Codex Windows desktop app exits immediately after launch on Windows 10

What happened?

The Codex Windows desktop app installs successfully, but it exits immediately after launch. No window remains open.

This started after a recent Codex desktop app update. Reinstalling newer builds did not fix it.

Environment

• OS: Windows 10 Pro 22H2
• OS build: 19045.6456
• Architecture: x64
• Codex app versions tested:
• 26.609.3341.0
• 26.609.4994.0
• Install source:
• Microsoft Store / Codex Installer from chatgpt.com/codex/open-app
• Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime: 149.0.4022.62
• Microsoft Desktop App Installer / winget: 1.28.240.0
• ChatGPT Desktop app works on the same machine
• Codex CLI works on the same machine:
• codex-cli 0.139.0

Steps to reproduce

1. Install Codex Windows desktop app from the official installer / Microsoft Store.
2. Launch Codex from Start Menu, Microsoft Store, or chatgpt.com/codex/open-app.
3. The app starts briefly, then exits within a few seconds.
4. No usable Codex window appears.

Expected behavior

Codex desktop app should open and stay running.

Actual behavior

Codex process starts and exits immediately. After 5 seconds and 30 seconds, there is no Codex.exe process running.

Troubleshooting already attempted

• Reinstalled Codex using the latest installer.
• Removed the existing AppX package and reinstalled.
• Re-registered the AppX package manifest.
• Cleared / backed up Codex local app data:
• %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\OpenAI.Codex_2p2nqsd0c76g0
• Cleared / backed up Codex home data:
• %USERPROFILE%\.codex
• Reset Microsoft Store cache with wsreset.exe.
• Updated Microsoft Desktop App Installer / winget.
• Forced reinstall through winget / Microsoft Store.
• Verified WebView2 and VC++ runtimes are installed.
• Checked Defender / Code Integrity logs; no clear block found.
• Verified ChatGPT Desktop launches correctly.

Relevant Windows event behavior

AppModel Runtime shows that Windows successfully creates the AppContainer and launches Codex.exe, then terminates the package shortly after.

Observed AppModel event IDs include:

• 210
• 211
• 201
• 217

Example behavior:

• OpenAI.Codex_26.609.4994.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0
• OpenAI.Codex_2p2nqsd0c76g0!App
• Codex.exe is launched
• package is terminated a few seconds later

No new clear Application Error crash entry appears for the latest launch attempts.

Notes

This appears specific to the Codex Windows desktop app on this Windows 10 environment. The same machine can run:

• ChatGPT Desktop app
• Codex CLI