Desktop: projectless tasks cannot be moved or recreated on an always-on remote host for scheduled automations #32775

Summary

Codex Desktop exposes remote hosts and thread automations, but a projectless task cannot be moved to an always-on computer or recreated there through the available cross-host workflow. This breaks a common use case: a scheduled monitor created on a laptop must run on a desktop that is always on.

User impact

A daily Gmail tender monitor was configured as a task-attached automation. It needs to run at a fixed time and email the user a result. The originating device is a laptop, so the task is not dependable when the laptop is asleep or away.

The intended solution was to move the task/automation to an always-on PC already connected to Codex. The workflow was blocked at every available path.

Reproduction

1. Create a projectless Codex Desktop task (not backed by a Git repository).

2. Add a thread-attached recurring automation.

3. Connect a second, always-on computer as a remote Codex host.

4. Attempt to hand off the projectless task to that host.

   Result: handoff fails because the workspace is not a Git repository.

5. Attempt the handoff from a second task, to avoid the restriction that a task cannot hand itself off.

   Result: the same non-Git-repository blocker remains.

6. Attempt to create a new dedicated task on the remote host through an existing remote task.

   Result: the new projectless task is created on the initiating/local host instead. The create-thread surface has no explicit target-host selection, while the remote host is visible for existing tasks.

Expected behavior

At least one of the following should work:

• projectless task handoff between connected hosts, including its thread automation;
• creating a projectless task explicitly on a selected connected host;
• cloning/exporting a task and its automation to a selected host;
• a cloud-hosted automation option independent of either desktop host.

Actual behavior

The task cannot be handed off without Git, cannot hand itself off, and cannot be recreated on the selected remote host through the available APIs. The automation therefore remains tied to the laptop and fails the intended always-on use case.

Why this matters

This is not just a developer/repository workflow. Codex Desktop increasingly supports connectors and recurring operational work—mail monitoring, reminders, reports, and notifications. Those workflows need a supported way to run on a chosen always-on host or in the cloud, regardless of whether the task has a Git repository.

Suggested priority

High for users relying on task automations and multi-device setups. The current experience presents remote-host visibility and automation features that do not compose into a usable persistent workflow for projectless tasks.