How to Install a Custom Pet in OpenAI Codex (macOS & Windows)
A complete step-by-step guide to installing your PetGen pixel-art companion in OpenAI Codex. Covers both macOS and Windows, with troubleshooting tips for beginners.
2026-07-27
Guides & Tutorials
Hands-on tutorials to build, install, and customize your Codex pixel pet — from first-generation to sprite-sheet design.
Install & Setup
How to Install a Custom Codex Pet from the Terminal
Install a custom Codex pet entirely from the command line: where the ~/.codex/pets folder lives, the exact cp / Copy-Item commands for macOS and Windows, and how to verify the install.
2026-08-07
Troubleshooting Codex Pet Installation
Fix invisible pets, glitches, and errors.
2026-07-29
Codex Pet Not Showing? 9 Common Problems and Fixes
Your Codex pet installed but will not appear? Nine real causes behind codex pet not showing, from name mismatches in pet.json to the restart everyone forgets, with the exact fix for each.
2026-08-08
Which Image Formats Work for Codex Pets? JPG vs PNG vs WebP
A practical answer to the codex pet image format question: what Codex actually loads (WebP), which source formats you can upload, and how JPG, PNG and WebP compare for pixel pets.
2026-08-09
Make Your First Codex Pixel Pet from a Photo in 5 Minutes
Make your first Codex pixel pet from a photo in 5 minutes — no drawing or code. Download the ZIP (spritesheet.webp + pet.json), install to ~/.codex/pets/. Free on Starter.
2026-08-05
Pixel-Art & Formats
What Is a Pet Spritesheet and pet.json?
A pet spritesheet is the animation grid Codex uses to render your desktop pet. Learn the exact format, the pet.json fields, and how PetGen builds both for you.
2026-07-15
Codex Pet Spritesheet Dimensions Guide
Exact specs for Codex pet spritesheets.
2026-07-29
Codex Pet Animation States Explained
Breakdown of the 9 animation states.
2026-07-29
Codex Pet Color Customization
Customize your Codex pet colors by generating variations or manually editing spritesheets.
2026-07-30
Best Photo Tips for a Perfect Pixel Pet
The best photos for a pixel pet generator: clear subject, simple background, good light, and 512px+. Fix your shot first and get a sharper, cuter pixel pet every time.
2026-07-30
Why Pixel Art Is Perfect for Codex
Pixel art pets are lightweight, animated, and nostalgic.
2026-07-29
What Is a Codex Pet? A Beginner's Guide to Custom Desktop Companions
A Codex Pet is a pixel-art desktop companion for OpenAI Codex — two files (spritesheet.webp + pet.json) in ~/.codex/pets/. Make yours with Codex Pet Generator.
2026-08-04
Comparisons & Reviews
Best AI Pet Generators in 2026: Compared
We compared the top AI pet generators of 2026 — portrait apps, prompt-based tools, and Codex-ready companions. See which one actually outputs an animated desktop pet.
2026-07-15
The Ultimate Guide to AI Pet Generators (2026)
Everything about AI pet generators: how they work, what to look for, and how to create a custom pixel-art pet for OpenAI Codex. The complete 2026 guide.
2026-08-11
7 Things to Know About Codex Pets (They Don't Change Your Model)
The first question most people ask about the Codex desktop pet is whether it affects the model. It does not. Here are the seven most misunderstood things about Codex pets, and why they neither change your model nor slow down coding.
2026-08-11
Use Cases & Creativity
How to Turn Your Pet Photo Into a Pixel-Art Avatar (Free in 2026)
Turn any pet photo into a pixel-art avatar free in under a minute — no design skills. Upload, approve, and download a 9-state animated spritesheet ready for Codex.
2026-07-15
How to Create a Codex Pet from Your Company Logo
Turn your company logo into an animated pixel-art pet for OpenAI Codex. A step-by-step guide to branding your team coding companion with your mascot or logo mark.
2026-07-30
5 Creative Ways to Use Your Codex Desktop Pet
Discover five fun and practical ways to use your pixel-art companion beyond the default idle animation.
2026-07-30
How to Share Your Codex Pet with Friends
Share your custom Codex pet spritesheet packages with friends and teammates.
2026-07-30
Codex Custom Pet: How to Make Your Own Pixel Pet
Learn how to make a custom Codex pet from your own photo — upload, generate, and install a personalized pixel companion into OpenAI Codex. Step-by-step guide with troubleshooting.
2026-08-05
Custom Pet Guide: How to Make a Custom Pet with AI
Learn what a custom pet is and how to create one from any photo with an AI pet generator. A beginner-friendly guide to custom cats, dogs, and fantasy pets.
2026-08-11
How to Change Your Pet Style: A Step-by-Step Tutorial
Want a different look for your AI pet? This tutorial shows how to change your pet style, swap themes, and regenerate a fresh custom pet.
2026-08-11
Pet Creation Guide: From Photo to Installable Pixel Pet
A complete pet creation walkthrough: upload, generate, approve, and install your pixel-art pet. Perfect for first-time creators.
2026-08-11
Pets Library Explained: Browse, Save, and Manage Your Pets
What is the pets library? Learn how to browse, save, and manage every custom pet you create, and reuse them across Codex.
2026-08-11
How It Works
How PetGen Turns Your Photo Into a Pixel Pet
Behind-the-scenes look at PetGen AI pipeline.
2026-07-29
Pixel Art Pet Design Guide for Developers: From Idea to Animated Companion
A practical design guide for turning a mascot idea into a pixel-art Codex pet: silhouette, palette, spritesheet layout, and animation states that read well at small sizes.
2026-08-06
Get Your First Pet for Free: The Starter Plan Explained
Short version: the codex pet free tier is real. What the Starter plan includes, where the limits are, and when upgrading to Pro actually makes sense. Your first pixel pet takes about five minutes.
2026-08-10
How Photo Quality Affects Your Pixel Pet Result
Why a blurry, dark, or busy photo gives you a worse pixel pet. A practical pixel pet quality guide: what to check before upload, how much the source photo matters, and the fastest fixes.
2026-08-12
The 9 Animation States of a Codex Pet, Explained
What your pixel pet actually does: idle, walking, running, and six more. A codex pet animation guide that walks through all nine states, when each one triggers, and why the idle loop matters more than the flashy moves.
2026-08-13
Turn Your Cat into a Codex Pet: Full Workflow
Turn your cat into a Codex pet in about five minutes. A full workflow for making a cat pixel pet and installing your cat codex companion in OpenAI Codex, no design skills or sign-up needed.
2026-08-14