Extended ChatGPT Desktop Client Wrapper (ChatGPT-EX)

A native Electron desktop wrapper that opens ChatGPT in an app window.

This project is a fork of the original ChatGPT-client application.

Features

• Bottom-right refresh button for reloading ChatGPT from inside the app window.
• Bottom-right Markdown export button for saving the currently rendered chat as chatgpt-export-YYYY-MM-DDTHH-MM-SS.md.
• Bottom-right HTML export button for saving the currently rendered chat as a self-contained chatgpt-export-YYYY-MM-DDTHH-MM-SS.html file.
• Bottom-right PDF export button for saving the currently rendered chat as chatgpt-export-YYYY-MM-DDTHH-MM-SS.pdf.
• Bottom-right print button for printing the currently rendered chat.
• Exports and print jobs use the Electron window title for the active chat instead of the project-level page title.
• Drag-and-drop file upload fallback for adding images/files to the chat prompt.
• Export preferences for default folder, timestamps, role headings, PDF page size, and saving without a dialog.
• F5 reload and F12 Developer Tools shortcuts.
• Right-click context menu with cut, copy, paste, and select-all actions.
• System tray icon while running; closing the window hides it to the tray.
• Only one app instance can run; launching it again restores the existing window.
• Tray menu with show, clear browsing data, about, and quit actions.
• Developer Tools (F12) tray action toggles Chromium DevTools in a detached window.
• Tray settings for close-to-tray, start minimized, always-on-top behavior, Compatibility Mode, Voice/Microphone Access, and window-state persistence.
• Spell checking is disabled in the app window.

Export Preferences

Export preferences are available from the tray menu under Settings > Export Preferences.

• Choose a default export folder, or reset exports back to Documents.
• Include or hide export timestamps.
• Include or hide User/Assistant role headings.
• Choose the PDF page size: A4 or Letter.
• Enable saving without a dialog to write exports directly to the default folder.

Compatibility Mode

Compatibility Mode is available from the tray menu under Settings > Compatibility Mode.

When enabled, ChatGPT-EX reloads ChatGPT with a Chrome-like user agent instead of Electron's default user agent. This can help with site compatibility, but it may not avoid ChatGPT login requirements because those are controlled by ChatGPT and can also depend on cookies, region, account state, experiments, or other browser signals.

Voice/Microphone Access

Voice/Microphone Access is available from the tray menu under Settings > Voice/Microphone Access.

Microphone access is off by default. When disabled, ChatGPT-EX answers ChatGPT recording permission checks immediately instead of leaving microphone-related browser APIs unresolved. Speaker/audio-output access for ChatGPT is allowed so voice previews can play in settings. Enable Voice/Microphone Access only if you want to use ChatGPT recording features.

Window State

Settings > Remember Window Size and Position is off by default. When enabled, ChatGPT-EX saves the normal window size and display position, then restores them at the next launch. Stored bounds outside connected displays are ignored.

Prerequisites (Ubuntu)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y libnss3 libatk-bridge2.0-0 libgtk-3-0 libxss1 libasound2

Install

Electron 43 requires Node.js 22.12.0 or newer.

npm install

Upgrade to Electron 43

npm install --save-dev --save-exact electron@43.1.0

Run the app

npm start

Build Linux packages

npm run build:linux

Build outputs are generated in dist/:

• .AppImage
• .deb

Build Windows packages

Run this on Windows:

npm run build:win

Build outputs are generated in dist/:

• NSIS installer: ChatGPT-EX Setup <version>.exe
• Portable executable: ChatGPT-EX <version>.exe
• Unpacked app: win-unpacked/ChatGPT-EX.exe

Windows builds use build/icons/icon.ico for the installer, portable executable, and unpacked ChatGPT-EX.exe icon.

Icon Attribution

Some UI icons are from Tabler Icons, licensed under the MIT License. See build/icons/LICENSE-ICONS.