Context window usage indicator is not displayed

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

• #24071
• #24066
• #24029
• #24015
• #24044

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"New, improved unlimited context!" 😀

It’s not a bug, it’s a feature!

I couldn't add this to the original issue (https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/23794) since it's locked so I'll add the workaround here:

Type the slash command in the Codex thread input box and that opens up different sub-commands, one of which is to compact the current context. That sub-command shows you how much context is left.

<img width="737" height="415" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7939c901-003d-43c5-850e-4305d75380f6" />

@gomisha Thanks. Another workaround is to enable the /status panel. But once again, the issue is the disappearance of a tiny yet highly valuable UI element that shows an essential piece of information about the current state and that should be displayed at all times, not "on-demand".

Same issue in codex desktop: https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/23794

@alexchexes I'm finding that once activated, the /status panel keeps displaying the context window at all times for new and existing threads, not just on demand.

I activate it by typing /status and then selecting the Status Toggle Context Usage overlay popup.

<img width="727" height="134" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7ddb4af2-b612-4880-9148-28d94c82b8f6" />

Once it's activated, it stays on all the time for the current and future threads:

<img width="302" height="514" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7748cd5d-3933-4f40-a481-a8e6aa9df2d2" />

Thanks @gomisha !
On hover, it also shows the exact token numbers:

<img width="506" height="167" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b2e98686-06b8-4384-ba67-bd0a0f657711" />

@gomisha Hmm, just checked your screenshot (it wasn't displayed in the mail notification) - at first, I was thinking we were talking about the same thing, but now I see how weird that is because, in my case, I do not have that panel at all, and /status opens a completely different panel.

<img width="1018" height="221" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/f2bf65b4-fa4c-4e0e-ac33-7fbc598c9a44" />

<img width="1016" height="312" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bfe4d3c0-5fdc-4076-ab60-ce82989eaf7d" />

I still have context usage in that panel, and that's why I mentioned it as a workaround, but, now I am really curious whether my panel version is old or new, and how the panel you use looks in VSCode. Are you even in vscode? What OS? If you can, please share a screenshot of the full VS Code UI with that panel, as I am really confused about how such a tall panel like that can fit the narrow VSCode chat side panel and stay visible at all times without taking half of the chat height.

Likely will be closed as a duplicate of https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/23794. This is so frustrating that it was removed. I get all this "unlimited context" marketing stuff, but we all know what that means in practice, and I would rather start a new session when I see it's close to the limit. Compaction is good sometimes, but sometimes it's not what I want. It's like removing fuel tank indicator from a car - use your intuition.... not sure what the product vision was behind this, but it's clearly not aligned to how I personally work with AI.

I still have context usage in that panel, and that's why I mentioned it as a workaround, but, now I am really curious whether my panel version is old or new, and how the panel you use looks in VSCode. Are you even in vscode? What OS? If you can, please share a screenshot of the full VS Code UI with that panel, as I am really confused about how such a tall panel like that can fit the narrow VSCode chat side panel and stay visible at all times without taking half of the chat height.

@alexchexes I'm using the MacOS Codex desktop app (Version 26.519.81530 (3178)) on Mac (Sequoia 15.7.3)

There's a button in the top right to open up the side panel (red arrow in screenshot) and that side panel shows the context usage after you type and select /status

<img width="397" height="543" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c8227dcf-2cf7-4013-8a5c-da7d60bec001" />

@gomisha Ah, got it. Sorry, this was really confusing, as this issue has extension + windows-os labels, and you did not mention that you were not talking about the extension or about Windows.

Anyway, thanks for your input.

In response for feedback from the community, we've decided to move the "donut" indicator back to the composer box. Some users noted that this worked better for their workflows.

In the latest version of the extension, you can enable this indicator by going to "General" tab in the Settings panel and enabling the "Show context window usage" toggle switch. You should then see the indicator in your composer box.

Apologies for any confusion resulting from this series of changes. We're trying to be responsive to user feedback, and some of that feedback was contradictory. We think that we've landed on a solution that addresses everyone's needs.

@etraut-openai Probably that version has not been released yet? VS Code shows the latest openai.chatgpt version is 26.519.32039, dated 1 week ago, and it doesn't have that toggle under the General tab.

Hope the actual version will land soon.

P.S.
Thank you very much for listening to the feedback even when it appears contradictory. Configurable UI is the best solution in such cases, that's for sure.

@alexchexes, you're correct — the change hasn't shown up yet in the production release. If you switch to the prerelease version (26.5527.30818), you'll see it. It will be included in the next release version.

Yes, thank you. At least it's in settings. This was driving me crazy. You absolutely should not get rid of it thanks for listening to your users