Here's the honest state of Codex skins on Windows, and the exact steps to get one running. Two things you should know up front: (1) Windows uses PowerShell scripts, not a double-click installer like Mac; (2) the current Windows package ships a bundled decorative theme and does not yet offer the same custom-image picker macOS has. So on Windows you can absolutely run a beautiful skin today — just know the image-upload workflow is a Mac-first feature for now. This guide gets you installed, started, verified and safely restored.
Trust note: the Windows scripts locate your registered Microsoft Store Codex package and validate its package identity before launching. They don't blindly attach to any process.
Export your skin from the generator (or download the theme pack), and unzip it.
Open PowerShell in the windows/ folder (Shift+right-click the folder → "Open PowerShell window here").
If script execution is blocked, allow it for this session:
Run the installer:
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypassscripts\install-dream-skin.ps1After install, launch Codex with the skin active:
scripts\start-dream-skin.ps1This starts Codex with the local CDP endpoint and injects the skin. Use this start script (not the normal Codex shortcut) whenever you want the themed session.
scripts\restore-dream-skin.ps1Restore stops the injector, ends the debug session and returns Codex to stock.
| macOS | Windows | |
|---|---|---|
| Installer | Double-click .command | PowerShell scripts |
| Node.js | Reuses Codex's bundled runtime | You install Node 22+ |
| Custom image picker | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Not yet — ships bundled design |
| Start method | Desktop launcher | start-dream-skin.ps1 |
| Restore | Launcher / command | restore-dream-skin.ps1 |
We state this plainly because pretending Windows has a one-click custom-image flow (like some sites imply) leads to disappointment. If custom-image-on-Windows is essential to you, use the color theme route — that's fully native and cross-platform.
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process line above; it only affects the current window.node -v reports 22+. Older Node is the #1 Windows failure.Not with the current package's picker — that's macOS-first. You can run the bundled design now; for a custom look cross-platform, use a color theme.
No, but you need permission to run local PowerShell scripts for the session.
No. It injects at runtime over loopback CDP; the official package is unchanged.
Run restore-dream-skin.ps1, then delete the skin folder.