[Windows] Computer Use returns no apps/windows and launch_app fails with 0x80070490

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

26.803.5235.0

What subscription do you have?

Pro

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

What issue are you seeing?

Computer Use in the Codex Windows desktop app cannot discover or target any running Windows applications.

Exact results:

• sky.list_apps() returns []
• sky.list_windows() returns []
• Launching a known installed desktop application using its explicit executable path with sky.launch_app({ app: "<absolute path to executable>" }) fails with:

failed to fetch shell:AppsFolder item: Element not found. (0x80070490)

• Importing the bundled @oai/sky package sometimes fails with:

EPERM: operation not permitted, lstat 'C:\\Users\\<user>\\AppData\\Local\\OpenAI\\Codex'

When a current fallback copy of the same controller package is used, it initializes, but app/window discovery is still empty. Multiple desktop applications are running normally and visible to the user, yet Computer Use cannot obtain any targetable window. No Windows application UI actions can be performed.

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Open one or more ordinary desktop applications on Windows.
2. In the Codex desktop app, invoke Computer Use and initialize @oai/sky.
3. Run await sky.list_apps().
4. Observe [].
5. Run await sky.list_windows().
6. Observe [].
7. Attempt await sky.launch_app({ app: "<absolute path to a known installed executable>" }).
8. Observe failed to fetch shell:AppsFolder item: Element not found. (0x80070490).

The failure persisted after:

• Restarting the target applications and Codex
• Restarting Windows
• Switching monitors and returning to the original monitor
• Repairing and resetting the Codex app
• Signing out and back in
• Uninstalling and reinstalling Codex
• Retesting across multiple days

What is the expected behavior?

Running application windows should appear in list_apps() or list_windows(), allowing Codex to select an exact returned window and capture/control it. Launching an explicit executable path should also succeed for an installed application that is not already running.

Additional information

Codex app package: 26.803.5235.0
Windows: Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

Additional diagnostics:

• Windows shell:AppsFolder works outside the Computer Use helper and returns 211 items.
• Codex, Explorer, target applications, and the Computer Use helper were observed in the same interactive Windows session.
• The desktop applications themselves run normally.
• The failure is not correlated with the monitor arrangement.
• No logs or user files are attached to avoid exposing sensitive local information. Redacted logs can be provided if requested.