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Codex Issues / #20114

Codex Windows desktop app stuck on logo/loading screen

Open 💬 7 comments Opened Apr 29, 2026 by Conexity
💡 Likely answer: A maintainer (github-actions[bot], contributor) responded on this thread — see the highlighted reply below.

What version of the Codex App are you using (From “About Codex” dialog)?

Unable to access About Codex because the app is stuck on the logo/loading screen.

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Plus

What platform is your computer?

Windows 11 Home 25H2 Acer Nitro ANV15-51 Intel 13th Gen Core i5-13420H 16GB RAM 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

What issue are you seeing?

Codex Windows desktop app is stuck indefinitely on the logo/loading screen.

The app initially opened successfully and allowed me to complete onboarding/setup and add a local project folder. After a Windows update/restart, the desktop app stopped loading and now remains stuck on the Codex logo/loading screen indefinitely.

Codex web works correctly in the browser, so this appears isolated to the Windows desktop app.

Troubleshooting already attempted:

  • Restarted Windows multiple times
  • Reinstalled Codex from Microsoft Store / OpenAI link
  • Killed Codex processes via Task Manager and PowerShell
  • Cleared/renamed Codex local state/cache folders:

%APPDATA%\Codex
%USERPROFILE%\.codex
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Codex
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\OpenAI.Codex_...\LocalCache

  • Installed/repaired Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime
  • Checked Windows Defender Firewall; Codex is allowed on private/public networks
  • Confirmed Codex web works in browser

Expected result:
Codex desktop app should load to the main interface/login/project screen.

Actual result:
Codex desktop app remains stuck on the logo/loading screen indefinitely.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

  1. Install Codex Windows desktop app.
  2. Open Codex and complete initial onboarding/setup.
  3. Add a local project folder.
  4. Restart Windows after a Windows update.
  5. Reopen Codex desktop app.
  6. App remains stuck on the Codex logo/loading screen indefinitely.
  7. Reinstalling Codex, clearing local cache/state folders, repairing WebView2, and allowing Codex through Windows Defender Firewall does not resolve it.

What is the expected behavior?

Codex desktop app should launch normally and load the main interface, allowing me to sign in, access projects, and continue working with the local project folder.

Additional information

Codex web works correctly in the browser using the same account, so the issue appears isolated to the Windows desktop app.

The app worked before the Windows update/restart, then became stuck on the logo/loading screen afterwards.

View original on GitHub ↗

7 Comments

github-actions[bot] contributor · 2 months ago

Potential duplicates detected. Please review them and close your issue if it is a duplicate.

  • #19879
  • #19808
  • #19659
  • #19770
  • #19415

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DandanITman · 2 months ago

I have the same issue as well.

<img width="3071" height="1794" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/daa055c5-09eb-4dc8-986e-e53495c4f74d" />

Zazaa0606 · 2 months ago

I’m seeing the same behavior on Windows 11 x64 with Codex OpenAI.Codex_26.422.8496.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0.

My issue is #20217. I tried clean reinstall, resetting %USERPROFILE%\.codex, Reset-AppxPackage, updating NVIDIA driver, repairing WebView2, repairing VC++ x64, and launching as Administrator, but it still stays on the logo/loading screen.

yusuf-konuk · 2 months ago

I ran into a frustrating issue with the Codex extension in Visual Studio Code — it was stuck on the loading screen and never opened.

After trying multiple fixes (GPU settings, cache cleaning, reinstalling the extension), the root cause turned out to be surprisingly simple:

INSTALL >>> Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x64)
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170#latest-supported-redistributable-version

Once I installed it, the extension started working instantly.

If you're facing a similar issue where an extension stays stuck on loading, especially with WebView-based tools, make sure you have the required system dependencies installed.

Sometimes the problem isn’t in the code or the editor — it’s in the system environment.

Hope this helps someone save a few hours.

Nildyanna · 9 days ago

Same issue, reproducible with clear diagnostic detail that may help narrow it down:

Environment: Windows 11 Enterprise (build 26200), Codex OpenAI.Codex_26.707.3748.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0 (also reproduced on the prior auto-updated build 26.623.13972.0 before it self-updated — same symptom on both).

Symptom: App launches (visible in Task Manager as ChatGPT.exe, 5-6 processes: main + gpu-process + utility x2-3 + crashpad-handler), all responding, idle CPU, but never creates a window. No error, no crash, no exception anywhere (Application event log, Codex's own log file, crashpad — all clean).

Log always stops at the identical two lines, every single time:

info Launching app agentRunId=null allowDebugMenu=false allowDevtools=false allowInspectElement=false buildFlavor=prod enableSparkle=false enableUpdater=true nodeEnv=undefined packaged=true platform=win32
info Appshot hotkey inactive configured=true enabled=true platform=win32

Nothing after that — the log file just ends, no matter how long you wait (tested 10+ minutes).

Things I've ruled out, all with no effect on the hang:

  • Clearing the desktop app's LocalCache profile (AppData\Local\Packages\OpenAI.Codex_2p2nqsd0c76g0\LocalCache) — full wipe, identical hang on next launch
  • Resetting %USERPROFILE%\.codex entirely (fresh folder, no prior config/auth/sessions) — identical hang
  • System resource contention — ruled out; other apps (including other MSIX/UWP apps) launch normally and instantly on the same machine at the same time
  • VC++ Redistributable — already installed at latest (2022 x64, 14.50.35719)
  • Not a duplicate-instance/singleton lock issue — confirmed only one process tree exists

Given it hangs at the exact same point regardless of cache/config state, this looks like a genuine deadlock in the startup sequence itself (likely in whatever runs right after the Appshot hotkey registration — possibly an update check or auth/license handshake with no timeout), not an environment/corruption issue on affected users' machines.

mjferdinandus-debug · 13 hours ago

Additional environment details from another reproducible occurrence:

  • OS: Windows 11 25H2, build 26200.8894
  • Symptom: Codex for Windows launches but remains indefinitely on the OpenAI logo/loading screen and never reaches the main interface.
  • Timing: The problem began immediately after the latest Windows update.
  • Comparison: Codex web continues to work normally in the browser using the same account.

The issue reproduces on every desktop launch.

mjferdinandus-debug · 8 hours ago

Status update — still unresolved:

The Codex Windows desktop app still does not start successfully and never reaches a usable interface on Windows 11 25H2, build 26200.8894. The problem remains reproducible on every launch attempt.

Codex web continues to work normally in the browser using the same account.