OpenAI Codex release notes: 0.152 makes the planning tool opt-in

OpenAI Codex CLI 0.152.0 disables the update_plan planning tool by default. If you want the agent to use it, enable the tool in Codex configuration with tools.update_plan.enabled = true.

Codex CLI is OpenAI's coding agent for the terminal. update_plan is the tool an agent uses to create and update a working plan during a task.

Source: OpenAI Codex 0.152.0 release notes.

OpenAI Codex release notes: the planning tool is now opt-in

When the setting is disabled, Codex does not expose update_plan to the agent. It also removes bundled guidance about the tool from model, collaboration, multi-agent, compaction, startup preparation, and goal-continuation prompts. Custom instructions and user goals that mention planning are preserved.

The change ships in stable version 0.152.0. NPM's latest tag pointed to 0.152.0 when this post was published on September 1, 2026.

Sources: OpenAI on making update_plan opt-in. NPM metadata for the latest Codex release.

Human step: enable the planning tool

Use Codex CLI 0.152.0 and open the user configuration at ~/.codex/config.toml. You can also use .codex/config.toml for a trusted project. Add:

tools.update_plan.enabled = true

OpenAI documents ~/.codex/config.toml as the user configuration file and .codex/config.toml as its project-scoped counterpart. Codex loads project configuration only for projects you have marked as trusted.

Sources: OpenAI Codex configuration reference. OpenAI Codex 0.152.0 release notes.

Short example: use the new Codex feature

After enabling the tool, give the agent a task where ongoing status is useful:

Inspect the repository and plan the upgrade to the new authentication client. Keep the plan current as you work. Stop after the tests pass and summarize any remaining migration risks.

Good output should:

• Start with a concrete plan before changing files.
• Keep step status current during the work.
• Report which tests ran.
• Finish with remaining migration risks without inventing extra tasks.