A new default model changes what every fresh session starts with, and this week several other defaults moved as well. GPT-6.1 Sol takes over as the default model, Daybreak now stays hidden until you switch it on, and MCP authentication no longer requires leaving the session. Around those sit managed Git worktree tools and a more usable transcript in the terminal UI.
Week 41 (October 5-9, 2026) covers versions 0.160.1 to 0.162.1: 4 releases and 30 changelog entries. The model change and most of the opt-in changes landed in 0.161.0, and 0.162.0 added the worktree tools and TUI work.
What the GPT-6.1 Sol default means for your sessions
The default changes. GPT-6.1 Sol is now the default model in the bundled catalog and in the Amazon Bedrock catalog (0.161.0). If you start sessions without choosing a model explicitly, this is what you get. Check what your sessions start with, especially in scripts and shared configs where you never thought about the model at all.
Bedrock gets more than a new default. Amazon Bedrock now supports multi-agent V2 and Ultra reasoning on compatible models. The qualifier matters: the entry says compatible models, not all of them, so check the model you actually use before you plan around Ultra reasoning.
GovCloud regions work with Bedrock Mantle. Bedrock Mantle now accepts AWS GovCloud regions. If you run Codex in a GovCloud account, this is the entry to read twice.
Changes for everyday work
Sign in to MCP servers without leaving the session. /mcp login <name> authenticates with an MCP server from an active terminal session (0.161.0). If a server needs credentials halfway through a task, you can handle it in place.
Daybreak is opt-in. Turn it on with --enable cli_daybreak or features.cli_daybreak=true. Setting daybreak=true alone is not enough. Without the flag:
- Daybreak controls and indicators are hidden.
/daybreakis unavailable.- Automatic Cyber routing is omitted, even for saved Daybreak threads.
Your saved preferences stay intact, so enabling the flag later brings them back. Opt-in routing also needs an eligible ChatGPT sign-in, the OpenAI provider, and advertised model and program support.
Pick a Cyber access program per turn. codex exec --cyber-access-program and the TypeScript SDK’s cyberAccessProgram option select a program for a single turn. The exec override works even with cli_daybreak disabled and leaves the saved choice unchanged. That makes it usable in CI-style runs where you want an explicit choice without touching stored preferences.
Managed Git worktrees get tools. New tools can create and list managed Git worktrees from trusted local projects when the worktrees feature is enabled (0.162.0). Two conditions apply: the project must be trusted, and the feature must be on.
The transcript becomes easier to work with. You can navigate and copy transcript blocks with /copy, and Ctrl+Insert copies a selection. Mouse-wheel scrolling can be tuned with tui.mouse_scroll_speed. URLs in approval headers, questions, MCP prompts, warnings, banners and verification prompts are now clickable, including when they wrap across lines (all 0.162.0).
Technical notes
Permissions. Approved filesystem escalation can grant broader write access while preserving denied reads and network restrictions. Background tasks keep the permissions of the turn that started them (0.161.0).
Providers and retries. Custom Responses-compatible model providers can now configure live web access and remote compaction capabilities (0.162.0). Responses retries and the WebSocket-to-HTTP fallback now honor server Retry-After guidance (0.161.0 and 0.162.0).
Code Mode. It gets JavaScript helpers that stream promise results as they settle, plus opt-in ranked tool search (0.162.0).
Sessions and storage. Thread resume includes the latest committed history. Startup detects recoverable SQLite corruption earlier and preserves damaged databases as backups (0.161.0). New TUI threads respect server model and reasoning-summary defaults, and explicit launch overrides still win (0.162.0).
Voice and agents. You can choose your microphone, speaker and microphone input channels for voice conversations, and the preferences are saved locally (0.161.0). In the agent Command Center, p pins a task. Pinned tasks go into a shared Pinned group when the server supports it (0.162.0).
Windows and startup. Windows releases now ship a signed PowerShell installer (0.162.0). Version 0.162.1 fixes startup failures caused by feature-setting differences with a running background server. Compatibility checks now apply only to explicit command-line overrides.
What to take away
If you work mostly in the terminal:
- Check which model a fresh session starts with now that GPT-6.1 Sol is the default.
- Try
/copyfor transcript blocks andCtrl+Insertfor selections. - Set
tui.mouse_scroll_speedif the default wheel scrolling feels off. - Use
/mcp login <name>the next time an MCP server asks for credentials mid-task.
If you run parallel sessions:
- Enable the worktrees feature and try the new create and list tools on a trusted local project.
- Pin the tasks you keep returning to in the Command Center with
p. - Remember that background tasks keep the permissions of the turn that started them.
- Thread resume now includes the latest committed history.
If you administer integrations and company deployments:
- Decide whether anyone needs Daybreak. If so, set
cli_daybreakexplicitly, sincedaybreak=truealone does nothing, and confirm the sign-in, provider and model conditions are met. - For automation, use
codex exec --cyber-access-programorcyberAccessProgramin the TypeScript SDK to choose a Cyber access program per turn. - On Bedrock, check that your models are compatible with multi-agent V2 and Ultra reasoning. GovCloud users can now use Bedrock Mantle there.
- If you maintain custom Responses-compatible providers, look at the new live web access and remote compaction settings.
- Update to 0.162.1 if startup failed against a running background server.
Sources: the Codex CLI changelog, versions 0.160.1 to 0.162.1, October 5-9, 2026, and the Codex documentation. Daybreak and the worktree tools sit behind feature flags, so their availability and behavior may change.
