›_ Codex Issues
Codex Issues / #26776

Chrome plugin not shown in Plugins and Computer Use unavailable on Windows

Open 💬 6 comments Opened Jun 6, 2026 by yokotasakan-debug
💡 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)?

Unknown. Codex desktop app on Windows.

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Pro

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

What issue are you seeing?

Feedback ID: 019e921e-4e6d-7d01-be93-18f1741d2756

Chrome integration is unavailable in the Codex desktop app on Windows.

Observed:

  • Chrome plugin is not shown in Plugins.
  • Computer Use plugin is unavailable in Settings.
  • Settings > Browser says Google Chrome is configured under Computer Use settings.
  • Settings > Computer Use says Computer Use plugin is unavailable.
  • I restarted Codex and Chrome multiple times, but the issue did not resolve.

Diagnostics:
Native host manifest is missing:
C:\Users\yokot\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json

Native host registry key is missing:
HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension

Chrome is installed and running.

Expected:
Chrome / Computer Use should be available, or the Codex app should provide a clear setup or repair path.

Actual:
Chrome plugin is not shown, Computer Use is unavailable, and there is no reinstall/repair button in Settings.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

  1. Open Codex desktop app on Windows.
  2. Open Settings.
  3. Go to Settings > Browser.
  4. The screen says Google Chrome is configured under Computer Use settings.
  5. Go to Settings > Computer Use.
  6. The screen says Computer Use plugin is unavailable.
  7. Go back to the main app and open Plugins.
  8. Search for Chrome.
  9. Chrome plugin is not shown.
  10. Restart Codex and Chrome.
  11. Repeat the same checks.

Result: Chrome / Computer Use is still unavailable.

What is the expected behavior?

Chrome / Computer Use should be available in the Codex desktop app, or the app should provide a clear setup, repair, or reinstall path for the Chrome integration.

Additional information

I already sent in-app feedback.

Feedback ID:
019e921e-4e6d-7d01-be93-18f1741d2756

Screenshots are available showing:

  • Settings > Browser says Google Chrome is configured under Computer Use settings.
  • Settings > Computer Use says Computer Use plugin is unavailable.
  • Feedback upload completed.

View original on GitHub ↗

6 Comments

github-actions[bot] contributor · 2 months ago

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

  • #26744
  • #26151
  • #26730
  • #26562
  • #25874

Powered by Codex Action

yokotasakan-debug · 2 months ago

This looks closely related to #26744.

My issue has the same main symptoms:

  • Chrome plugin is not shown in Plugins.
  • Computer Use plugin is unavailable.
  • Windows Codex Desktop does not provide a setup/repair path.
  • Native host manifest / registry entry is missing.

Feedback ID:
019e921e-4e6d-7d01-be93-18f1741d2756

If maintainers prefer to track this in #26744, I can close this issue as a duplicate.

yokotasakan-debug · 2 months ago

Update:

The Chrome plugin is now visible again.
I installed the Codex Chrome Extension in Google Chrome.
Diagnostics now show:

  • extension installed: true
  • extension enabled: true
  • native host manifest: correct true

However, Chrome control still does not work because the node_repl runtime crashes before it can connect.

Even a minimal node_repl test without Chrome fails with:

windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh

So the remaining issue appears to be the Codex node_repl / Windows sandbox runtime, not the Chrome extension installation.

yokotasakan-debug · 2 months ago

Update:

The Chrome plugin disappeared from the Plugins UI again.

However, local diagnostics still show:

  • Chrome extension installed: true
  • Chrome extension enabled: true
  • native host manifest: correct true
  • local Chrome plugin cache exists:

C:\Users\yokot\.codex\plugins\cache\openai-bundled\chrome\26.602.40724

So the plugin UI state appears unstable.

Chrome setup itself looks installed, but Chrome control still cannot run because node_repl / Windows sandbox fails even on a minimal node_repl test.

Error:
windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh

Additional context:

  • Chrome plugin was missing earlier.
  • It later appeared in the Plugins UI.
  • I installed the Codex Chrome Extension successfully.
  • After restarting Codex, Chrome plugin disappeared from the Plugins UI again.
  • Trend Micro / Virus Buster logs do not show recent blocks for Codex, OpenAI, node_repl, codex-command-runner, or Chrome.
RPT0901 · 1 month ago

I am seeing the same issue on Windows.

Difference:

  • Computer Use and In-app Browser work
  • Chrome is not shown in Plugins

Environment:

  • Codex App: 26.623.13972.0
  • Chrome: 149.0.7827.201
  • Codex Chrome Extension: 1.1.5_0, installed and enabled

Diagnostics:

  • Native host manifest is missing
  • Native Messaging Host registry key is missing
  • Chrome backend "extension" is unavailable
  • Reinstall and Windows App Repair did not help
  • The issue also reproduced on a direct pocket Wi-Fi connection with all university proxies disabled

Feedback ID:
019f369e-bf11-7563-b3ce-1478043c779a

zemeng5208 · 16 days ago

I maintain WinBridge Recovery for Windows Codex Desktop local plugin/Native Host recovery: https://github.com/zemeng5208/winbridge-recovery

There are two different failures mixed in this thread, and WinBridge only targets the first one. The recurring local-state symptom — Chrome disappearing from Plugins while the extension is installed, with the Native Messaging manifest and HKCU host registration missing on affected launches — is within its scope. v3.1.1 checks the current AppX bundled source, generated marketplace/cache/latest, Native Host manifest/registry/v2 state and runtime paths separately, then repairs only the inconsistent user-owned layers with backups and post-repair validation.

The later windows sandbox failed: spawn setup refresh / minimal node_repl crash is a different layer. If the Chrome cache, manifest and registry are all healthy and Node REPL still dies in the Windows sandbox, WinBridge should not claim to fix that sandbox/runtime problem.

So for users reproducing the 26.623 state noted here — Computer Use/IAB work, Chrome extension is installed, but Chrome is absent from Plugins and both Native Host manifest + registry are missing — the tool can help diagnose/recover the local Chrome bridge. It does not bypass sandbox policy, feature gates, or modify WindowsApps.