Codex theme questions · direct answers
CC Theme FAQ: Codex themes, local media, safety and compatibility
Direct answers about Codex and WorkBuddy themes, image and video backgrounds, ripple and directional modes, .cctheme packages, privacy, updates and recovery.
Reviewed
Product and relationship
CC Theme is a third-party open-source project. It is not an OpenAI product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by OpenAI. It does not redistribute Codex or WorkBuddy.
- Browser Studio for preview and export
- Separate target-specific macOS adapters
- Public compatibility records and package contract
What a theme can change
The current advanced layer controls local background media, media position, a scrim, selected structural blur or saturation and interaction settings. Native colors, typography, spacing, icons, component layout and product behavior remain owned by the client.
- Media: local image or optional MP4
- Ripple: one local image with a finite pointer effect
- Directional: a finished 8, 16 or 32-frame static WebP atlas
Compatibility and recovery
Advanced themes depend on an exact verified client build. After a desktop update, check the compatibility matrix before applying an older adapter. Unknown builds stay pending instead of being treated as compatible.
- Keep the matching installer and checksum
- Record the exact target version in the package
- Restore the native appearance when a build is unknown
Frequently asked questions
Is CC Theme an official OpenAI theme tool?
No. CC Theme is an independent third-party project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI.
Can CC Theme change Codex colors and fonts?
Use the client's built-in appearance controls for ordinary colors and fonts. The current CC Theme package focuses on local image, video and interactive backgrounds plus a small allowlist of structural settings.
Can I use my own image as a Codex background?
Yes, on a verified macOS target. Select a local PNG, JPEG or WebP in Studio, preview it, export a target-specific .cctheme package and use the matching adapter.
Can I use an MP4 background?
Yes. Current Codex and WorkBuddy macOS targets accept an optional MP4 up to 256 MiB. Large loops use more disk, decoding power and battery.
What is water-ripple mode?
It uses one local image. Pointer activity wakes a finite ripple and rendering stops after the energy decays. Reduced Motion keeps the image static.
What is a directional background?
It selects a frame from a user-supplied static WebP atlas according to pointer direction. The atlas must contain 8, 16 or 32 evenly divided frames; CC Theme does not generate the artwork.
Are my images or videos uploaded?
No. The current Studio processes theme media and anonymous drafts in the browser. A package is created only when you explicitly export it.
Does a .cctheme file contain scripts?
No. It is a declarative archive. Import rejects scripts, raw CSS, HTML, SVG, remote URLs, path traversal and unlisted files.
Does CC Theme modify app.asar?
No. Current macOS adapters connect to a separately launched verified client over loopback CDP and do not patch app.asar or the signed application bundle.
What should I do after a Codex update?
Stop using the old advanced adapter, check the exact new build in the compatibility matrix and restore native appearance while that build is pending.
Does CC Theme support Windows?
Not yet. Windows remains on the roadmap, but no Windows adapter or installer is currently verified.
Does WorkBuddy support the same modes?
The verified WorkBuddy 5.2.6 macOS adapter supports image, MP4, ripple and directional backgrounds, including a static Reduced Motion fallback.