Codex app doesn't restart after update

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

• #28521
• #29706

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i confirm, was about to report this as i am tired of it updating and nto starting back up
the image says "installing update, codex will restart when installation finishes"
terrible ux, this should be fixed

Same..

1. clicking the update button
2. Seeing status bar telling me that codex will restart after the update.
3. Program shuts down (to update)
4. Nothing.

Still not fixed updating to 26.623.141536

This worked a few updates ago, then again today updating to 26.707.51957. Seems still intermittent so I will wait a few more before closing.

No restart updating to 26.707.62119

No restart updating to 26.707.71524

I can reproduce this on the Windows Codex app as well.

Environment:

• Codex app: 26.707.9564.0
• Windows 11 Pro, build 26200, x64

Observed behavior: after applying the latest in-app update, Codex closed but did not relaunch automatically. I had to start it manually. Manual relaunch succeeded.

Expected behavior: after the update is applied, the app should reopen automatically; if relaunch fails, it should show an actionable error.

Not fixed updating to 26.707.72221

Additional evidence for the Windows Store update loop:

• Current running package: OpenAI.Codex_26.707.9564.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0.
• The app detects manifest build 26.707.9981.0; its update check completes with hasUpdate=true.
• Clicking the in-app update button causes an automatic restart; it was not manually closed.

The Windows AppX Deployment Server log shows that OpenAI.Codex_26.707.9981.0 stages successfully, but the deployment/register step fails:

Error 0x80070005: Cannot install because the following apps need to be closed: OpenAI.Codex_2p2nqsd0c76g0!App.

The deployment reached StageUserDataProcessed but failed before PackagesInUseClosed; another event says the package was not updated because the affected app was still running.

So this does not look like a download or verification failure. The update is downloaded and staged, but Codex is relaunched while its package is still in use (or before the updater confirms a complete shutdown and successful registration). It comes back on 26.707.9564.0 and immediately offers the same update again.

Could the Windows Store updater wait for package-app termination and successful register/promotion before relaunching, and surface the deployment failure if that step fails?

This appears to duplicate #24047. Both reports describe the Windows app closing after the blue in-app update button is clicked, the package update completing, and Codex failing to relaunch until it is started manually.

I have also opened #33321 for the unattended variant, where no update button is clicked and a background Microsoft Store/AppX update silently removes a running tray instance. That variant has a different trigger and user-visible symptom, even though it likely reaches the same post-update relaunch failure.