How do I install the Codex Image skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add qwwiwi/codex-image-2 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Codex Image safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Codex Image?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Codex Image free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Codex Image?

qwwiwi (@qwwiwi) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Codex Image by qwwiwi — Agent Skill

Name: Codex Image
Author: qwwiwi

Codex Image

Use when asked to generate an image, picture, photo, cover, banner art or illustration (сгенерируй картинку, фоточку, обложку, изображение) using the Codex/ChatGPT subscription — no OPENAI_API_KEY, no per-image billing; supports up to 5 reference images (по референсу, в стиле картинки). Also use when tempted to answer that image generation is impossible without an API key, that Codex is text-only, or that references don't work over the subscription.

qwwiwi Updated Sep 22, 2026

File contents

codex-image — gpt-image-2 via Codex OAuth subscription

Overview

Images are generated by gpt-image-2 through the Codex/ChatGPT OAuth subscription (token from ~/.codex/auth.json, created by codex login). No API key, no per-image cost — quota is shared with the Codex subscription.

Common misconception (documented agent failure): "Codex is text-only, image generation needs OPENAI_API_KEY / DALL-E." Wrong. The Codex backend (chatgpt.com/backend-api/codex) serves the image_generation tool over the Responses API; host model gpt-5.5 invokes it, gpt-image-2 renders.

Note: the Codex Claude Code plugin (openai/codex-plugin-cc) does NOT generate images — its role is review/architecture. This skill's script bypasses the plugin and talks to the Codex backend directly using the same login.

Quick reference

# self-contained launcher — uses the skill's own venv, bootstraps it if missing
~/.claude/skills/codex-image/scripts/run.sh \
  "prompt in English" [quality] [aspect] [ref1.png ... ref5.png]

Param	Values	Notes
quality	`low` (~~45s) / `medium` (default, ~1-2min) / `high` (~~2-3min)
aspect	`landscape` 1536x1024 / `square` 1024x1024 / `portrait` 1024x1536
refN	up to 5 local image paths (png/jpg/webp)	passed as `input_image` data-URL content blocks; style/character/logo transfer
output	prints path to PNG	saved in `~/.codex/cache/images/img_<ts>.png`

Prompt in English works best. Generation is slow — for high use a background call.

Hard constraints (violating any → HTTP 400 or wrong path)

References: max 5 images, as content blocks. {"type":"input_image","image_url":"data:<mime>;base64,...","detail":"auto"} placed NEXT TO input_text in the same user message. There is no seed parameter — for strict reproducibility a paid image API is still the better tool; for character/style/logo transfer this works.
Never client.images.generate() / Images API — that is the API-key path, the OAuth subscription rejects it. Only Responses API + tool image_generation (+ tool_choice={"type":"image_generation"} so the host model draws immediately).
stream=True and store=False are mandatory — otherwise HTTP 400 from the Codex backend.
input must be a LIST of message objects, not a bare string.
Auth: tokens.access_token (+ tokens.account_id → chatgpt-account-id header) from ~/.codex/auth.json. Required headers: OpenAI-Beta: responses=experimental, originator: codex_cli_rs.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Fix
`ModuleNotFoundError: openai`	run via `scripts/run.sh` (skill's own venv), NOT system python3 — it lacks the SDK
`Codex auth не найден`	`codex login` (server: `codex login --device-auth`)
HTTP 400	check stream=True, store=False, input as message list
401/403	token expired — re-run `codex login`; check account_id header
No image in stream	model refused (policy) — rephrase prompt
ref rejected	png/jpg/webp only, ≤15MB per file, ≤40MB total, max 5 files

When NOT to use

Deterministic graphics (exact typography, brand colors, diagrams): hand-author SVG → render PNG.
Strict reproducibility / seed-based pipelines: needs a paid image API with seed support.

The skill is fully self-contained (script + own .venv, auto-bootstrapped by run.sh). Reference technique from ningzimu/codex-gpt-image (audited).

---name: codex-image-2description: Use when asked to generate an image, picture, photo, cover, banner art or illustration (сгенерируй картинку, фоточку, обложку, изображение) using the Codex/ChatGPT subscription — no OPENAI_API_KEY, no per-image billing; supports up to 5 reference images (по референсу, в стиле картинки). Also use when tempted to answer that image generation is impossible without an API key, that Codex is text-only, or that references don't work over the subscription.---# codex-image — gpt-image-2 via Codex OAuth subscription## OverviewImages are generated by **gpt-image-2** through the **Codex/ChatGPT OAuth subscription** (token from `~/.codex/auth.json`, created by `codex login`). No API key, no per-image cost — quota is shared with the Codex subscription.**Common misconception (documented agent failure):** "Codex is text-only, image generation needs OPENAI_API_KEY / DALL-E." Wrong. The Codex backend (`chatgpt.com/backend-api/codex`) serves the `image_generation` tool over the Responses API; host model gpt-5.5 invokes it, gpt-image-2 renders.Note: the Codex *Claude Code plugin* (`openai/codex-plugin-cc`) does NOT generate images — its role is review/architecture. This skill's script bypasses the plugin and talks to the Codex backend directly using the same login.## Quick reference```bash# self-contained launcher — uses the skill's own venv, bootstraps it if missing~/.claude/skills/codex-image/scripts/run.sh \ "prompt in English" [quality] [aspect] [ref1.png ... ref5.png]```| Param | Values | Notes ||---|---|---|| quality | `low` (~45s) / `medium` (default, ~1-2min) / `high` (~2-3min) | || aspect | `landscape` 1536x1024 / `square` 1024x1024 / `portrait` 1024x1536 | || refN | up to 5 local image paths (png/jpg/webp) | passed as `input_image` data-URL content blocks; style/character/logo transfer || output | prints path to PNG | saved in `~/.codex/cache/images/img_<ts>.png` |Prompt in English works best. Generation is slow — for `high` use a background call.## Hard constraints (violating any → HTTP 400 or wrong path)1. **References: max 5 images, as content blocks.** `{"type":"input_image","image_url":"data:<mime>;base64,...","detail":"auto"}` placed NEXT TO `input_text` in the same user message. There is no seed parameter — for strict reproducibility a paid image API is still the better tool; for character/style/logo transfer this works.2. **Never `client.images.generate()` / Images API** — that is the API-key path, the OAuth subscription rejects it. Only Responses API + tool `image_generation` (+ `tool_choice={"type":"image_generation"}` so the host model draws immediately).3. **`stream=True` and `store=False` are mandatory** — otherwise HTTP 400 from the Codex backend.4. `input` must be a LIST of message objects, not a bare string.5. Auth: `tokens.access_token` (+ `tokens.account_id` → `chatgpt-account-id` header) from `~/.codex/auth.json`. Required headers: `OpenAI-Beta: responses=experimental`, `originator: codex_cli_rs`.## Troubleshooting| Symptom | Fix ||---|---|| `ModuleNotFoundError: openai` | run via `scripts/run.sh` (skill's own venv), NOT system python3 — it lacks the SDK || `Codex auth не найден` | `codex login` (server: `codex login --device-auth`) || HTTP 400 | check stream=True, store=False, input as message list || 401/403 | token expired — re-run `codex login`; check account_id header || No image in stream | model refused (policy) — rephrase prompt || ref rejected | png/jpg/webp only, ≤15MB per file, ≤40MB total, max 5 files |## When NOT to use- **Deterministic graphics** (exact typography, brand colors, diagrams): hand-author SVG → render PNG.- **Strict reproducibility / seed-based pipelines**: needs a paid image API with seed support.The skill is fully self-contained (script + own `.venv`, auto-bootstrapped by `run.sh`). Reference technique from `ningzimu/codex-gpt-image` (audited).

Frequently asked questions