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Codex Issues / #26133

[Windows] Bundled Browser/Chrome/Computer Use plugins enabled in config but not exposed as callable tools

Open 💬 4 comments Opened Jun 3, 2026 by garry-factorlab

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

What version of the Codex App are you using? Codex App: 26.601.2237.0 Codex app server version shown in logs: 0.136.0-alpha.2 Environment: OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 25H2, build 26200.8457 WebView2 Runtime: 148.0.3967.96 Windows App Runtime installed: 1.5 / 1.6 / 1.7 / 1.8 Microsoft VCLibs installed Microsoft.UI.Xaml installed Codex package status: Ok Reproduced after: Full Codex uninstall Moving/removing the existing .codex profile Moving/removing Codex AppData and package local data Fresh reinstall of Codex Fresh login Clean Windows local user codex_test * No CC Switch, no local model routing, no DGX tunnel configured in the clean-user reproduction

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Plus

What platform is your computer?

What platform is your computer? Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64 Additional OS details: OsName: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro OSDisplayVersion: 25H2 OsBuildNumber: 26200 UBR: 8457 * Architecture: x64

What issue are you seeing?

What issue are you seeing?

Browser / Chrome / Computer Use bundled plugins appear in the Codex plugin UI and can be enabled in config.toml, but they are not exposed as callable tools in the model runtime.

Observed behavior:

  • Browser / Chrome / Computer Use appear in the plugin UI.
  • Clicking + on Computer Use temporarily changes it to enabled / checked.
  • config.toml writes the expected enabled state, for example:

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

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

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

  • After restarting Codex, Computer Use may revert to + in the UI.
  • Even when config.toml contains the enabled plugin entries, the model runtime does not expose browser / chrome / computer-use callable tools.
  • tool_search does not find browser, chrome, or computer-use tools.
  • The available tools only include shell/file/connector tools, such as functions.shell_command, functions.apply_patch, tool_search.tool_search_tool, web.run, and connector tools.
  • Browser tests fall back to ordinary web.open or fail to access the browser plugin.
  • Computer Use cannot read the screen, click, type, or report the active window.

Logs show normal GPT-5.5 responses_websocket traffic and connector/MCP tools such as Google Drive being listed, but I do not see bundled browser/chrome/computer-use tools being registered or exposed to the runtime.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

  1. Install Codex Windows app version 26.601.2237.0.
  2. Sign in with a ChatGPT Plus account.
  3. Open Codex plugin settings.
  4. Add or enable Computer Use / Browser / Chrome.
  5. Confirm that config.toml contains entries like:

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

  1. Start a new Codex thread.
  2. Type @ and select Browser or Computer Use if visible.
  3. Ask Codex to perform a low-risk test, for example:

@Computer
Do not open any program. Please read the current screen state and report the active foreground window title.

or:

@Browser
Open https://example.com/ and report the page title and main heading.

  1. Codex replies that the plugin tool is not exposed or unavailable.
  2. Run a tool search for browser, chrome, and computer-use; no matching bundled tools are found.
  3. Restart Codex with File → Exit and reopen it.
  4. Computer Use may revert to +, or remain configured in config.toml but still not expose callable tools.

The issue reproduces after a clean uninstall/reinstall and also under a fresh local Windows admin user codex_test.

What is the expected behavior?

If Browser / Chrome / Computer Use are enabled in the plugin UI and written to config.toml, they should be registered into the current Codex tool runtime.

Expected:

  • @Browser should expose browser navigation / page / viewport tools.
  • @Chrome should expose Chrome plugin tools after setup.
  • @Computer / Computer Use should expose screen-reading / click / keyboard tools.
  • tool_search should be able to find browser/chrome/computer-use callable tools.
  • Computer Use should remain installed after File → Exit and restart, instead of reverting to +.

Additional information

This was tested after a full cleanup:

  • Stopped all Codex processes
  • Removed/moved .codex
  • Removed/moved Codex AppData
  • Removed/moved Microsoft Store package local data
  • Removed OpenAI.Codex Appx package
  • Reinstalled Codex fresh
  • Tested with a clean Windows local admin user
  • Did not configure CC Switch, local model routing, or DGX SSH tunnel in the clean-user test

The problem appears specific to bundled local plugins / runtime registration. The main Codex app, GPT-5.5 connection, shell/file tools, and connector tools work normally.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

  1. Install Codex Windows app version 26.601.2237.0.
  2. Sign in with a ChatGPT Plus account.
  3. Open Codex plugin settings.
  4. Add or enable Computer Use / Browser / Chrome.
  5. Confirm that config.toml contains entries such as:
[plugins."browser@openai-bundled"]
enabled = true

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

[plugins."computer-use@openai-bundled"]
enabled = true
  1. Start a new Codex thread.
  2. Type @ and select Browser or Computer Use if visible.
  3. Ask Codex to perform a low-risk test, for example:
@Computer
Do not open any program. Please read the current screen state and report the active foreground window title.

or:

@Browser
Open https://example.com and report the page title and main heading.
  1. Codex replies that the plugin tool is not exposed or unavailable.
  2. Run a tool search for browser, chrome, and computer-use; no matching bundled tools are found.
  3. Restart Codex with File → Exit and reopen it.
  4. Computer Use may revert to +, or remain configured in config.toml but still not expose callable tools.

The issue reproduces after a clean uninstall/reinstall and also under a fresh local Windows admin user codex_test.

I do not have session id / token limit / context window usage available from the UI.

What is the expected behavior?

_No response_

Additional information

_No response_

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