Codex desktop pet causes periodic system-wide mouse input freezes while a task is running on Windows

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

26.715.21425

What subscription do you have?

Plus

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

What issue are you seeing?

What version of the Codex App are you using?

Codex Windows app package:

OpenAI.Codex_26.715.2305.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Plus

What platform is your computer?

• Windows 11 Pro 25H2, x64
• OS build: 26200.8875
• Motherboard: Gigabyte X870E AORUS PRO
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
• RAM: 32 GB
• Mouse: Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2

The issue was also reproduced with a different wired mouse, so it does not appear to be specific to the Logitech mouse or its wireless receiver.

What issue are you seeing?

When a Codex task is running and the Codex desktop pet is visible, the physical mouse periodically stops responding across Windows.

The freeze lasts approximately half a second and generally repeats around every 30 seconds. Applications and games continue running normally during the freeze; only mouse input stops being processed. For example, movement in a game continues, but moving or clicking the mouse has no effect during the stall.

The problem started immediately after updating the Codex Windows app to the version listed above.

The issue appears to be specifically associated with the combination of:

1. A Codex task actively running.
2. The Codex desktop pet being visible.

The computer can remain completely smooth for 30 minutes or longer before opening Codex. After starting a Codex task with the pet visible, the periodic mouse freezes begin. Terminating the complete ChatGPT/Codex process tree causes the mouse lag to disappear.

Troubleshooting performed

The following were tested:

• Logitech receiver connected through the monitor and directly to the computer.
• Superlight 2 used wirelessly and through a direct wired USB connection.
• A completely different wired mouse.
• Logitech G HUB closed and its startup entry disabled.
• SignalRGB disabled.
• MSI Afterburner and its RTCore64 driver stopped.
• Legacy inpoutx64 driver stopped.
• Tailscale completely uninstalled.
• All non-Microsoft services disabled through a clean-boot test.
• All ordinary startup applications disabled.
• Multiple Windows reboots.
• USB and HID class filters inspected; no unexpected mouse, HID, or USB class filters were present.
• LatencyMon captured during a mouse stall and did not show a significant DPC or ISR latency spike.

The issue does not occur in Windows Safe Mode.

After a normal reboot, mouse input is initially smooth. The stalls usually begin only after Codex is opened and a task runs with the desktop pet visible.

Process information

During the affected session, the Codex process tree included:

• Multiple ChatGPT.exe Chromium processes
• A ChatGPT.exe --type=gpu-process process
• codex.exe app-server
• codex-code-mode-host.exe
• Multiple node_repl.exe processes
• A Node runtime associated with the active Codex task

Terminating this complete process tree stopped the mouse freezes.

Additional observations

• This is not a full system or display freeze.
• Keyboard behavior has not been conclusively characterized.
• The Codex application itself does not necessarily appear frozen when the mouse stalls.
• The cadence is fairly regular, usually around one stall every 30 seconds.
• The issue began on the same day that the Codex Windows app was updated.
• The pet appears to be an important reproduction condition. Running the system without Codex, or terminating Codex, removes the problem.

A useful diagnostic test may be to compare the pet overlay’s rendering, hit-testing, input hooks, window polling, and GPU/compositor behavior while an agent task is active.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Start Windows normally.
2. Use the computer without opening Codex and confirm that mouse input remains smooth.
3. Open the Codex Windows app.
4. Show or wake the Codex desktop pet.
5. Start a Codex task.
6. Continue moving the mouse or use another application while the task runs.
7. Observe periodic system-wide mouse input freezes, usually approximately every 30 seconds.
8. Terminate the ChatGPT/Codex process tree.
9. Observe that the periodic mouse freezes stop.

What is the expected behavior?

The desktop pet and active Codex tasks should not interfere with physical mouse input or cause input stalls elsewhere in Windows.

Additional information

_No response_