Bug Report: Windows ChatGPT Desktop App Automatically Logs Out When Opening Existing Conversations

ChatGPT Bugs
1

Windows ChatGPT Desktop App Automatically Logs Out When Opening Existing Conversations (Stable Version 26.818.41509)

Issue Summary

The ChatGPT Windows desktop application automatically logs out when opening any existing conversation from the conversation history sidebar.

New conversations work normally. However, opening any previous conversation causes the application to display the conversation briefly (approximately 2 seconds), then the user is redirected back to the login screen.

The issue affects all existing conversations, not a single corrupted conversation.

Environment

Operating System

  • Windows 11 Pro
  • Version: 24H2
  • OS Build: 26100.4351

ChatGPT Desktop Application

  • Version: 26.818.41509
  • Installation source: Microsoft Store
  • Publisher: OpenAI

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Open ChatGPT Windows desktop application.

  2. Log in successfully.

  3. Create a new conversation.

    • Result: Works normally.

  4. Click any existing conversation from the left sidebar.

  5. Wait approximately 2 seconds.

  6. The conversation appears briefly, then the application automatically logs out and returns to the login screen.

Expected Behavior

Existing conversations should load normally without affecting the user’s login session.

Actual Behavior

Opening any existing conversation causes:

  1. Conversation content appears briefly.
  2. Application authentication state is lost.
  3. User is redirected to the ChatGPT login page.

Scope of Impact

  • New conversations: :white_check_mark: Working
  • Existing conversations: :cross_mark: All fail
  • Browser version of ChatGPT: :white_check_mark: Working
  • ChatGPT Beta Windows app: :white_check_mark: Working

This suggests the Windows network environment is functioning correctly under the final configuration.

Application Repair Tests

Performed:

  • ChatGPT app repair:

    • No improvement.

  • ChatGPT app reset:

    • No improvement.

  • Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime repair:

    • No improvement.

Important Finding (Key Evidence)

The same computer, same Windows account, same network environment, and same ChatGPT account were tested with ChatGPT Beta:

ChatGPT Beta Windows application can open existing conversations normally.

Therefore:

  • Account issue: unlikely
  • Server-side conversation issue: unlikely
  • Windows environment issue: unlikely

The issue appears to be specific to the stable ChatGPT Windows desktop application version 26.818.41509.

Suspected Cause

Possible regression in the stable Windows desktop client related to:

  • Conversation history loading
  • Authentication/session refresh
  • Local credential/session storage
  • Client-side state management

When loading existing conversations, the application may incorrectly invalidate the authentication session and force logout.

Additional Information

The issue can be reproduced consistently:

2

I’m an ordinary user, but today I ran into a similar problem: after installing the desktop app for Chat GPT today, it worked until the free version ran out, after which I subscribed to Plus. After re‑entering the app with the subscription, it started logging me out and kicking me back to the login field. It helped to close all sessions in the browser settings. I hope this helps you. System: Windows 11 25H2, OS build 26200.9168, ChatGPT version 26.818.41509

3

Potential workaround that fixed the issue for me:

The local file:

%USERPROFILE%.codex\state_5.sqlite

contained three rows in the remote_control_enrollments table. Two stale rows from older account sessions still had remote_control_enabled set to 1.

After backing up the database, I disabled all stale Remote Control enrollments:

UPDATE remote_control_enrollments
SET remote_control_enabled = 0
WHERE remote_control_enabled = 1;

I then fully terminated every ChatGPT.exe and codex.exe process and restarted the desktop app.

After the restart, existing conversations opened normally and the application stopped logging me out.

Before the fix, the logs repeatedly showed:

refresh_token_invalidated
Remote app server already online
HTTP 409 Conflict

This is not an official OpenAI fix. Back up state_5.sqlite before changing it. The change only disables persisted Remote Control enrollments; it does not remove conversations, projects, or sessions.

4

well，that didn’t help，even if I enter the app as soon as the computer just power on，thank u for helping though

5

Thanks for the workaround. I checked my state_5.sqlite, but the remote_control_enrollments table is empty — there are no old/stale enrollments and no rows with remote_control_enabled = 1.

So this does not seem to be the cause in my case. Still investigating the logout issue when opening existing conversations. Appreciate the detailed write-up though.

6

Same issue here, using mac intel chip. Anyone knows how to revert codex to previous version?

7

I resolved it by logging out all sessions in the web chatgpt settings- security and login - sessions - active sessions. I hope this helps.

8

Thanks a lot! It works for me! Very pity that even at the beginning OpenAI is so buggy, I’ve tried to solve it 3 days. It asks for login in infinity cycle! Terrible

9

This worked for me Thanks alot