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Codex Issues / #29137

Computer Use Plugins Unavailable

Open 💬 4 comments Opened Jun 19, 2026 by gmadden80-blip
💡 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)?

Codex version 26.609.71450 Released Jun 15, 2026

What subscription do you have?

plus

What platform is your computer?

64bit x64bit

What issue are you seeing?

Codex Windows app issue:

Feedback ID:
no-active-thread-019edcd1-f028-7e70-887e-a19ccc7c8a7b

Problem:
Settings → Computer use shows “Computer Use plugins unavailable.”

Related errors:

  • Chrome plugin health check reported: “native host registry entry is missing.”
  • Chrome/browser bridge error: “privileged native pipe bridge is not available; browser-client is not trusted.”
  • Earlier error: “failed to write kernel assets: The system cannot find the path specified.”

What I tried:

  • Restarted computer multiple times.
  • Confirmed Codex workspace/file access works.
  • Backed up C:\Users\Gary Madden\Documents\Codex to Desktop as “Codex Backup.”
  • Checked Malwarebytes Detection History; no visible Codex.exe/OpenAI/Chrome native host block.
  • Ran Windows app Repair for Codex.
  • Uninstalled and reinstalled Codex.
  • Signed back in.
  • Computer Use still shows “Computer Use plugins unavailable.”

Need help restoring Computer Use plugins / Chrome plugin / native host bridge.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Feedback ID: no-active-thread-019edcd1-f028-7e70-887e-a19ccc7c8a7b

What is the expected behavior?

Computer Use plugins should load normally in Settings → Computer use.

Expected behavior:

  • The Computer use page should show available plugins such as Google Chrome and/or Any App.
  • The Chrome plugin should install/connect successfully.
  • Codex should be able to read the current Chrome tab title when asked.
  • The native host / browser bridge should be available and trusted.

Additional information

Codex Windows app version:
26.609.71450, released Jun 15, 2026.

Feedback ID:
no-active-thread-019edcd1-f028-7e70-887e-a19ccc7c8a7b

Current issue:
Settings → Computer use shows “Computer Use plugins unavailable.”

Previous related errors:

  • Chrome plugin health check reported: “native host registry entry is missing.”
  • Chrome/browser bridge error: “privileged native pipe bridge is not available; browser-client is not trusted.”
  • Earlier error: “failed to write kernel assets: The system cannot find the path specified.”

What I tried:

  • Restarted computer multiple times.
  • Confirmed Codex workspace/file access works.
  • Backed up C:\Users\Gary Madden\Documents\Codex to Desktop as “Codex Backup.”
  • Checked Malwarebytes Detection History; no visible Codex.exe/OpenAI/Chrome native host block was shown.
  • Ran Windows app Repair for Codex.
  • Uninstalled and reinstalled Codex.
  • Signed back in.
  • Computer Use still shows “Computer Use plugins unavailable.”

Need help restoring Computer Use plugins / Chrome plugin / native host bridge.

View original on GitHub ↗

4 Comments

github-actions[bot] contributor · 2 months ago

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

  • #29105
  • #28255
  • #28775
  • #28950
  • #28197

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gmadden80-blip · 1 month ago

Update after installing the latest Codex update:

Computer Use is still unavailable on Windows.

Settings → Computer use still shows:
“Computer Use plugins unavailable.”

I previously tried:

  • Windows app Repair
  • Uninstall/reinstall
  • Restarting Windows
  • Checking Malwarebytes history
  • Installing the new Codex update

The issue persists after the update.
version 26.623.101652

aidawilliam41-ops · 1 month ago

Additional Windows reproduction on a newer Codex Desktop build.

Environment:

  • Codex Desktop 26.715.2305.0
  • Windows 11 Pro 25H2, build 26200.8037, x64
  • Chrome plugin 26.715.21425

Reproduction:

  1. Invoke mcp__node_repl__js to initialize the Chrome browser runtime.
  2. The tool fails before executing the supplied JavaScript:

“failed to write kernel assets: The system cannot find the path specified. (os error 3)”

  1. Retry with only:

nodeRepl.write("node-runtime-ok")

  1. The same error occurs before code execution.

Observed:

  • Browser initialization call failed after 22 ms.
  • Minimal Node REPL call failed after 20 ms.
  • Local shell/runtime remained functional.

Expected:
The Node REPL kernel assets should initialize, after which the Chrome extension browser can be accessed through DOM/CDP.

Impact:
The built-in Chrome Browser route is completely unavailable for read-only DOM inspection.

Workaround:
None confirmed. Computer Use and third-party Playwright were intentionally not substituted.

zemeng5208 · 16 days ago

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

The newer 26.715 reproduction in this thread is especially relevant to the local runtime-materialization layer: node_repl/js fails before user JavaScript executes with failed to write kernel assets ... (os error 3), while earlier reports also showed a missing Chrome Native Host registry entry. Those are concrete local-state failures rather than just a generic “Computer Use unavailable” symptom.

WinBridge v3.1.1 resolves the current installed AppX package and bundled runtime, verifies the official CLI/CUA resources, checks the user-side runtime/cache and Native Host state, and can reconstruct inconsistent user-owned copies through staged byte-stream copying + SHA-256 validation with rollback data. It also checks stale hash/version paths left behind by Desktop updates.

The limitation is important: if the kernel assets/runtime and Native Host become current and valid but a fresh task still does not receive the trusted node_repl/Computer Use tool surface, that remaining attachment/runtime problem is upstream and WinBridge should not claim to fix it. It does not bypass feature gates, sandbox policy, or modify WindowsApps.