the panel become grey after run a long time
What version of the VS Code extension are you using?
0.5.52
What subscription do you have?
business
Which IDE are you using?
VS Code
What platform is your computer?
Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.22631.0 x64
What issue are you seeing?
<img width="1067" height="2080" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3a0538a3-27ad-47c8-88d4-30c78897f8b7" />
What steps can reproduce the bug?
After running the task, the codex executed some commands and suddenly became very, very slow. The controls were unresponsive when clicked, but they responded after a while. However, after a period of time, it turned gray directly.
What is the expected behavior?
fix
Additional information
My memory is sufficient, my task manager shows that half of the memory is still available. I opened 7 vscode windows, but it may have nothing to do with how many vscode windows I opened.
Version: 1.107.0 (system setup)
Commit: 618725e67565b290ba4da6fe2d29f8fa1d4e3622
Date: 2025-12-10T07:43:47.883Z
Electron: 39.2.3
ElectronBuildId: 12895514
Chromium: 142.0.7444.175
Node.js: 22.21.1
V8: 14.2.231.21-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.22631
52 Comments
The previous version shouldn't have had this problem, right? All the codex in the VSCode window turned gray. I can only force quit VSCode and reopen it, which is really frustrating.
<img width="340" height="451" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/1c1ca9d2-0db6-43c8-802d-c5bd40b9b4d1" />
Same issue here, specifically goes white (on 2 seperate windows at the same time), this time when opening specific thoughts inside Codex. Unsure what the exact cause is.
VSCode OSS Version: 1.104.0 (user setup)
Commit: c595276fa83d83a7c3233d582e4120f92017171c
Date: 2025-12-08T23:18:46.541Z (1 wk ago)
Electron: 37.3.1
Chromium: 138.0.7204.235
Node.js: 22.18.0
V8: 13.8.258.31-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045
Language Server CL: 841922742
codex --version
codex-cli 0.73.0
Codex Extension:
Version 0.5.52
Execution did not cost excessive RAM/CPU usage, previous reports of this bug have been labelled as completed while this bug is still active. Please note what information/reports are needed from users to solve this issue. I've been encountering it close to daily; It interupts Codex and stops thought (no background continuation), and I need to fully restart my IDE to fix it (no error/cannot just reload the extension.)
I hit this a couple times today as well. Here's my (slightly redacted) logs that may explain some of it:
Thanks @btraut, that's a very helpful clue. This will be fixed in the next release.
Happens on MacOS as well
macOS Tahoe Version 26.1
<img width="630" height="893" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b177c173-c5e1-4c60-8101-bc7a6ac9a05e" />
It seems that the screen is no longer gray, but all codex seems to have restarted and returned to the Home page, interrupting the work that was being done. This is not an effective fix.
@cheestard, can you say more? Have you upgraded to 0.5.53? If you're seeing a problem in that version, please open a new bug and provide details and repro steps if possible. If you have evidence (or even a suspicion) that the new behavior is related to this bug fix, let us know in the new bug report.
Same issue here!
Which version of the VS Code extension are you using?
0.4.53
What subscription do you have?
Plus
Which IDE are you using?
VS Code
What platform are you running on?
Windows 10 Pro 10.0.19045 (Build 19045)
What issue are you experiencing?
When running a heavy task, the UI turns into a grey screen and becomes unresponsive.
Sometimes this happens immediately in a new chat after the first prompt, sometimes after a few additional messages.
In the previous Codex version, it crashed every time.
In the current version, it happens intermittently (about every other run).
I managed to capture a screenshot about one second before the crash.
!Image
Last log entries before the crash:
Additional notes:
Plenty of free RAM
CPU is not under load
Reopening, since it appears that the problem was not fully fixed.
I can confirm it has not been fixed. After expanding a thinking process on a "large" project, window turned gray. Had to restart it. I am on Windows 11, on VSCode, and am on version 0.4.53.
If you see this, here's the information that would be most useful to us:
Crash occurred at about 02:28
I don't think there was anything useful in the logs but I copy pasted below
Output
Open webview developer tools
I just ran into this as well (Plus version on Cursor 2.2.20 from 10 days ago, on a 2025 Macbook Air).
But I want to mention that it was easy to resolve in my case, namely by a window reload.
That is,
Cmd + P(resp.Ctrl + P) and then<img width="223" height="97" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b289de3b-fa91-435b-b2f9-99641d1657df" />
A minor discomfort of those reloads in the IDE is that it forgets some open terminals and which Codex chat window you were just in.
(I'll also mention that Codex then claimed not to have write access inside a file where it actually had access to, so that I had to convince it of its power by manually marking a character in a file there and telling it to edit it. The file wasn't where I started the session, but suffice to say it falsely claimed it couldn't edit by making this assumption. I don't know for sure if this latter confusion was directly related to the reload.)
Hi all! Thanks for filing - after reloading the extension, you should be able to see/identify the conversation that caused the issue from recent task dropdown in the extension. If you are able to, please use
/feedbackin the extension to submit a feedback and paste your session ID here.I think we identified a leading theory/cause to the problem and it is most likely related to our tool call output (i.e. ls -R) and the size of the project (i.e. a monorepo). Your session ID can help us a lot on pinning the cause down and it would be greatly appreciated!
@shijie-oai @etraut-openai - I've just filed a
/feedbackreport. The corresponding thread id is019b3669-996d-7651-9e64-fbd15255ff4f. Note that I'm working on a large monorepo. Thanks!workaround, move from secondary/primary bar to the primary/secondary bar 🫠
I found a stable reproduction method. After some positioning and viewing commands, the output will be extremely long, causing the VS Code Codex interface to become very slow and eventually gray out. I checked the
"Open the Output panel in VS Code and choose Codex from the menu. If there's anything useful at the end of the output log, post the output here (redacting any personal information as necessary). If that log doesn't contain any relevant clues, use the command palette in VS Code (cmd+shift+P) and choose Open Webview Developer Tools. This will show the Chrome developer tools panel. Choose the Console tab, and look for any relevant output — in particular, a log line indicating a crash. Post the output here (once again, redacting any personal information)."
But there is no effective error message.
I have the same behavior in Cursor
But I only started experiencing this today, for the first time in a week of using it. Yesterday, Codex worked on the task for 3.5 hours without any problems and didn't trigger the bug.
I think this bug is critical, because the agent continues to work normally – just in stealth mode. This means you don't know what it's doing, and you can only stop it by closing the IDE or restarting the extensions.
I saw this from the log of the system that he was supposed to use when working on the task.
Thanks for your patience. We think we understand the cause of the problem and have a fix that we're testing. We hope to get it into the next release, after the holidays.
I'm currently experiencing the same issue on Windows. Two tasks are running, but my screen remains gray. CPU/RAM usage isn't high, but from what I can tell by looking at my logs, I understand there is an extension issue. Queries and processes continue while the screen is gray. That's why I don't close it; it returns to normal once all processes are complete. I don't know why, but the other “cline and roo code” sides don't do this. The strange thing is that the Codex extension has such a bug. I hope it gets resolved.
I just got the error again! I checked the output around the time the codex extension grayed out:
2026-01-03 01:56:19.225 [error] Turn 20 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b7c61-aaf1-7ad3-bdf3-de4f8c10cf38
Reloading the terminal by switching from primary to secondary also stops all the current workings.
After a reload, the following message is displayed;
"2026-01-03 02:07:59.929 [error] Turn 1 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b7c61-aaf1-7ad3-bdf3-de4f8c10cf38"
Additionally, the command it was trying to execute does not appear inside this conversation. (unsure!)
let me know if any more information is needed!
(codex-cli 0.75.0, Extension Version 0.5.56)
Got the grayed out screen error 2 more times;
Here's the logs
For the latest, I got errors in this manner;
2026-01-03 02:47:56.758 [error] Turn 1 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b817a-223f-7d02-a2f0-424b761938ca
~300 times this error message until:
2026-01-03 02:48:06.853 [error] Turn 1 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b817a-223f-7d02-a2f0-424b761938ca
2026-01-03 02:48:06.924 [error] Item rs_0df8189c7fa30c03016958754884a4819189cb45fa6f313e58 not found in turn state
100 times the same error...
2026-01-03 02:48:17.721 [error] Item rs_0df8189c7fa30c03016958754884a4819189cb45fa6f313e58 not found in turn state
Then the next time I see an error message in the output:
2026-01-03 02:48:41.887 [error] Turn 20 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b7c61-aaf1-7ad3-bdf3-de4f8c10cf38
Which sometimes alternates between Turn 1 and Turn 20 for some reason:
2026-01-03 02:52:41.823 [error] Turn 1 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b817a-223f-7d02-a2f0-424b761938ca
2026-01-03 02:52:43.651 [error] Turn 20 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b7c61-aaf1-7ad3-bdf3-de4f8c10cf38
2026-01-03 02:52:43.800 [error] Turn 1 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b7c61-aaf1-7ad3-bdf3-de4f8c10cf38
2026-01-03 02:52:45.803 [error] Turn 1 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b7c61-aaf1-7ad3-bdf3-de4f8c10cf38
2026-01-03 02:52:46.093 [error] Turn 20 does not match latest turn for conversation 019b7c61-aaf1-7ad3-bdf3-de4f8c10cf38
noticably, I AM working in the same conversation now after a reload, but I still get spammed with error messages. Additionally in the request causing the errors it seems that all code has been removed (I see no ran code in the workings anymore at least).
Hi all! We have just released a pre-release version
0.5.57that contains a fix for this issue. There might be a delay for VSC and Cursor extension management to pick up the latest release but once you see it please give it a try! After installing you will also need to restart the extension (there should be a restart button on the Codex extension page) for it to be actually refreshed. Again please let us know if you are still seeing issue.Thanks for your patience! A quick update here - for folks who prefer to use production release instead of pre-release, we have released
0.4.58production version just now and it should be available on Cursor and VSC extension marketplace soon.I'm still having the issue consistently with both the pre-release version 0.5.58 and the production version 0.4.58.
Also just had this problem, for the first time in a long time (despite power-use over that period---at some point in the past it was very frequent and then it appeared to stop), I am running 0.5.58.
@luongvd3 and @khoek can you use /feedback to submit the sessions that you think are causing the issue and please post the session id here? Also can provide a short description of the workflow you were doing, repo size etc? Want to see if there is anything else that can cause the issue here. Thanks!
Also just to note that if you have multiple sessions going (i.e. multiple VSCE or cursor windows), you have to restart extension on all those windows and you have to restart the extension via the extension market restart button otherwise it does not actually pick up the latest version.
@shijie-oai I have submitted the session using /feedback and the session id is "019b9d64-603c-70b1-81a9-1b468b9f6499". This session is working on optimizing unit test coverage. The repo size is 8.59 MiB.
Most of the time the session will only crash if I expand the thinking, it should be fine if I don't. The session doesn't doesn't have to be too long before the bug happens, I can reproduce it mostly after 5-10 minutes. The more thinking that I expand the faster the bug will occur.
And yes I have only one session running at the time and I've tried multiple Codex extension versions and restart each of them before using.
@luongvd3 Thanks for sending the feedback. Ya I see that the session that caused the crash is huge and it is a good starting point for us to debug. In the meantime I wonder if you see the same issue if you have newer and smaller a new session.
@shijie-oai The session is huge but the first crash happened around 30 minutes in. I restarted the session and then continue a few times already. I do have problem with new smaller session too. It feels like if I don't expand and read the thinking often, the session can last much longer.
We also have a fix out on the extension side that would limit our IPC message size on send that will be released today. In the meantime @luongvd3 if you do see the issue again, can you open the vscode developer tool and see if there is any obvious error messages in the console.
<img width="413" height="521" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4198e7d2-4a48-405c-962a-895a3b94d0ad" />
I've been running into this the last few days. I was already on the pre-release version, so I think it is not fixed there.
It’s possible that there are actually multiple issues causing this. From what I’ve seen so far, I’ve only encountered it when multiple windows were open. My guess is that one window runs into an error (“Turn [x] does not match latest turn”), broadcasts an update, and another window fails to apply it, resulting in a grey screen. You can check following logs
Also still facing with this issue on pre-release.
same here. the pre-release version 0.5.61 still have freeze issue when running for a longer time
Hi, same here (version
0.5.68)
<img width="790" height="1042" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/16f490f7-70cc-4248-912b-aa8d92453442" />
I need to restart VSC for it to appear, but I have lost the last working answer.
Thx
I still have this issue on codex version 26.324.21329 and vscode version 1.113.0
I have been having the same issue for the past month. I can't upgrade past 0.4.76 because it turns to a blank screen if I do.
This issue still appears on the codex version 26.325.31654 with vscode version 1.114.0
@JackyDing, this bug was fixed a while ago and closed. If you're seeing a similar issue with the latest version of Codex, that's a new issue. Please file a new bug report and provide all of the details in the bug report template.
@etraut-openai , I am unable to reliably reproduce the issue, currently. Sometimes, just leave it idle, it suddenly crashes and shows this gray screen. I will continue to observe and see if there is a way to reproduce it.
It still happens and now it can even restart the entire check back to the main screen while it's working for no reason
"I'm running into the exact same issue. It's making it really hard to get any work done."
i have it also continously over Remote SSH to a ubuntu server running codex cli. can only return by reloading window and relogging in to ssh. It's a pain indeed.
Version: 1.115.0 (user setup)
Commit: 41dd792b5e652393e7787322889ed5fdc58bd75b
Date: 2026-04-07T22:04:57Z
Electron: 39.8.5
ElectronBuildId: 13703022
Chromium: 142.0.7444.265
Node.js: 22.22.1
V8: 14.2.231.22-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200
Cause
Your log shows the Codex pane is greying out because the Codex VS Code extension is hitting a known bug in its webview/diff rendering path, not because SSH is broken. The key line is:
Error: open-in-target not supported in extensionurl=vscode://codex/open-in-targetsThat exact failure is being reported in current Codex extension issues, where the extension repeatedly calls
open-in-targetseven though that API is unsupported in extension mode. OpenAI issue reports tie this to blank/grey panels, UI freezes, log storms, and high CPU during rendering of diffs or clickable file/code links. ([GitHub][1])What it means technically
The extension is trying to use an open-target selection route intended for a different host/runtime path. In VS Code extension mode, that route throws instead of returning a harmless no-op. Reports indicate this can happen while Codex is rendering edited-file diffs or clickable file references, which then cascades into repeated fetch/error loops and can leave the panel blank or grey. ([GitHub][1])
Why your setup is more fragile
You are using Windows + VS Code + Remote-SSH, and OpenAI’s own IDE docs still say Windows support for the Codex VS Code extension is experimental and recommend WSL for the best Windows experience. That does not prove Windows is the sole cause here, but it does increase the odds of extension/webview instability. ([OpenAI Developers][2])
Immediate recovery
Do these in this order:
Developer: Reload WebviewsDeveloper: Reload WindowPractical workarounds
Until this is fixed upstream:
Bottom line
Your own log is enough to identify it: this is a Codex extension bug around
open-in-targets, likely triggered by diff/link rendering in the webview. Remote-SSH is connecting fine. ([GitHub][1])If you want, I can give you the exact lowest-friction VS Code setting and workflow changes to reduce how often this happens on your machine.
[1]: https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/16850 "VS Code extension spikes CPU and logs \"open-in-target not supported in extension\" while rendering diffs after Codex edits files · Issue #16850 · openai/codex · GitHub"
[2]: https://developers.openai.com/codex/ide "IDE extension – Codex | OpenAI Developers"
[3]: https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/16320 "High CPU usage triggered by rendering file/code links in chat; confirmed
open-in-targetfailure loop in extension · Issue #16320 · openai/codex · GitHub"still a problem!
if you move the pane , by right clicking and using "move to" it comes back without you need to reopen windows and logon again..
This worked for me without losing the entire chat history context, which is another symptom of this. Upon closing and reopening it is just the title of the task and a blank sidebar, I have to start a new task.
Thank you for the short term workaround, Jennifer! Please prioritize this issue, thank you!
Its been doing it for me for the last week. the workaround helps but we need a real fix
Thanks jenniferai
Reproduced today on the latest VSCode and the plugin.
Version: 1.124.2 (user setup)
Commit: 6928394f91b684055b873eecb8bc281365131f1c
Date: 2026-06-12T00:12:36Z (3 days ago)
Electron: 42.2.0
ElectronBuildId: 14159160
Chromium: 148.0.7778.97
Node.js: 24.15.0
V8: 14.8.178.14-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200
Same greyed-out Codex panel here (VS Code on Linux). In my case it showed up when opening the panel, not after extended use, and only the Codex panel was affected. Other webview panels rendered fine.
Turned out it wasn't the extension. The extension host logs showed Codex activating and mounting its UI normally (app routes mounted after ...ms), so the problem was purely in rendering. Rolling the extension back to an older version didn't help either (both versions greyed out). It was VS Code's own webview/display cache that was corrupted.
What fixed it: fully quit VS Code, delete its cache folders, relaunch.
Your settings and installed extensions are untouched. Those folders get regenerated on the next launch (first start is just a bit slower). Worth trying if a plain window reload or reinstall didn't do it.
Still a bug, using the advice from this comment reverts it back to normal. Please reopen the issue.