T3 Code on Android
No Play Store app, but Chrome on Android handles T3 Code well — arguably better than iOS. Setup, battery optimisation traps, and using a Termux server.
There is no T3 Code app on the Play Store. The web interface runs in Chrome and connects to a server on your own machine — and Android handles this noticeably better than iOS does.
Setup#
1. Start a server where your code lives.
npx t3 serve --tailscale-serveHTTPS via Tailscale is worth it here too. Chrome blocks mixed content and restricts some features to secure contexts. Remote access guide →
2. Scan the QR code that t3 serve prints, using the camera or Google Lens.
3. Install it as an app. Chrome menu → Add to Home screen (newer Chrome offers Install app).
Choosing Install app rather than a plain shortcut gets you a proper standalone window with no browser chrome and its own entry in the app switcher.
Where Android beats iOS#
Worth saying plainly, since people assume the opposite:
- Background tabs survive longer. Chrome on Android doesn't discard tabs as aggressively as Safari on iOS, so a monitoring session stays connected through app switching more reliably.
- Real file downloads. Saving a diff or log to storage just works.
- Better keyboard options. Gboard clipboard history and third-party keyboards make writing a longer prompt less miserable.
- Split screen. Android's split screen is more usable than iPhone multitasking — T3 Code above, notes or terminal below.
Android-specific gotchas#
Battery optimisation kills background connections#
The main Android trap. Aggressive battery optimisation — especially on Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus and Huawei devices, which layer their own power management on top of stock Android — will suspend Chrome in the background and drop the WebSocket.
If sessions die whenever you switch apps, exempt Chrome:
Settings → Apps → Chrome → Battery → Unrestricted
On Xiaomi/MIUI and Samsung there's usually a second, separate setting (often "Autostart" or a per-app power profile) that also needs changing. Vendor skins are the usual culprit when stock instructions don't help.
Data Saver breaks streaming#
Chrome's Data Saver and some carrier proxies interfere with long-lived connections. If output stops streaming mid-run, turn Data Saver off for this site.
Tailscale and battery optimisation, again#
The Tailscale app needs the same exemption. If it gets suspended, the VPN drops and T3 Code becomes unreachable — which presents as T3 Code being broken rather than the network.
Running the server on Android itself#
Ambitious but real: with Termux you can run the whole stack on the phone.
pkg install nodejs git
npm i -g @openai/codex
codex login
npx t3@latestThen open localhost:3773 in Chrome on the same device.
Honestly assessed: this is a curiosity more than a workflow. Agent runs are CPU and memory hungry, a phone thermally throttles fast, and Termux's environment differs enough from desktop Linux that some tooling misbehaves. Worth trying if you enjoy that sort of thing; not worth relying on.
The sane setup remains a desktop or always-on Linux box running the server, with the phone as a screen. Linux server setup →
What's realistic on a phone#
| Task | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Checking whether a long run finished | Good — the main use case |
| Reading agent output | Good |
| Kicking off a thread from a short prompt | Good |
| Approving Supervised prompts | Workable |
| Reviewing a small diff | Workable |
| Reviewing a large diff | Painful |
| Writing a detailed prompt | Painful |
A tablet with a keyboard moves most of those up a row.
Not what you were looking for?#
Trying to connect the ChatGPT Android app to Codex Desktop? That's a different product with its own documented failure modes, including a proxy bug with a working fix: Codex mobile won't connect →
FAQ#
Is there a T3 Code Android app?#
No. There's no Play Store app. T3 Code's web interface runs in Chrome and can be installed to your home screen as a standalone web app, connecting to a server on your own computer.
How do I use T3 Code on Android?#
Run npx t3 serve --tailscale-serve on the machine with your code, scan the printed QR code, then use Chrome's "Install app" option so it runs in its own window.
Why does T3 Code keep disconnecting on Android?#
Almost always battery optimisation suspending Chrome in the background. Set Chrome's battery usage to Unrestricted, and do the same for Tailscale. Samsung, Xiaomi and OnePlus devices often have an extra vendor-specific power setting as well.
Can I run T3 Code directly on my Android phone?#
Technically yes, using Termux with Node.js and a provider CLI installed. In practice agent runs are resource-intensive and phones throttle quickly, so a desktop or always-on server with the phone as a client is far more practical.
Is T3 Code better on Android or iOS?#
Android, marginally. Chrome retains background tabs longer than Safari, file downloads work normally, and split screen is more usable. The trade-off is that Android battery optimisation needs configuring first.