Codex Chrome plugin shows Connected on Windows, but Codex cannot control Chrome and initialization times out

[chenyingjie123456-tech]

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

Unknown, latest Windows desktop app reinstalled on 2026-05-12

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Plus

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.19045.0 x64

What issue are you seeing?

I’m using the Codex desktop app with the Chrome plugin on Windows. The Chrome extension popup shows Connected, but Codex still cannot read Chrome tabs or control the page.

Confirmed details:

• The Chrome extension is installed and enabled, version v1.1.4
• The Windows Native Messaging Host manifest exists:
  C:\Users\chen\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json
• The registry key exists:
  HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension
• The manifest points to:
  C:\Users\chen\.codex\plugins\cache\openai-bundled\chrome\latest\extension-host\windows\x64\extension-host.exe
• On the Codex side, calling browser.user.openTabs() keeps timing out
• Reinstalling Codex, restarting Chrome, restarting Codex, and clearing extension-host.exe processes did not fix the issue
• Chrome can be opened to a URL through a system command, but Codex cannot take control of the page, click elements, upload files, or read tabs

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Install or reinstall the Codex desktop app on Windows.
2. Enable/install the Chrome plugin.
3. Open Chrome and confirm the Codex Chrome extension popup shows Connected.
4. Ask Codex to control Chrome, for example to open tabs or interact with a logged-in website.
5. Codex attempts to initialize the Chrome browser control backend.
6. The operation times out, for example when trying to call browser.user.openTabs().

What is the expected behavior?

Codex should be able to read the current Chrome tabs and control the page through the Chrome plugin when the extension shows Connected.

Additional information

The Chrome extension shows Connected, but Codex cannot read tabs or control Chrome. The browser control module times out during initialization.

[qingci2014]

I am seeing what looks like the same Chrome plugin failure on Windows.

Related issue:

• Chrome plugin connection times out despite extension showing Connected #21890: Chrome plugin connection times out despite extension showing Connected

Environment

• OS: Windows
• Codex Desktop on Windows
• Chrome plugin: chrome@openai-bundled 0.1.7
• Codex Chrome Extension version: 1.1.4 / 1.1.4_0
• Extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg
• Chrome profile: Default
• Native host name: com.openai.codexextension
• Codex runtime user: WIN-0H28B45NIHJ\CodexSandboxOffline

Diagnostics

The extension and native host appear to be installed and connected:

• Native host registry key exists and passes check:
  HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension

• Native host manifest exists:
  C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json

• Manifest points to:
  C:\Users\Administrator\.codex\plugins\cache\openai-bundled\chrome\latest\extension-host\windows\x64\extension-host.exe

• Chrome profile permissions were fixed so CodexSandboxOffline can read:
  C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data

• Extension check reports:

  • installed=true
  • registered=true
  • enabled=true
  • disabled=false

• Chrome extension DevTools storage reports:

  • NATIVE_HOST_STATUS.state = "connected"
  • hostName = "com.openai.codexextension"
  • reconnectAttempt = 0

• extension-host.exe is running.

Failure

Even though the extension reports that the native host is connected:

• agent.browsers.list() can see the Chrome backend.
• agent.browsers.get(Chrome extension backend) times out indefinitely.
• browser.user.openTabs() cannot be reached because backend acquisition hangs.

I have already tried:

• Restarting Windows
• Restarting Chrome
• Restarting Codex
• Restarting extension-host.exe
• Toggling the Chrome extension
• Toggling the Codex Chrome skill
• Reinstalling the Codex Chrome plugin

None of these fixed the issue.

Conclusion

This does not look like a registry, Chrome profile permission, or extension installation problem.

The Chrome extension and native host appear to connect successfully, but Codex Desktop still cannot acquire the Chrome extension backend. It looks more like a Codex Desktop / Chrome plugin runtime issue.