[macOS Remote] Sync saved projects and project metadata between desktop devices

What variant of Codex are you using?

ChatGPT/Codex desktop app on macOS — Remote / Control other devices (Mac-to-Mac)

What feature would you like to see?

When one Mac connects to another through Codex Remote / Control other devices, the controller should automatically receive the host's saved project registry — not only its chats.

Today, existing chats from Mac A become visible on Mac B, but Mac A's saved Codex projects are not reproduced as projects. I have to create separate remote project entries manually on Mac B. Even when a recreated remote project points to the same folder on Mac A, its host-side metadata is missing because the controller creates a separate local project identity.

Please synchronize the following from the connected host:

• saved project list and folder/repository mapping
• project display name
• chat-to-project assignments
• sidebar order, pinned state, and custom-section placement
• project icon and color
• later rename, move, and remove changes

A stable remote project identity should be based on the host plus normalized project path (or a host-issued project ID), rather than a controller-local generated ID.

Connecting a trusted host should be enough; users should not have to rebuild every project on every controller device. Cloud ChatGPT projects already keep their appearance across devices, which makes the lack of parity for remote Codex projects especially visible.

Additional information

Reproduction

1. On Mac A, create several local Codex projects.
2. Assign chats to them, reorder them, and set custom icons and colors.
3. Enable Remote / Control other devices on Mac A.
4. On Mac B, connect to Mac A.
5. Wait for the existing chats to appear.
6. Observe that the chats are available, but Mac A's saved project registry and metadata are not reproduced on Mac B.
7. Manually create a remote project on Mac B and select the same folder on Mac A.
8. Observe that it still has a separate controller-local identity and lacks Mac A's icon, color, and other project metadata.

Expected model

The connected host should be the source of truth for its own project registry. Remote should synchronize a versioned project-metadata record and reconcile changes automatically. Device-local view preferences can remain local only where that boundary is intentional and documented.

Environment

• ChatGPT/Codex desktop app 26.831.21537
• macOS 27.0, Apple Silicon
• Mac-to-Mac Remote / Control other devices
• Same ChatGPT account and workspace on both devices

The official Remote documentation describes access to the connected host's projects, chats, and files: https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/remote-connections

Related but distinct: #36454 covers iOS Remote project-list synchronization. This request reproduces on desktop-to-desktop Mac Remote and also covers automatic project creation, stable identity, icons, colors, order, and grouping.

No private project names, filesystem paths, host identifiers, account details, or session IDs are included.

Start by tracing the Mac-to-Mac Remote flow that synchronizes chats and the host's saved project registry. Compare the remote project behavior with local project metadata and the documented projects, chats, and files behavior. Done means a connected controller reproduces the host's projects and metadata, preserves stable identity, and reconciles later changes without manual recreation.