macOS: Microsoft Edge extension is usable, but Codex App reports Google Chrome as not connected

What version of the Codex App are you using (From “About Codex” dialog)?

26.707.51957

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Pro (5x)

What platform is your computer?

Darwin 27.0.0 arm64 arm

Additional environment:

• Browser: Microsoft Edge 150.0.4078.65
• ChatGPT browser extension: 1.2.27203.26575
• Extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg

What issue are you seeing?

On macOS, the ChatGPT Chrome Extension is installed and enabled in Microsoft Edge. The extension can communicate with the ChatGPT/Codex App over its loopback WebSocket, and the extension-backed browser runtime is usable, but Settings → Computer Use → Google Chrome continues to show Not connected.

This is a connection-state mismatch rather than a transport failure:

• Microsoft Edge has an established connection to the ChatGPT App loopback listener.
• The browser runtime successfully resolves the extension backend.
• Browser discovery returns an entry with type: "extension" and the expected extension ID.
• The extension backend can enumerate open browser tabs.
• The App settings page still reports Google Chrome as not connected.

No WebSocket token or other credential is included in this report.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. On macOS, install Microsoft Edge without installing Google Chrome.
2. Install the ChatGPT Chrome Extension from the Chrome Web Store into Edge.
3. Enable the extension and open its side panel.
4. Connect the extension to the ChatGPT/Codex App.
5. Confirm that the Edge extension communicates with the App and that the extension-backed browser runtime can enumerate browser tabs.
6. Open ChatGPT/Codex App → Settings → Computer Use → Google Chrome.
7. Observe that the status remains Not connected.

What is the expected behavior?

When a compatible extension backend is connected and usable, the App should display it as connected.

If Microsoft Edge is outside the supported browser set, the App should identify it as unsupported instead of displaying a generic disconnected state while the extension backend remains usable.

Additional information

The App log records the following state during bundled plugin reconciliation:

bundled_plugin_chrome_extension_sync_decision
chromeExtensionSyncAction=keep_user_managed
isExtensionInstalled=false
isPluginInstalled=true

The installed plugin's local detection and installation logic appears to be Chrome-specific:

• The known-browser list contains only Google Chrome with bundle ID com.google.Chrome.
• Extension detection scans ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome.
• The extension is actually installed under ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft Edge/Default/Extensions.
• The macOS native messaging manifest installer targets the Google Chrome NativeMessagingHosts directory.

This suggests that the settings status is derived from Chrome-specific installation detection rather than the live extension backend connection. As a result, the App reports isExtensionInstalled=false even though the Edge extension data plane is connected and usable.

Related Windows reports:

• #23805 — Edge extension shows connected while the Codex App reports not connected.
• #24720 — Edge browser integration remains disconnected after plugin cache rebuild.

This report is specifically for macOS. The additional distinction is that the extension runtime was verified as usable: backend discovery succeeds and open tabs can be enumerated, while the settings UI still reports not connected.