macOS: Self-update removed Codex.app, official Codex download installs ChatGPT instead

[Mr-D-Joe]

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

Unknown (latest standalone Codex for macOS before self-update). The application removed itself during the update, so the version can no longer be retrieved.

What subscription do you have?

ChatGPT Plus

What platform is your computer?

Darwin 25.5.0 arm64 arm

What issue are you seeing?

The standalone Codex application updated itself via the built-in "Update" button.

After the update, Codex.app disappeared completely from /Applications.

The Dock still contains an entry for:

• bundle identifier: com.openai.codex
• /Applications/Codex.app

but the application no longer exists.

I verified this with:

find /Applications ~/Applications -name "Codex.app"

which returns no results.

The Codex user data is still present:

~/Library/Application Support/Codex
~/Library/Application Support/OpenAI/Codex

Trying to recover the application via the official Codex page does not work.

The official page:

https://openai.com/index/introducing-the-codex-app/

offers "Download for macOS", but the download is:

https://persistent.oaistatic.com/codex-app-prod/ChatGPT.dmg

instead of a standalone Codex installer.

As a result there is currently no way to reinstall the standalone Codex application after the failed self-update.

Expected behavior:

• either Codex updates successfully,
• or the migration to ChatGPT Desktop completes successfully,
• or the download page clearly explains that the standalone application has been replaced.

Actual behavior:

• Codex.app removed
• Dock entry remains
• Official download installs ChatGPT instead
• No recovery path for standalone Codex users

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Install the standalone Codex app for macOS.

2. Open the app and click the built-in "Update" button when a new version is offered.

3. Wait for the update process to complete.

4. After the update:

   • Codex.app is no longer present in /Applications.
   • The Dock still contains an entry for com.openai.codex pointing to /Applications/Codex.app.

5. Attempt to recover by visiting the official Codex download page:
   https://openai.com/index/introducing-the-codex-app/

6. Click "Download for macOS".

7. The downloaded file is ChatGPT.dmg instead of a standalone Codex installer.

What is the expected behavior?

The standalone Codex app should update successfully without removing itself.

If Codex has been migrated into ChatGPT Desktop, the migration should complete automatically and preserve Codex functionality.

If the standalone app has been discontinued, the official download page should clearly communicate this and provide a supported migration path instead of leaving users without a working Codex installation.

Additional information

Verified observations:

• macOS 26.1
• ChatGPT Desktop 1.2026.160
• ChatGPT Plus subscription

The following was verified locally:

• /Applications/Codex.app no longer exists.
• find /Applications ~/Applications -name "Codex.app" returns no results.
• The Dock still references:
  • bundle identifier: com.openai.codex
  • /Applications/Codex.app

Codex data is still present:

• ~/Library/Application Support/Codex
• ~/Library/Application Support/OpenAI/Codex

The official download page currently downloads:

https://persistent.oaistatic.com/codex-app-prod/ChatGPT.dmg

instead of a standalone Codex installer.

I have attached a screenshot showing the official Codex page and the downloaded ChatGPT.dmg file.

[cheechoo28]

@Mr-D-Joe
I managed to resolve it by doing a full clean reinstall of ChatGPT Desktop.

I completely removed the existing ChatGPT app from /Applications, removed the broken Dock icon, downloaded the latest macOS installer again, and installed it fresh.

After launching the newly installed ChatGPT Desktop and signing in again, the Work/Codex switcher appeared and Codex started working.

So in my case the issue was fixed only after deleting and reinstalling ChatGPT Desktop, not by updating in place.

[P-bell22]

Had the same issue. Resolved in the same way @cheechoo28 did.

[Slyke]

[Window Title]
ChatGPT

[Main Instruction]
ChatGPT failed to start.

[Content]
  (code=126, signal=null).
Most recent error: <3>WSL (92251 - Relay) ERROR: CreateProcessCommon:790: chdir(/mnt/c/Program Files/WindowsApps/OpenAI.Codex_26.707.3563.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0/app/resources) failed 5
/usr/bin/bash: line 1: /mnt/c/Users/[User]/.codex/bin/wsl/ccece0b549c5763e/codex: Input/output error
/usr/bin/bash: line 1: exec: /mnt/c/Users/[User]/.codex/bin/wsl/ccece0b549c5763e/codex: cannot execute: Input/output error

[Check for Updates] [Quit]

[zzowenzz]

Worked as suggested by @cheechoo28

[philbudden]

This was very unintuitive, I clicked update in Codex which uninstalled it, I already had ChatGPT Desktop installed which didn't surface any Codex functionality even after a restart, downloading Codex.dmg tried to install ChatGPT, Applications did surface ChatGPT and ChatGPT Classic but launching either didn't surface Codex.
I tried @cheechoo28 fix and uninstalled both ChatGPT versions then reinstalled and then I got the pop-up about Codex.
That shouldn't have been as hard as it was!

[marcomolinab-ui]

I am seeing a very similar issue on macOS.

Codex Desktop was working normally until yesterday. The app prompted me to update, I accepted the update, and Codex closed. After that, Codex no longer appears as an app in Spotlight.

When I search for "Codex" in Spotlight, I only see:

• previous ChatGPT conversations related to Codex
• a dictionary result for "códex"
• a local folder named "Codex"
• a local project folder named "OneBill_ID_Studio_Codex"

I have not reinstalled, deleted cache, removed local files, or modified ~/.codex yet because I want to avoid losing local projects, sessions, or conversation history.

My main concern is data preservation:

• local projects
• local Codex sessions
• previous threads/conversations
• app state

I can provide sanitized logs or safe diagnostic command outputs if useful, but I would prefer not to upload raw local state files or auth files publicly.

Environment:

• OS: macOS
• Platform: Mac
• Product: Codex Desktop app
• Update method: internal Codex self-update
• Version before update: unknown
• Version after update: unknown because the app no longer appears/opens

[marcomolinab-ui]

Additional diagnostic info:

Codex.app is no longer present in /Applications.

I now have two ChatGPT apps installed:

• /Applications/ChatGPT.app

  • Bundle identifier: com.openai.chat
  • Version: 1.2026.183

• /Applications/ChatGPT Classic.app

  • Bundle identifier: com.openai.chat
  • Version: 1.2026.160

Running:

find /Applications -maxdepth 2 -iname "*Codex*" 2>/dev/null