Codex Desktop open → 5-hour usage decreases after reset despite no active task, no CLI, and no credit-history event.

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

Latest

What subscription do you have?

Pro

What platform is your computer?

MacOS Version 26.4.1 (25E253)

What issue are you seeing?

Observed behavior:

• Codex Desktop app open on macOS
• No active prompts or running tasks
• CLI fully closed
• VS Code extension not active
• Vercel integrations ruled out
• generate_memories = false
• Credits remaining stays unchanged
• Credits Usage History does not show corresponding new events
• However, the shared 5-hour usage percentage intermittently drops by ~1–3%

I also observed cases where:

• the 5-hour reset timestamp continued moving forward unexpectedly,
• then later stabilized,
• but idle usage drain continued afterward.

In some cases the limiter reset and immediately consumed ~1% again despite no foreground activity.

This makes it difficult to determine whether Codex is:

• performing hidden background work,
• incorrectly accounting idle sessions,
• or reserving quota invisibly.

The main issue is lack of attribution or visibility into what is consuming shared usage while the app appears idle.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Open Codex Desktop on macOS.
2. Do not run any prompts/tasks.
3. Ensure CLI processes are closed.
4. Leave the app idle for several minutes.
5. Open Analytics → Usage.
6. Observe the shared 5-hour usage percentage decreasing intermittently.

What is the expected behavior?

• shared 5-hour usage quota should remain stable,
• reset timestamps should not drift unexpectedly,
• and any background usage should be clearly attributed in the UI

If background indexing, memory generation, synchronization, or reconciliation tasks are consuming usage, the app should expose that activity explicitly.

Additional information

Important distinction:

purchased credits do not appear to be draining,
but the shared included usage quota decreases while the app appears idle.