop retaining launcher stdio and can proceed with residual job membership.[2]
The sandbox side tightens filesystem and network handling. Approved commands keep their explicit filesystem denials, and .aws directories are protected by default under writable roots.[1] On macOS, TLS trust evaluation is now permitted inside network-enabled Seatbelt profiles, and remote environments that require proxy access are honored, so network-enabled sandboxes stop tripping over certificate checks.[1] The exec-server can also proxy permitted private IPs upstream for those environments.[2]
Fixes Worth Noting#
- Copying a transcript selection preserves Markdown tables, formatting, and significant whitespace, and more terminals copy automatically on selection.[1]
- Blank sessions retain their drafts when you switch tasks, and threads can be archived and listed before their first turn.[1]
- Local ChatGPT sign-in opens the browser reliably, and onboarding offers a shortcut to copy the login link.[1]
- TUI reconnect attempts keep running until the shared deadline, and reconnect commands print on their own line.[2]
- Usage limit windows are preserved in turn and compaction analytics, and model and access-program pairs survive compaction.[2]
This cycle also removed two things: the automatic follow-up prompt suggestions and their tui.prompt_suggestions setting, and the bundled plugin-creator skill.[1]
What This Tells Us#
Steering a turn mid-response is the largest interaction change in v0.159.0. instant_interrupt ships alongside fixes that preserve queued output during code-mode termination (#48207) and WebSocket continuations when a turn is steered (#48508).
v0.159.0 lands several Windows launcher fixes. Suppressing stray console windows across MCP servers, code-mode hosts, and piped commands, plus the daemon stdio and embedded-mode fallback.
The sandbox changes point at remote and network-enabled execution. Allowing TLS trust evaluation inside Seatbelt profiles, honoring proxy requirements, and proxying permitted private IPs upstream are all about letting a locked-down sandbox still reach the network it legitimately needs, while protecting .aws credentials and retaining filesystem denials keeps that access from widening the blast radius. That balance, real network access inside a tight sandbox, is where the agent harnesses are competing now.
All trademarks and software referenced belong to their respective owners.
Sources#
- Codex CLI release notes, rust-v0.159.0
- Official Changelog, rust-v0.158.0...rust-v0.159.0
Previous Codex CLI analysis: v0.158.0 (September 28, 2026)
All 8 Codex CLI analyses: Codex CLI Version Tracker · Official Codex CLI changelog