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Use Auto

Auto is a runtime choice that is not a runtime. On Auto, the app picks the runtime when the session starts, and gives that runtime its nearest setting for each value you chose. Use it when you do not want to set the model, the mode and the sandbox again for each runtime, or when one of your accounts runs out.

Before you start

Start a session on Auto

  1. Click New session in a folder (or press ⌘N).
  2. Click the runtime above the prompt. Auto is the first item. Its line says the runtime it picks now, such as Picks Claude now. On a new install, Auto is already chosen.
  3. Under the prompt, choose the values:
  4. Permission mode: Plan, Ask, Approve for me or Bypass Permissions.
  5. Sandbox: Default sandbox, Runtime sandbox or No sandbox.
  6. Model: Fast, Balanced or Smart.

Each value in a menu says what it is on the runtime Auto picks now, such as Sonnet on Claude. On Auto there is no Permission requests pill: Approve for me and Bypass Permissions say yes to each request, and the other two values give a card. 4. Type the prompt and send it. The header of the session says Auto · Claude: Auto, and the runtime it picked. The session stays on that runtime.

On iPhone and iPad, the form has Runtime (Auto (Claude)), Model (Fast, Balanced, Smart), Permission mode and Sandbox rows.

Auto picks the first runtime in your order that is included, installed, signed in, not out, and can give every value you chose. It tries a rate-limited runtime after all the others. A helper that an Auto session starts with no runtime is on Auto too, and Auto picks again.

Choose the runtimes and their order

  1. Open Settings ▸ Agent Runtimes ▸ Auto (on the web page: Settings ▸ Agent Runtimes ▸ Auto, under Machines).
  2. Under Runtimes, turn Include off for a runtime that Auto must not use. Each row says the state of the runtime now: Available, Rate limited, Out, Not signed in or Not installed.
  3. Drag a runtime to a new place (on iPhone, tap Edit; on the web page, use ↑ and ↓; on the Mac, Move Up and Move Down are also in its menu). Auto tries the runtimes from the top.

The order and the switches are the same on the Mac, the Remote and the web page. The Mac sends them to each of your machines.

Read and change the mappings

Under Mappings there is one table for each field: Model, Permission mode, Permission requests and Sandbox. Each cell is the runtime's own setting for that value, with a mark:

  • auto-mapped: the app's default for that value.
  • nearest safer: the runtime has no exact match, so the cell gives the agent less access, never more. The note says why, such as "nearest safer: no plan mode".
  • Not possible: the runtime cannot give that value with less access. Auto does not use that runtime when a session asks for that value.
  • yours: you chose it. Reset puts the app's default back.
  • no longer offered (with ⚠︎): the runtime check found that the runtime does not offer this model or mode now. Auto does not use that runtime for that value until you choose another setting.

To change a cell, click it and choose one of the runtime's own settings. The app does not refuse a setting that gives more access: you chose it. The mapping applies to every agent that uses the value, on Auto or on a named runtime.

On iPhone, the tables show one runtime at a time: choose the runtime, and its values are rows.

If it doesn't work

  • The prompt stays in the box, with a line such as "Claude: out; Codex: not signed in". No included runtime can take the session with the values you chose. The line says why for each runtime. Include another runtime, sign one in, or choose other values.
  • The Auto chooser says "No runtime included". Every runtime is turned off on the Auto page. Turn one on.
  • The session ran out. See Keep going when a runtime runs out: an Auto session offers Continue on the next runtime.