Codex Desktop on Windows requires local app interaction before mobile remote task can open again

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

26.715.31925

What subscription do you have?

pro20

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

What issue are you seeing?

Environment:

• Windows 11
• Codex Desktop / ChatGPT app package:

OpenAI.Codex_26.715.4045.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0

• Mobile Codex connecting to this Windows Codex host
• Investigation was performed locally using the Codex agent on the same Windows machine.

Problem:
After the Windows Codex Desktop app has been idle for some time, the mobile app still shows the Windows Codex host as connected, but opening a task/conversation fails or hangs.

Important observations:

• Returning to the Windows desktop does not fix it.
• The issue only recovers after clicking/interacting with the Codex Desktop window itself.
• After that local interaction, mobile can immediately open/send messages again.
• The local Codex agent inspected process state, TCP connections, Windows power events, scheduled logs, and Codex desktop logs, and determined this is very likely a Codex Desktop remote task/session resume issue rather than a Windows sleep, network, or process-crash issue.

Local evidence:

• Windows did not sleep or wake during the failure window.
• ChatGPT.exe / codex.exe processes stayed running and responsive.
• TCP connections stayed established.
• powercfg /requests showed Codex/ChatGPT execution activity.
• Codex desktop logs showed pubsub disconnect/reconnect while the app was unfocused/backgrounded, but mobile task access still did not recover.

Workaround test:
The local Codex agent created a workaround script that periodically activates the Codex Desktop window using Windows APIs. With this script running every 120 seconds, the mobile remote task/session stayed usable and the issue did not reproduce during testing. After stopping the script, the original behavior could still occur.

This suggests the problem is tied to Codex Desktop's local window/session wake or remote session resume behavior, rather than Windows sleep, network connectivity, or process crash.

Expected behavior:
If the Windows Codex host is shown as connected on mobile, opening existing tasks should work without requiring local interaction with the desktop app.

Actual behavior:
The desktop host appears online, but task/session access from mobile gets stuck until the user clicks the Codex Desktop app locally.

Impact:
Remote/mobile use is unreliable when away from the Windows PC. The periodic-activation workaround confirms a possible wake/resume trigger, but it is disruptive because it steals focus from the active Windows application.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Environment:

• Windows 11
• Codex Desktop / ChatGPT app package:

OpenAI.Codex_26.715.4045.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0

• Mobile Codex connecting to this Windows Codex host
• Investigation was performed locally using the Codex agent on the same Windows machine.

Problem:
After the Windows Codex Desktop app has been idle for some time, the mobile app still shows the Windows Codex host as connected, but opening a task/conversation fails or hangs.

Important observations:

• Returning to the Windows desktop does not fix it.
• The issue only recovers after clicking/interacting with the Codex Desktop window itself.
• After that local interaction, mobile can immediately open/send messages again.
• The local Codex agent inspected process state, TCP connections, Windows power events, scheduled logs, and Codex desktop logs, and determined this is very likely a Codex Desktop remote task/session resume issue rather than a Windows sleep, network, or process-crash issue.

Local evidence:

• Windows did not sleep or wake during the failure window.
• ChatGPT.exe / codex.exe processes stayed running and responsive.
• TCP connections stayed established.
• powercfg /requests showed Codex/ChatGPT execution activity.
• Codex desktop logs showed pubsub disconnect/reconnect while the app was unfocused/backgrounded, but mobile task access still did not recover.

Workaround test:
The local Codex agent created a workaround script that periodically activates the Codex Desktop window using Windows APIs. With this script running every 120 seconds, the mobile remote task/session stayed usable and the issue did not reproduce during testing. After stopping the script, the original behavior could still occur.

This suggests the problem is tied to Codex Desktop's local window/session wake or remote session resume behavior, rather than Windows sleep, network connectivity, or process crash.

Actual behavior:
The desktop host appears online, but task/session access from mobile gets stuck until the user clicks the Codex Desktop app locally.

Impact:
Remote/mobile use is unreliable when away from the Windows PC. The periodic-activation workaround confirms a possible wake/resume trigger, but it is disruptive because it steals focus from the active Windows application.

What is the expected behavior?

If the Windows Codex host is shown as connected on mobile, opening existing tasks should work without requiring local interaction with the desktop app.

Additional information

_No response_