Tabbed interface for parallel chat sessions in Codex extension

I came here just to find this request. 100% this is needed. In a multitasking world I should not need to open multiple VS code windows to have separate codex sessions. I am spending more and more of my day with codex. Either i have to launch another session to do small one-off type actions or I do them in already context heavy windows which needlessly adds to the context.

Add this please. Currently Claude Code VSCode extension is a ton better than Codex, while Codex at the same time is a better tool. Essentially - look how Claude Code extension is done, you can rename sessions, have multiple tabs. Lots of this could be done the same way for Codex.

add this please！

+1

Indeed, Task switching is horrible today, also can't rename the chat/Task

add this and I will cancel my cc subscription imediately！

+1

+1

+1 please fix this, codex is terrible in VScode for workflow

I found this issue by asking codex how to use a tabbed interface instead of the chat list, and it pointed me here.

This absolutely needs fixing, I use both Claude and Codex, and have been doing more and more with Codex, but it is so much easier to have multiple tasks going with Claude.

I built a VS Code-compatible extension that adds workspace-scoped quick tabs for existing Codex chats across the top of the Codex panel.

It helps reduce repeated chat-list navigation:
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=nad3r.agents-rtl

<img width="773" height="113" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7475257d-c1a1-487b-ab70-5f55a1f80158" />

One of the best things about Cloude Code is its UI. I hope this will be incorporated into the Codex as well.

I found a practical workaround that can be automated by asking a local Codex agent to patch the installed VS Code extension.

This is not a replacement for native support, but it shows that the extension already has most of the required machinery. Existing local conversations can be opened in the VS Code editor area by dispatching the internal webview message navigate-in-new-editor-tab with a route like /local/<conversationId>.

Below is a prompt that another Codex instance can run locally to create a side-by-side patched extension:

````text
You are running locally on my machine. Patch my installed OpenAI Codex VS Code extension by creating a separate local copy called MultiCodex.

Goal:
Create a second VS Code extension that runs next to the official Codex extension and adds a right-click "Open as tab" action for existing local Codex conversations.

Do not modify the official Codex extension directory.

Expected behavior:

• Official openai.chatgpt continues to work unchanged.
• New copied extension is registered as local.multicodex.
• Left-click on a conversation keeps the original sidebar behavior.
• Right-click on a local conversation row shows Open as tab.
• Clicking Open as tab opens that conversation as a normal VS Code editor tab.
• If possible, also add right-click Open as tab to the top-right "new chat" button.

Technical details:

1. Locate the installed Codex extension.

Common local path:

~/.vscode/extensions/openai.chatgpt-*-linux-x64

Common VS Code Remote SSH path:

~/.vscode-server/extensions/openai.chatgpt-*-linux-x64

1. Copy it to a new extension directory with the same version, for example:

~/.vscode/extensions/local.multicodex-<version>-linux-x64

1. Patch package.json in the copied extension:

• set name to multicodex
• set publisher to local
• set displayName to MultiCodex
• set a new stable UUID in __metadata.id
• replace command/context/view ids:
• chatgpt.* -> multicodex.*
• codexViewContainer -> multicodexViewContainer
• codexSecondaryViewContainer -> multicodexSecondaryViewContainer
• remove contribution points that conflict with the official extension:
• enabledApiProposals
• contributes.chatSessions
• contributes.configuration
• contributes.languages
• contributes.grammars
• contributes.menus["chatSessions/newSession"]

1. Patch runtime strings in the copied extension:

• openai-codex -> multicodex-codex
• extensions.getExtension("openai.chatgpt") -> extensions.getExtension("local.multicodex")
• relevant runtime chatgpt.* command/context names -> multicodex.*

1. Find the webview bundle that contains local conversation navigation.

The filename is content-hashed, usually something like:

webview/assets/use-navigate-to-local-conversation-*.js

Keep the original left-click behavior. Do not force left-click to open a tab.

1. Find the webview bundle that renders local conversation rows.

The filename is usually something like:

webview/assets/local-conversation-thread-*.js

Add a right-click context menu item to local conversation rows.

The menu item should be:

Open as tab

Its action should dispatch:

``js
vscodeApi.dispatchMessage("navigate-in-new-editor-tab", {
path: /local/${conversationId},
});
``

1. If the existing context-menu helper expects intl message objects, use:

``js
{
id: "codex.localTaskRow.openAsTab",
defaultMessage: "Open as tab",
description: "Context menu item that opens a local thread in an editor tab"
}
``

1. Optional: patch the top-right "new chat" button.

Search for actionId:\new-chat\`` in the webview assets.

Add a right-click context menu item:

Open as tab

Its action should dispatch:

``js
vscodeApi.dispatchMessage("open-vscode-command", {
command: "multicodex.newCodexPanel",
});
``

Important: if the context menu does not appear, wrap the custom button component in a real DOM element such as a span, because some custom React button components may not forward onContextMenu.

1. Register the copied extension in VS Code’s extension registry.

Local:

~/.vscode/extensions/extensions.json

Remote SSH:

~/.vscode-server/extensions/extensions.json

Add an entry for:

• identifier id: local.multicodex
• uuid: the new stable UUID
• version: same as the copied Codex extension
• location path: copied extension directory
• targetPlatform: linux-x64

1. Verify:

• run syntax checks on patched JS files
• confirm both extensions are visible:

``bash
code --list-extensions --show-versions | grep -E 'openai.chatgpt|local.multicodex'
``

• confirm patched webview assets contain:
• navigate-in-new-editor-tab
• Open as tab
• /local/${conversationId}
• reload VS Code or reconnect to the Remote SSH window.

````

This gives a usable interim solution: the official Codex extension stays untouched, while a local side-by-side copy exposes "Open as tab" for existing sessions. Native support would still be much better, ideally as an official command and context-menu action.

Yes, please!

another big yes please, lots of good ideas in this thread

Yaaas!

I was almost thinking being able to talk to and screenshare with the voice
ai within the codex

On Tue, Jun 30, 2026 at 6:36 AM ciuchka2222 @.***>
wrote:

ciuchka2222 left a comment (openai/codex#12098) <https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/12098#issuecomment-4843517051> Yaaas! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/12098?email_source=notifications&email_token=BYKIHU3JVAGSSQUVXGQ5EFD5COX47A5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTIOBUGM2TCNZQGUY2M4TFMFZW63VKON2WE43DOJUWEZLEUVSXMZLOOSWGM33PORSXEX3DNRUWG2Y#issuecomment-4843517051>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BYKIHU6VRZFQK6H3GE44ECT5COX47AVCNFSNUABFKJSXA33TNF2G64TZHM4TMNJUGE2TMNBZHNEXG43VMU5TGOJVGYZDKOJWHA2KC5QC> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: @.***>

+1
Please enable renaming sessions and multiple tabs for Codex VS Code extension. Currently we can neither rename a session nor open multiple tabs at the same time, which is extremely inefficient :(