Quick answer
Codex runs two clocks: a rolling short window of about five hours and a weekly window. The short window returns capacity gradually as older usage ages out; the weekly window returns at a fixed weekly reset. UsageAtlas shows both countdowns on its Today view, read from the provider's reported limit state.
Why there are two countdowns
A single reset time would be wrong for one of the two limits. The short window is a rate limit: it exists to stop a burst from consuming a week of capacity in an afternoon. The weekly window is a budget: it exists to spread usage across seven days.
| Short window | Weekly window | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 5 hours, rolling | 7 days |
| Returns | Gradually, as old usage ages out | At the weekly reset |
| Countdown meaning | When the next slice frees up | When the budget refills |
| Best response | Wait for a slice or switch models | Stop, switch tools, or use API billing |
Read the countdown correctly
A countdown to the short-window reset is not a promise that full capacity returns at that moment. If you used the allowance in one burst, the first slice appears when the oldest usage ages out, and more follows.
- Check the percentage remaining, not only the timer.
- If the percentage is climbing, the window is already recovering.
- If it is flat at zero, you are waiting for the next slice.
- Check the weekly row before planning the rest of the day.
Keep the countdown visible
The CLI shows limits while it is open. That is not much help when you are waiting to start. UsageAtlas keeps both windows in the tray or menu bar and fires one alert at the remaining percentage you choose.
- Today shows remaining capacity and the next reset for each window.
- Alerts fire once per window per reset cycle, so they do not nag.
- History shows whether you hit the limit at the same time each week.
- No account is needed for local tracking.
If the weekly window is the one running out, the Codex usage limit guide lists options that do not involve waiting.
Questions, answered
Does the Codex 5-hour limit reset at a fixed time?
No. It is a rolling window, so capacity returns as older usage leaves the window. The weekly limit resets on a schedule instead.
Can I see the Codex reset time without opening the CLI?
Yes, with a tracker that reads the reported limit state. UsageAtlas shows both windows in the tray or menu bar and on its Today view.
Why did my Codex limit reset early?
The short window probably aged out older usage. A promotional change or a plan change can also alter the allowance, so compare the percentage as well as the timer.