Quick answer
Inside the Codex CLI, `/status` reports the active model, context usage, and session token counts, while the usage limits view reports both windows and their resets. Some builds also expose `/usage` or `/context`. None of them show usage from past sessions, so history requires the files under `~/.codex/sessions`.
Commands worth knowing
| Command | Reports | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| `/status` | Model, approval mode, context, session tokens | Stable across builds |
| `/context` | Breakdown of what fills the window | Build-dependent |
| `/usage` | Limit percentages where exposed | Build-dependent |
| `/model` | Switch model, which changes burn rate | Stable |
| `/clear` | Start a clean context | Stable |
If a command from a blog post does nothing, type /help. The list in your build is the only authoritative one.
What the CLI does not show
- Usage across past sessions or past days.
- A per-model or per-project split.
- The token count behind a limit percentage.
- Anything on a machine other than the one running the CLI.
These are storage questions, not command questions. The data exists in the session folder; the CLI just does not aggregate it.
Fill the gaps
Read ~/.codex/sessions directly if you need one answer once. For a recurring view, a local reader saves the parsing. UsageAtlas adds Today, History, and Insights on top of the same files without an account.
The commands that actually report usage
Codex does not hide usage behind a single command, and subcommand names have changed between releases. Type the help output first, then use the in-session slash commands, which are the stable surface.
codex --help
codex
/status
/context
/usage- Run the top-level help and note which subcommands exist in your build.
- Inside a session, type
/statusfor the model and token tally. - Type
/contextwhere available to see what fills the window. - For history, read the JSONL files under
~/.codex/sessions.
If a command from an article returns an error, treat it as a version difference rather than a broken install. The session log walkthrough covers the file side, and UsageAtlas parses the same files into totals.
Questions, answered
Does Codex have a /usage command?
Some builds expose a usage view through a slash command, and all recent builds show limits in a panel. Type /help to see what your version supports.
How do I check Codex usage without opening the CLI?
Use a tray or menu bar tracker that reads the reported limit state, or parse the newest file in ~/.codex/sessions.
Why does /status show fewer tokens than my bill?
/status covers the current session. Your bill covers every session, including those from other machines and days.