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Codex Issues / #22468

Codex Desktop workspace_dependencies mismatch, Workspace related items stuck, settings unable to save, and Documents/Spreadsheets/Presentations missing

Open 💬 7 comments Opened May 13, 2026 by leo459028

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

Codex Desktop package observed in logs:

OpenAI.Codex_26.506.2212.0_x64

Codex primary runtime observed locally after manual repair attempt:

26.506.11943

Runtime details from runtime.json:

  • bundleVersion: 26.506.11943
  • nodeVersion: v24.14.0
  • pythonVersion: 3.12.13
  • targetPlatform: win32
  • targetArch: x64

What subscription do you have?

Plus

Account context:

  • My account was originally on ChatGPT Go.
  • I later upgraded the same account to ChatGPT Plus.
  • I have signed out and signed back in after the upgrade.
  • The issue remains unchanged after sign-out/sign-in.
  • Because the same issue reproduces on two machines with the same account, I suspect there may be a server-side entitlement, provisioning, feature flag, or rollout assignment mismatch.

What platform is your computer?

Primary machine:

Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 22H2, build 19045.6466, x64

Second machine:

Microsoft Windows 11, x64

The second machine was a clean Codex Desktop install using the same OpenAI account.

What issue are you seeing?

I am seeing several Codex Desktop issues that appear related to workspace_dependencies, workspace runtime installation, settings persistence, and plugin/capability discovery.

This does not look like a normal plugin authentication or plugin refresh issue.

Main symptoms:

  1. Workspace related items are stuck in an error / not installed state.
  2. Settings > Config / User settings cannot save changes and shows Unable to save.
  3. Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations do not appear in the plugin/tool list at all.
  4. Logs repeatedly show an unsupported workspace_dependencies feature enablement error.
  5. The issue reproduces on both Windows 10 and a clean Windows 11 machine using the same OpenAI account.

Workspace related items issue:

  • In Codex Desktop Settings, under Workspace related items, the current version shows Not installed.
  • Diagnostics reports that Codex related items may need repair.
  • Reinstall fails on my Windows 10 machine with an error such as Unable to reinstall Codex related items.

On the second clean Windows 11 machine:

  • Reinstall can run.
  • But after reinstall finishes, Codex still reports the same repair/error state.
  • Retrying reinstall multiple times produces the same result.

Settings / config issue:

  • In Settings > Config / User settings, changing approval policy, sandbox mode, or network access shows Unable to save.
  • The UI value may visually change, but Codex reports that saving failed.

Documents / Spreadsheets / Presentations issue:

  • The expected Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations tools/plugins do not appear in the plugin/tool list at all.
  • Because they are missing entirely, I cannot open a plugin details page for them.
  • I cannot uninstall them.
  • I cannot reinstall them.
  • I cannot reconnect authentication.
  • I cannot perform a normal plugin refresh flow.

This is why I do not think this is a standard plugin authentication issue.

Log signal:

Codex Desktop logs repeatedly show:

unsupported feature enablement `workspace_dependencies`: currently supported features are apps, memories, plugins, remote_control, tool_search, tool_suggest, tool_call_mcp_elicitation

This appears to be the key technical signal.

It looks like Codex Desktop is trying to enable or use workspace_dependencies, but the local app-server rejects that feature enablement.

This may be related to:

  • server-side account provisioning
  • subscription entitlement mismatch
  • feature flag mismatch
  • rollout assignment issue
  • Codex Desktop / local app-server version mismatch
  • account state not fully updated after ChatGPT Go to ChatGPT Plus upgrade

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Steps to reproduce:

  1. Install and open Codex Desktop on Windows.
  2. Sign in with my OpenAI account.
  3. Open Settings.
  4. Go to Workspace related items.
  5. Observe that the current version shows Not installed or an error state.
  6. Run Diagnostics.
  7. Try Reinstall.
  8. Observe that reinstall either fails or completes but leaves the same error state.
  9. Go to Settings > Config / User settings.
  10. Try changing approval policy, sandbox mode, or network access.
  11. Observe Unable to save.
  12. Open the plugin/tool list.
  13. Search for Documents, Spreadsheets, or Presentations.
  14. Observe that Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations are not listed.
  15. Check Codex Desktop logs.
  16. Observe repeated unsupported feature enablement workspace_dependencies errors.

Second machine reproduction:

  1. Install Codex Desktop on a clean Windows 11 machine.
  2. Sign in with the same OpenAI account.
  3. Open Settings and Workspace related items.
  4. Run Reinstall.
  5. Observe that Reinstall can run, but after it finishes, Codex still reports the same repair/error state.
  6. Check plugin/tool availability.
  7. Observe that Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations are still missing.
  8. Settings / User settings still shows Unable to save.

Additional context:

  • I have already signed out and signed back in.
  • I have already tried reinstall/repair from the UI.
  • I have provided logs, screenshots, and config files to OpenAI Support.
  • The same account has reproduced the issue across two machines.

What is the expected behavior?

Expected behavior:

  • Workspace related items should install or repair successfully.
  • Settings changes should save successfully.
  • Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations should appear if they are supported for my account and plan.
  • If these features are not supported for my account, plan, OS, or rollout group, the UI should clearly state that.
  • Codex Desktop should not show a repair/reinstall loop without a clear actionable error.
  • Codex Desktop should not attempt to enable workspace_dependencies if the local app-server does not support it.
  • The behavior should be consistent across machines using the same account, or the UI should clearly explain any account/plan/rollout limitation.

Additional information

I found several possibly related public issues:

Workspace dependencies / runtime / app-server mismatch:

  • openai/codex#21650: Codex Desktop for Windows: workspace dependencies Diagnose/Reinstall buttons are disabled <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/21650](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/21650>)
  • openai/codex#19811: Codex Desktop shows workspace dependency repair on Windows 10, but install fails because Windows 10 is unsupported <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19811](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19811>)
  • openai/codex#19570: After upgrading Codex Desktop today, two Codex local runtime features are broken <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19570](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19570>)
  • openai/codex#21505: Windows Desktop: workspace_dependencies feature mismatch persists after local recovery <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/21505](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/21505>)
  • openai/codex#19220: Codex macOS startup failure: unsupported feature enablement workspace_dependencies <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19220](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19220>)
  • openai/codex#19437: Codex Windows app stuck on blank/spinner at startup due to unsupported workspace_dependencies feature loop <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19437](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19437>)
  • openai/codex#19770: Windows Desktop App white screen on startup due to workspace_dependencies loop <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19770](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19770>)

Plugin / capability discovery issues:

  • openai/codex#19701: Plugins not showing in Codex, only a small subset of OpenAI plugins visible <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19701](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/19701>)
  • openai/codex#16006: Codex App briefly shows “New Plugin” and then falls back to “Skills” <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/16006](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/16006>)
  • openai/codex#16783: Codex Desktop hides the Plugins UI even though plugin runtime / CLI marketplace is available <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/16783](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/16783>)
  • openai/codex#20629: Codex App briefly shows bundled system skills, then hides them after initialization <br>[https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/20629](<https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/20629>)

Attachments I can provide:

  • Codex Desktop logs from %LOCALAPPDATA%\Codex\Logs
  • Codex app data from %APPDATA%\Codex
  • C:\Users\<USER>\.codex\config.toml
  • C:\Users\<USER>\.codex\.codex-global-state.json
  • Screenshots showing:
  • Workspace related items showing Not installed
  • Diagnostics / reinstall error
  • Settings showing Unable to save
  • Documents / Spreadsheets / Presentations missing from plugin/tool list

Note:

.codex-global-state.json appears malformed or corrupted locally. Attempting to parse it with PowerShell ConvertFrom-Json fails with an invalid array / missing comma error, and it appears to contain garbled/mojibake prompt-history text.

I can provide logs or run additional diagnostics if needed.

View original on GitHub ↗

7 Comments

leo459028 · 2 months ago

Suggested labels: app, bug, windows-os

leo459028 · 2 months ago

Additional context: I opened this GitHub issue after going back and forth with OpenAI Support more than 12 times. I have already provided logs, screenshots, config files, reproduction details, and completed the suggested basic troubleshooting steps such as sign-out/sign-in and reinstall/repair attempts.

I am not opening this issue immediately without first contacting support. I am opening it because the support thread has not resolved the issue and the latest suggestions still treat it as a generic plugin refresh/authentication problem, while the logs appear to point to a workspace_dependencies feature enablement mismatch.

I also have an existing OpenAI Support ticket for this issue and can share the case number privately with an OpenAI maintainer if needed.

electricmessiah · 2 months ago

It's sad one has to put in this much info for a bug thats been around for weeks. The Codex CLI for VSCode is a mess. Claude's extension runs flawlessly.

electricmessiah · 2 months ago

I've tried to remedy some of the issues myself with ChatGPT. Here's its response.

The extension is proactively querying Git state before answering.

The problem is:

OpenAI’s extension is currently too aggressive/noisy
Windows support is still considered experimental
the extension does too much hidden background work
and your broken/unreachable origin makes every poll stall

You are basically using a semi-preview autonomous IDE agent stack on:

Windows
Remote SSH
ZFS/NFS paths
large monorepo
custom infra

That is a hard mode setup for this extension.

And yes — there should absolutely be a lightweight “prompt-only/no repo introspection” mode. 
Right now there effectively isn’t.```
leo459028 · 2 months ago

@etraut-openai

Sorry to tag you directly, but I wanted to make sure this escalation is visible.

This issue has remained unresolved for more than two weeks since my Plus upgrade on May 2. I have also gone through 22 support exchanges with OpenAI Support, but the support flow appears to be stuck in a repetitive script.

Support keeps asking for the same or similar generic information again and again, such as client details, app version, HAR files, ,even though:

  • I have already provided troubleshooting information multiple times
  • This issue has already been triaged here and labeled as a product bug
  • The issue reproduces across Windows 10, a clean Windows 11 machine
  • Local reinstall, sign-out/sign-in, diagnostics, and the normal repair flow do not resolve the problem

The core technical problem remains unchanged:

  • Workspace related items show as “Not installed”
  • Diagnostics cannot successfully repair the issue
  • Reinstall fails or leaves the same broken state
  • Logs repeatedly show unsupported feature enablement workspace_dependencies
  • Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations are missing
  • Codex CLI plugin also does not expose the expected Office-style tools (documents/spreadsheets/presentations)

At this point, front-line support does not appear able to move beyond generic troubleshooting or escalate this to the appropriate Codex engineering team.

Could someone from the Codex Desktop team please confirm whether this issue is actively tracked internally, and whether there is any supported workaround, reset, or reprovisioning path for affected accounts?

The user-visible recovery path is currently broken, so local reinstall and normal troubleshooting do not resolve the issue.

leo459028 · 2 months ago
I've tried to remedy some of the issues myself with ChatGPT. Here's its response. `` The extension is proactively querying Git state before answering. The problem is: OpenAI’s extension is currently too aggressive/noisy Windows support is still considered experimental the extension does too much hidden background work and your broken/unreachable origin makes every poll stall You are basically using a semi-preview autonomous IDE agent stack on: Windows Remote SSH ZFS/NFS paths large monorepo custom infra That is a hard mode setup for this extension. And yes — there should absolutely be a lightweight “prompt-only/no repo introspection” mode. Right now there effectively isn’t.` ``

Thank you for helping with the diagnosis. It is really frustrating that this bug still hasn't been fixed yet.

Tile124 · 1 month ago

I'm also experiencing the same thing