OpenAI brings ChatGPT desktop app to Linux after years of developer requests

OpenAI has released a desktop application for ChatGPT on Linux, responding to sustained demand from the open source development community. The app became available worldwide this week in preview form, marking the company's completion of desktop support across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

What's new#

The new Linux application provides access to ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex across a range of distributions. Initial support covers Ubuntu 24.04 and 26.04 LTS, Debian 13, and Fedora 43 and 44. Because these distributions serve as the foundation for numerous downstream variants, a broader range of Linux flavors should also be compatible with the release.

"Linux has been one of the most-requested platforms for the desktop app," OpenAI noted, "and this launch extends ChatGPT and Codex across every major desktop operating system."

Market timing#

OpenAI's move comes roughly a month after competitor Anthropic released a Claude desktop application for Linux. Anthropic's offering supports Ubuntu 22.04 or later and Debian 12 or later, giving it somewhat broader compatibility at launch.

The release underscores growing recognition that professional developers working on Linux systems represent a significant user base worthy of native application support from major AI providers.