Chrome backend unavailable in VS Code/API session while Codex Desktop Chrome works

Codex Chrome Control Issue Report

Date: 2026-07-03
Workspace: /Users/mac/Projects/BEUS

Summary

Chrome control works from Codex Desktop, but the VS Code/API tool session cannot discover the Chrome browser backend.

Expected

The VS Code/API tool session should be able to use the same Codex Chrome Extension backend when Chrome is installed, the extension is enabled, and the native host manifest is valid.

Actual

In the VS Code/API tool session:

agent.browsers.list() => []
agent.browsers.get("extension") => Browser is not available: extension

Codex Desktop logs show repeated native pipe rejections:

browser-use native pipe rejected socket peer reason=missing-code-signing-identity

Evidence

Chrome setup checks passed:

• Google Chrome is running.
• Google Chrome is installed at /Applications/Google Chrome.app.
• Codex Chrome Extension is installed and enabled in Chrome profile Default.
• Native host manifest exists and is correct:

/Users/mac/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.openai.codexextension.json

• Native host manifest points to:

/Users/mac/.codex/plugins/cache/openai-bundled/chrome/latest/extension-host/macos/arm64/Codex for Chrome

Native host binary has a TeamIdentifier:

TeamIdentifier=2DC432GLL2

Codex Desktop Chrome path worked in a separate thread:

Desktop Chrome-working thread: 019f274b-b694-7103-a304-4184a12c401a
Log signal: browser-use-pip backend=chrome tabID=186514447

Current VS Code/API tool session:

Current VS Code/API thread: 019f2755-ac14-7881-80b6-6f1095bd0b82

Attempted Fixes

• Reinstalled Chrome plugin multiple times.
• Confirmed Chrome extension is installed and enabled.
• Confirmed native host manifest is correct.
• Opened Chrome Default profile via plugin script.
• Killed and restarted the Codex for Chrome native host process.
• Retried browser discovery after native host restart.

Result after retry:

agent.browsers.list() => []

Relevant Process State

Two Codex runtime surfaces are active:

• Codex Desktop app-server:

/Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Resources/codex app-server --analytics-default-enabled

• VS Code/API tool app-server:

/Applications/Codex.app/Contents/Resources/codex app-server --listen stdio://

The native host is launched by Chrome and connects to a browser-use socket, but the VS Code/API tool session still cannot discover an extension backend.

Impact

Codex Desktop can control Chrome, but the VS Code/API session cannot, even when the same machine, Chrome profile, extension, and native host are healthy. This blocks Chrome-authenticated browser automation from the VS Code/API tool surface.