Chrome plugin is missing from Codex Plugins on Windows even though local plugin files exist

Open 💬 6 comments Opened May 10, 2026 by literarum

💡 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)?

26.506.3741.0 Package: OpenAI.Codex_26.506.3741.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Plus

What platform is your computer?

Windows x64 Codex is installed as a Microsoft Store / WindowsApps package: OpenAI.Codex_26.506.3741.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0 Install location: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_26.506.3741.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0

What issue are you seeing?

Chrome plugin is missing from Codex Plugins on Windows even though all local plugin files exist.

Codex package:
OpenAI.Codex_26.506.3741.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0

The installed app bundle contains the Chrome plugin:

C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_26.506.3741.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0\app\resources\plugins\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Test-Path result:
True

However, the automatically generated active bundled marketplace cache does not contain Chrome. After clearing the bundled marketplace cache and restarting Codex, it regenerates only:

C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\.tmp\bundled-marketplaces\openai-bundled\.agents\plugins\marketplace.json
C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\.tmp\bundled-marketplaces\openai-bundled\plugins\browser-use\.codex-plugin\plugin.json
C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\.tmp\bundled-marketplaces\openai-bundled\plugins\latex-tectonic\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Chrome is missing from the regenerated active marketplace cache.

I also tried creating a persistent local marketplace manually:

C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\local-marketplaces\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Test-Path result:
True

I also repaired the plugin cache manually:

C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\plugins\cache\openai-bundled\chrome\0.1.7\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Test-Path result:
True

I also added this to config.toml:

[marketplaces.openai-bundled]
source_type = "local"
source = 'C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\local-marketplaces\openai-bundled'

[plugins."chrome@openai-bundled"]
enabled = true

But Codex Plugins UI still does not show Chrome.
Searching for Chrome in Plugins returns no result.
Creating a new thread and trying to use @Chrome also does not make Chrome available.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Uploaded thread: aa5155e6-c083-494a-9e8c-56b1658b6d05

Install / update Codex on Windows from Microsoft Store.

Open Codex and check the version.

Current version:
26.506.3741.0

Package:
OpenAI.Codex_26.506.3741.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0

Open Codex → Plugins.

Search for Chrome.

Chrome plugin is not listed.

Close Codex and clear the generated bundled marketplace cache:

Get-Process Codex -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Stop-Process -Force

$cacheRoot = Join-Path $env:USERPROFILE ".codex\.tmp\bundled-marketplaces"

if (Test-Path $cacheRoot) {
Rename-Item $cacheRoot ("bundled-marketplaces.backup-" + (Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd-HHmmss"))
}

Start Codex again and wait for it to regenerate the bundled marketplace cache.

Check the regenerated cache:

$cache = Join-Path $env:USERPROFILE ".codex\.tmp\bundled-marketplaces\openai-bundled"

Get-ChildItem $cache -Recurse -Depth 5 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
Where-Object { $_.FullName -match "chrome|plugin\.json|marketplace\.json" } |
Select-Object FullName

Actual result:

The regenerated cache only contains browser-use and latex-tectonic:

.agents\plugins\marketplace.json
plugins\browser-use\.codex-plugin\plugin.json
plugins\latex-tectonic\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

It does not contain:

plugins\chrome\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Verify that Chrome does exist inside the installed Codex app bundle:

$pkg = Get-AppxPackage OpenAI.Codex
$chromePath = Join-Path $pkg.InstallLocation "app\resources\plugins\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome"
Test-Path $chromePath

Result:
True

Manually copy the bundled marketplace to a persistent local path:

C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\local-marketplaces\openai-bundled

Verify that Chrome exists there:

C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\local-marketplaces\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Test-Path result:
True

Add the local marketplace and enable Chrome in config.toml:

[marketplaces.openai-bundled]
source_type = "local"
source = 'C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\local-marketplaces\openai-bundled'

[plugins."chrome@openai-bundled"]
enabled = true

Start Codex again.

Open Codex → Plugins and search for Chrome.

Actual result:

Chrome is still missing from the Plugins UI.

What is the expected behavior?

Chrome plugin should appear in Codex → Plugins.

Expected behavior:

Codex should include the Chrome plugin in the active bundled marketplace cache, because the installed app bundle already contains it.

Searching for Chrome in Codex → Plugins should show the Chrome plugin.

I should be able to select / install / enable the Chrome plugin from Codex.

After setup, Chrome should be available in new Codex threads, for example via @Chrome or the documented Chrome plugin workflow.

Codex should not silently regenerate the active bundled marketplace without the Chrome plugin when the installed app bundle already contains:

C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_26.506.3741.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0\app\resources\plugins\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome

Additional information

This appears to be a plugin registry / marketplace cache issue rather than a missing local file issue.

Summary of diagnostics:

Installed Codex bundle contains Chrome:
True

Path:
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_26.506.3741.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0\app\resources\plugins\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Automatically regenerated active bundled marketplace does not contain Chrome:
False

Path checked:
C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\.tmp\bundled-marketplaces\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Persistent local marketplace contains Chrome:
True

Path:
C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\local-marketplaces\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

Plugin cache contains Chrome:
True

Path:
C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\plugins\cache\openai-bundled\chrome\0.1.7\.codex-plugin\plugin.json

config.toml contains:

[marketplaces.openai-bundled]
source_type = "local"
source = 'C:\Users\kurushin_gi\.codex\local-marketplaces\openai-bundled'

[plugins."chrome@openai-bundled"]
enabled = true

Despite this, Codex Plugins UI still does not list Chrome.

This looks like Codex Desktop is either ignoring the local marketplace registration, filtering chrome@openai-bundled from the Plugins UI / runtime registry, or applying a feature flag / availability filter after local plugin discovery.

View original on GitHub ↗

6 Comments

github-actions[bot] contributor · 3 months ago

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

#21862
#21598
#21936
#21929

Powered by Codex Action

Madex1987 · 3 months ago

The Codex Chrome extension v1.1.4 remains disconnected on my Surface Pro 11. It says I need to use the Chrome plugin in Codex, but the Chrome plugin does not appear anywhere in the Codex desktop app, even after updating the app and enabling browser usage in settings.

Tomodovodoo · 3 months ago

I have a workaround, which might be of interest!
https://x.com/Tomodovodoo/status/2053781991397429742

Alxp1 · 3 months ago

I can reproduce this on Windows with Codex Desktop.

Environment:

Codex Desktop package: OpenAI.Codex_26.513.4821.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0
Codex CLI: 0.130.0-alpha.5
OS: Windows
Chrome extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg
Chrome extension version installed: 1.1.4_0

Observed behavior:

Chrome extension is installed and enabled in Chrome.
Native messaging host manifest is installed and validates correctly.
The Codex Desktop package contains the Chrome plugin at:

C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_26.513.4821.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0\app\resources\plugins\openai-bundled\plugins\chrome

But the generated bundled marketplace used by Codex Desktop only contains browser and latex:

%USERPROFILE%\.codex\.tmp\bundled-marketplaces\openai-bundled

As a result, the Chrome plugin does not appear in the Codex Plugins UI, and the Chrome extension popup stays Disconnected.

Verification output:

{
  "extensionId": "hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg",
  "installed": true,
  "registered": true,
  "enabled": true,
  "disabled": false,
  "versions": ["1.1.4_0"]
}

{
  "expectedHostName": "com.openai.codexextension",
  "expectedOrigin": "chrome-extension://hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg/",
  "exists": true,
  "nameMatches": true,
  "hasExpectedOrigin": true,
  "registryMatchesManifestPath": true,
  "correct": true,
  "problem": null
}

Relevant desktop log line:

[BundledPluginsMarketplace] bundled_plugins_runtime_marketplace_written pluginCount=2 pluginNames=["browser","latex"] targetMarketplaceRoot=%USERPROFILE%\.codex\.tmp\bundled-marketplaces\openai-bundled

I also tried manually pointing [marketplaces.openai-bundled] to a local copy that includes plugins/chrome, but Desktop then reports a source conflict:

marketplace 'openai-bundled' is already added from a different source; remove it before adding this source

Expected behavior:

If the installed Codex package contains plugins/chrome, the generated bundled marketplace should include chrome too.
The Chrome plugin should be visible/installable in the Plugins UI.
The Chrome extension should be able to connect after the native host and extension checks pass.

GrLime909 · 3 months ago

I solved this issue on my own device. You can refer to my solution here: README.md

zemeng5208 · 16 days ago

I maintain WinBridge Recovery for Windows Codex Desktop plugin-state failures: https://github.com/zemeng5208/winbridge-recovery

Your diagnostics are a strong match for the local marketplace/cache side of the problem: the Store package contains Chrome, but the generated openai-bundled marketplace does not, while manually forcing a second marketplace can create a source conflict. WinBridge treats those as separate consistency layers instead of simply copying a plugin folder into place: installed AppX resources -> active bundled marketplace -> versioned plugin cache/latest -> Native Host state.

For this class of failure it can rebuild the user-owned marketplace/cache from the already installed official package using verified staging and SHA-256 checks, while preserving rollback data. It does not patch or take ownership of WindowsApps and it does not bundle OpenAI binaries.

Limitation: if all local layers are already complete and Chrome is still filtered by a server-side availability/feature gate or an upstream UI/runtime bug, WinBridge should report that state rather than claim to fix it. But the specific package has Chrome / active marketplace does not state reported here is within its intended recovery scope.