[UX Feedback] Codex and ChatGPT app merger caused significant onboarding and migration confusion

What variant of Codex are you using?

App

What feature would you like to see?

Summary

After the Codex and ChatGPT desktop app merger, the upgrade and migration experience was confusing and caused uncertainty about app state, projects, contexts, and product differences.

The main issue is not the merger itself, but the lack of clear communication, onboarding, and user flow design around the transition.

User Journey / Issues

1. Upgrade flow created uncertainty about whether Codex was removed

I was using both the ChatGPT desktop app and Codex desktop app.

After clicking "Update" in Codex, the app upgraded and I suddenly could not find Codex anymore.

My immediate questions were:

• Was Codex deleted?
• Were my Codex contexts preserved?
• Did my previous work disappear?

In Launchpad, I saw both "GPT Classic" and "GPT", which made the situation even more confusing.

There was no clear explanation during the upgrade process.

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2. The merger explanation only appeared after reinstalling

I reinstalled Codex because I thought something went wrong.

Only during the final installation step did I see the explanation:

"Codex and ChatGPT are now merged. Keep Codex icon is enabled by default."

This explained what happened, but it came too late.

The explanation should appear before or during the upgrade, not after users have already become confused.

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3. Projects migration and product model are unclear

My existing ChatGPT Projects are still available in the ChatGPT web app, but I cannot find them in Codex.

Questions:

• Are ChatGPT Projects and Codex Projects now the same thing?
• Will projects eventually sync?
• Are they intentionally separated?

Currently, the product model is unclear.

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4. Usage limits and model differences are unclear after the merger

Previously, I understood the difference:

ChatGPT:

• Higher usage quota
• Faster responses
• Shorter context window

Codex:

• Lower quota
• Slower responses
• Longer coding context

After the merger:

• Are quotas still calculated separately?
• Are ChatGPT and Codex using different limits?
• How should users choose between them?

This needs clearer communication.

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5. Navigation and information architecture feels confusing

Several UI issues:

New Task vs Projects

There are now:

• "New Task" on the left
• Project-related actions elsewhere

The relationship is unclear.

Suggestion:

Make Projects the primary entry point and place "Create New Task" inside Projects.

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Tasks concept is unclear

I am not sure what "Tasks" represent.

Questions:

• Is a Task inside a Project?
• Is a Task independent from Projects?
• Should all tasks belong to a project?

The current mental model is unclear.

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6. Codex for Work entry point is difficult to discover

The entry point is hidden under a hover dropdown in the top-left.

There is limited onboarding explaining:

• What Codex for Work is
• When to use it
• How it differs from normal Codex

This may cause many users to miss the feature completely.

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7. Naming consistency issue

After another update, I received an update notification mentioning GPT, while I was using Codex.

This creates uncertainty about:

• Which product am I updating?
• Are GPT and Codex separate products or one product?
• Which settings apply to which?

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Overall Feedback

The merger itself may be a reasonable product direction, but the transition experience needs much more product thinking.

Before pushing a major migration, it would help to:

1. Map different user personas and use cases:

• ChatGPT users
• Codex users
• Users who use both

1. Identify migration "surprise moments":

• App disappearance
• Project availability
• Context preservation
• Usage limits
• New navigation model

1. Improve onboarding and communication before rollout.

The current experience feels like a major product architecture change was shipped without enough migration guidance.

A clearer user flow and explanation would significantly improve confidence during the transition.

Bonus note 🙂

I am a Product Manager myself, and I enjoy thinking about product experience and user journeys.

If the team ever wants another perspective on UX issues, user flows, or product feedback, feel free to reach out:

jasper.reed737@gmail.com

Happy to help.

Additional information

Bonus note 🙂

I am a Product Manager myself, and I enjoy thinking about product experience and user journeys.

If the team ever wants another perspective on UX issues, user flows, or product feedback, feel free to reach out:

jasper.reed737@gmail.com

Happy to help.