Workspace explorer should automatically switch when changing project/thread
What variant of Codex are you using?
Codex Desktop App 26.519.2081.0 on Windows
What feature would you like to see?
When switching between projects or threads in Codex Desktop, the workspace file explorer does not automatically refresh to the correct project root.
Currently, the user must:
- Open a project / thread
- Close the existing file explorer tab
- Click “Browse project files” again
before the correct workspace tree appears.
This creates confusion because the left sidebar project/thread state and the right-side workspace explorer appear visually connected, but they are actually independent states.
Expected behavior:
- Switching projects should automatically refresh or rebind the workspace explorer.
- The current attached workspace root should be clearly visible.
- The file explorer should always reflect the currently active project/thread.
- If the workspace is stale or detached, Codex should show a clear warning or reattach prompt.
This is especially confusing when working with multiple repositories or documentation-heavy projects.
Environment:
- Windows
- Codex Desktop App
- Multiple projects / threads
<img width="408" height="255" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/918914fb-dfc2-491d-9fc9-bab53b42620e" />
<img width="533" height="760" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/92c7c009-c7a7-46f6-985b-f6bd0ac16224" />
<img width="548" height="943" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/6413dc91-32c5-41a4-b2e1-4860396b5e96" />
Additional information
I initially thought this was a user mistake because the UI suggests that the sidebar project and the file explorer are synchronized. After testing, I discovered that: - threads/projects - workspace explorer - attached workspace state are managed separately. The current behavior feels closer to browser tabs than an IDE workspace model, which may confuse users expecting IDE-like project switching behavior.