Install Telethryve
Download the release build, run the installer, accept the source-use terms, and let setup install Codex CLI and bundled runtime dependencies.
How to use Telethryve
From first install to a machine that builds with you.
Install Telethryve on the host computer. Pair the mobile app with a QR code. Start with normal chat. Then use commands, profiles, local models, app control, and tool-lab workflows when the work needs more power.
First run story
The phone is the command surface. The computer is the work engine.
Telethryve starts with a simple handoff. The desktop install prepares the bridge, Codex, profiles, projects, and local tools. The mobile app becomes the place where you send work, receive artifacts, tap control cards, and keep long-running work moving.
Once the QR scan succeeds, you are not just messaging a bot. You are connected to a workstation that can inspect files, resume projects, run Codex, call local tools, and report back into the same chat.
Install the mobile app
Install the Telethryve mobile companion. Android users can use the public Android tester link when it is available for the release.
Generate the QR code
Run 6 - Pair Phone with QR.command on macOS or
pair_phone.bat on Windows. Telethryve creates a
relay pairing token, opens a QR image, and copies the pairing
link.
Scan and connect
Scan the QR code in the mobile app, then start Telethryve. Send
what's the status. A healthy bridge replies with
profile, project, run, and toggle state.
Now you are connected
Start with a sentence. Use commands when you need control.
If a message is not a Telethryve control, it becomes work for Codex. That means your first useful action can be plain language.
Daily commands
The common commands you will actually use.
Natural phrases work for most bridge controls. Slash commands are the exact fallback when you want to be precise.
Goal
Say or type
What happens
See projects
show projects
Shows clickable project-folder cards. Slash fallback: /projects.
See chats
show chats
Shows Codex app chats and lets you resume a thread. Slash fallback: /chats or /threads.
Restart bridge
restart telethryve
Cleanly restarts the bridge process. Slash fallback: /restart.
Use OpenAI Codex
/codex openai
Switches back to the normal OpenAI-backed Codex path configured on the host.
Use local Codex
/codex local
Switches to the local Gemma/Ollama Codex profile when local setup is installed.
Reach Codex slash commands
//model
Telethryve owns one slash. Use two slashes to forward a Codex-native slash command as one slash.
Rule of thumb: use / for Telethryve bridge commands,
and // for Codex commands you want forwarded through
the bridge. For example, //status reaches Codex as
/status, while /status checks the
Telethryve bridge.
Self-transforming machine tools
These tools come pre-installed.
Telethryve ships with a managed tool-lab/. Codex can
use these tools, inspect them, improve them, and create new tools
beside them when the operation needs capability the system did not
already have.
Verified local app actions
Routes email, browser, file, Notes, spreadsheet, screenshot, installed-app, and air-gap checks through OS providers with confirmation evidence.
app control on
Voice, speech, and phone missions
Wraps local speech, Phonebot, and Vocodex workflows for listening, speaking, routed phone audio, call missions, and phone-runtime orchestration.
voice on
macOS desktop control
Uses local shell and AppleScript style actions to activate apps, open URLs, inspect dialogs, attempt screenshots, and send Mail messages.
desktop control on
Capture and stream the screen
Captures bounded desktop videos or streams low-FPS desktop frames to the paired mobile client for review and remote guidance.
/stream
Offline memory and RAG
Stores local notes and searches them before local model turns so Gemma can use remembered context without sending it to a hosted model.
remember this
Zero-key public web search
Fetches compact web results for local profiles when fresh information is allowed, then caches useful snippets into local memory.
web search <query>
Product cards and photos
Searches product-style results, extracts links, prices, snippets, and photo URLs, and helps the bridge relay rich shopping cards.
shop for <query>
Customer-owned social queues
Reviews, approves, dry-runs, and publishes social queue entries through configured Meta credentials or a trusted browser session.
publish queue
Local spoken replies
Turns text into local speech audio so completed replies can include an audio attachment when the host speech services are ready.
voice on
Mobile control cards
Connects the native mobile app to live control cards, button actions, voice/media turns, and transient private media packages.
show controls
Bundled phone workspace lifecycle
Manages bundled Phonebot pieces when the release includes the private phone and voice runtime dependencies.
phone on
Permission dialog helper
Handles known affirmative macOS permission prompts during trusted setup and app-control verification flows.
verify app control
Build your own tools
When the tool does not exist, make the tool part of the work.
A self-transforming workflow is not vague autonomy. It is a
practical loop: define the missing operation, have Codex scaffold
a tool, test it, improve it, then keep the reusable part under
tool-lab/tools/.
The cleanest request includes the goal, inputs, rules, a small test case, and what "done" should look like.
Scaffold
python3 scripts/tool_lab.py create "My Tool"
List tools
python3 scripts/tool_lab.py list
Inspect one
python3 scripts/tool_lab.py show my-tool
Validate
python3 scripts/tool_lab.py validate --run-smoke
Use from chat
switch to self-transforming-machine
Local LLMs
Gemma4 is already wired for local Codex in this build.
Telethryve ships an opt-in local-gemma profile. It
expects Ollama, the gemma4:e4b base model, and the
tuned gemma4-codex-tight:latest alias included with
the release.
Step
Command
Why it matters
Install Ollama
ollama --version
Confirms the local model server is installed and available on the host.
Pull Gemma4
ollama pull gemma4:e4b
Downloads the base local model used by the bundled profile.
Create Codex alias
ollama create gemma4-codex-tight:latest -f tool-lab/local-models/gemma4-codex-tight.Modelfile
Builds the tuned model alias with Codex-oriented tool guidance.
Switch to local
/codex local
Routes the chat to the local Gemma Codex profile.
Switch back
/codex openai
Returns the chat to the OpenAI-backed Codex path.
Teach the local profile what to remember
Use remember this, search local memory for <query>,
and forget memory <id>. Local knowledge stays
under the local runtime store.
Let local work look things up when allowed
Use web search <query> or
product search for <query> when the local
profile has network access and the task needs current context.
Force local-only behavior
Use offline mode on when you want the local model
to rely on local files, installed tools, cached docs, and saved
memory instead of fresh web search.
Profiles, cloud, and Codex features
Profiles choose the working posture.
A profile is how Telethryve remembers execution intent: backend, model, sandbox, network access, Codex config, tool directories, and trust posture. Start safe, then switch deliberately.
Safe everyday startup
Use this for normal work where broad app authority is not needed.
Local threads and capabilities
Use this when you want richer local session semantics, skills, plugins, MCP, and app connectors.
Gemma4 through Ollama
Use this for local/OSS Codex with local memory, offline mode, and optional bridge web search.
High-trust app control
Use this only when the task needs broad local desktop authority and OS permissions are ready.
Cloud delegation
Use this when the task benefits from remote or backgroundable work and your policy allows it.
Tool-lab authoring
Use this when Codex should create, refine, validate, or reuse micro-tools under tool-lab.
Goal
Command
Use it for
See profiles
/profiles
Lists saved profiles and bridge toggle hints.
Switch profile
/profile <name>
Selects the profile for this chat and clears incompatible live overrides.
Turn on app control
app control on
Enables high-trust desktop/app automation for this chat.
Turn on cloud
cloud on
Forces the configured cloud-worker behavior for the next work.
See Codex features
/capabilities
Summarizes available skills, plugins, MCP servers, apps, and tool surfaces.
Open control palette
/controls
Shows chat-native control cards when the relay supports them.
Security
Set a PIN when chat access should require an unlock step.
PIN lock is off by default on a fresh install. Turn it on from the chat, then unlock only when you want this chat session authorized to control the bridge.
When the bridge is locked, Telethryve replies in stealth mode instead of exposing status, projects, or work details. App control remains a separate high-trust posture and should be turned off when the local app task is finished.
set a pin
Starts the PIN setup flow in plain language.
/setpin <pin>
Sets a specific PIN. Use /setpin off to disable the lock.
/unlock <pin>
Authorizes this chat session until idle cleanup or a manual lock.
/lock
Locks the chat again immediately.
app control status
Checks whether high-trust desktop/app control is active.
app control off
Returns the chat to the selected profile's normal behavior.
The bigger idea
Telethryve becomes more than remote control.
A normal automation system gives you the commands it already knows. Telethryve plus Codex can go further: if the operation needs a missing parser, checker, browser workflow, media tool, social publisher, local memory layer, or app-control routine, Codex can help build that capability into the machine.
This is the practical advantage over fixed command-set systems. The machine is not limited to the operations it shipped with; it can create new local tools, test them, and reuse the ones that survive.
Learn about the Self-Transforming Machine
Reference library
Open the deeper manuals when you need exact setup details.
The page above is the story. These files are the operating notes for bridge behavior, app control, first run setup, and licensing.
User manual
Operate the bridge
Learn normal-message workflow, runs, profiles, projects, backend toggles, security, licensing, and troubleshooting.
USER_MANUAL.md
First run
Install and connect
Review setup, token, launch, and first status-message checks for a new host machine.
FIRST_RUN.md
App control
High-trust commands
A focused command list for turning app control on, checking status, and turning it off.
APP_CONTROL_COMMANDS.md
Full command reference
Command reference
Keep this at the bottom for when you need exact syntax after your first run is already moving.
Command
Use it when
/status
You want bridge state, selected profile, project, runs, and toggles.
/new <text>
You want to start a fresh task instead of continuing the focused run.
/runs
You want active and recent work.
/run <id>
You want details for one run.
/run <id> <text>
You want to send a reply or direction to one run.
/stop
You want to stop active work.
/stop <id>
You want to stop a specific run.
show projects
You want project-folder cards. Slash fallback: /projects.
show chats
You want Codex app chat cards. Slash fallback: /chats or /threads.
/project <name>
You want to switch the chat to a named project.
/profiles
You want saved profiles and bridge-toggle hints.
/profile <name>
You want to switch execution posture.
/codex local
You want local Gemma/Ollama Codex.
/codex openai
You want the OpenAI-backed Codex setup configured on the host.
//<codex-command>
You want to forward a Codex-native slash command through Telethryve.
app control on/off/status
You want high-trust local desktop and app control, or you want to turn it off.
local harness on/off/status
You want the richer local app-server backend.
cloud on/off/status
You want the configured cloud-worker behavior.
network on/off/status
You want to override outbound network access for the current chat.
offline mode on/off/status
You want local profiles to avoid fresh web search and use local files, tools, cached docs, and memory.
remember this: <note>
You want to save local memory for local/OSS profiles.
search local memory for <query>
You want to retrieve local memory context.
web search <query>
You want a fresh public search when network access is allowed.
product search for <query>
You want product cards, links, prices, snippets, and photos.
/capabilities
You want a summary of skills, plugins, MCP servers, and app connectors.
/skills
You want detected skills.
/plugins
You want detected plugins.
/mcp
You want detected MCP servers.
/apps
You want app connector readiness.
/controls
You want chat-native control cards when the relay supports them.
voice on/off
You want completed replies to include or stop including audio attachments.
phone on/off
You want Codovox phone-operator work enabled or disabled for this chat.
/stream
You want desktop streaming or stream status controls where supported.
/setpin <pin>
You want to secure chat access.
/unlock <pin>
You want to unlock this chat session.
/lock
You want to lock access again.
/license
You want trial or license status.
/plans
You want subscription plan options and live pricing when configured.
/buy <plan>
You want a checkout link for a plan.
/billing
You want cancellation, payment methods, plan changes, or invoices.
/activate <token>
You want to activate a paid token.
/restart
You want to restart the Telethryve bridge cleanly.
/reset
You want to clear the stored Codex session id for this chat.
Release path
Install the release build, pair the phone, then let the machine work.
The first minute is installation and pairing. The next minute is a status check. After that, Telethryve becomes the remote control surface for Codex, local tools, cloud delegation, profiles, and new tool-building workflows.