Chat mode missing in the new ChatGPT macOS app (26.707.31428) — Web has Chat + Work, desktop only shows Work + Codex

ChatGPT Bugs
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1

Hello OpenAI team,

I would like to report what appears to be a desktop feature mismatch or regression in the latest ChatGPT macOS app.

Environment

  • ChatGPT Plus
  • macOS (Apple Silicon)
  • ChatGPT Desktop version: 26.707.31428
  • Downloaded from the official OpenAI website

Expected behavior

The new ChatGPT desktop app should provide access to Chat, Work, and Codex, matching the capabilities available on the web.

Actual behavior

On the web:

  • Chat is available
  • Work is available
  • All existing chat history is present
  • All existing ChatGPT Projects are present

On the macOS desktop app:

  • Only “Work” and “Codex” are available
  • “Chat” is completely missing from the mode selector
  • Because Chat mode is missing, none of my existing chat history or ChatGPT Projects are accessible from the desktop app

This is NOT a synchronization issue.

The web version works perfectly and all data is intact.

The problem is that the Chat mode itself does not exist in the desktop application.

Troubleshooting already completed

  • Confirmed the same account is used on both web and desktop
  • Signed out and signed back in
  • Completely removed and reinstalled the latest desktop app
  • Restarted both the application and macOS
  • Verified that the web version continues to work correctly
  • Tested ChatGPT Classic and the new desktop app

None of these steps changed the behavior.

Additional technical observations

The desktop application reports:

  • Version: 26.707.31428
  • Bundle Identifier: com.openai.codex

This appears to be expected for the new unified desktop app, but Chat mode is still missing entirely.

My question

Is this:

  1. an account entitlement / feature-flag issue,
  2. an expected staged rollout,
  3. or a regression in the new desktop app?

If this is a known issue, is there any workaround, or should affected users simply wait for a backend update or a future desktop release?

Thank you.

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2

Having the same issue. This is not acceptable.

3

I’ve already reported the issue to OpenAI Support and opened a support ticket.
TBH I’ve also noticed that many people have experienced the same problem since the update two days ago. It seems that OpenAI has not yet completed the account permission changes for some users, so I guess all we can do is wait。。。 :person_facepalming:

4

I’m experiencing the same problem. I’m unable to log in on my mobile devices because it says my password is incorrect, even though I’m using the same account credentials that work in the browser.

Something seems to be seriously wrong. Initially, I also received a “suspicious activity detected” message. I use an authenticator app and have two-factor authentication enabled.

5

hi have you got a issue now or your problem is solved because me no I’m checking all I can do to make something but no answer and no solution ?

6

I have the same issue of no chat option

7

The new ChatGPT macOS app is a serious regression — please restore Classic or provide feature parity

After updating to ChatGPT version 26.707.51957, I can finally sign in again, but the application I relied on has effectively disappeared.

My Projects, existing chats and normal ChatGPT workflow are no longer available to me in the way they were before. I use Projects and ongoing conversations every day to organise different areas of my work, retain context and continue long-running tasks. These are not minor optional features—they are a central part of how I use ChatGPT.

OpenAI describes the new desktop application as combining Chat, Work and Codex. But why could these not genuinely have been combined while allowing users to switch between them?

There should be a proper Chat mode that retains the complete functionality and interface of the previous application, alongside separate Work and Codex modes. New functionality should be added without removing or obstructing the functions customers already depend on.

The official migration guidance says that the previous application may remain installed as “ChatGPT Classic” and that users can continue using it. That did not happen for me. ChatGPT Classic was not left installed, and I can find no official option to download it again. I have therefore been forced into a replacement application that currently lacks the functions I need, without a rollback option or meaningful choice.

Please:

  • Restore Projects, existing chats and the full Chat-first experience in the new macOS app.

  • Provide a clear switch between Chat, Work and Codex.

  • Make an official ChatGPT Classic installer available for customers whose Classic app was not retained.

  • Do not replace a mature application until the new application has genuine feature parity.

  • Clearly explain what is changing before an update and provide a supported rollback path.

I am not opposed to Work or Codex. They may be valuable additions. I object to losing the application and workflow I already use simply because OpenAI decided to replace it with something fundamentally different.

At present, this does not feel like an upgrade. It feels like a forced downgrade and a horrible way to treat customers who have built their daily workflows around the existing product.

8

I am having the same issue here as well.. I have just done the new update today “13.07.2026”, hopefully they can solve it ASAP.

9

Same exact issue. I have a brand new Mac Studio. Please when is the resolution?

10

I’m having the same issues as people here. Most of the chat functionality I used to reply on is removed in the new app and it did not leave ChatGPT Classic in place.

11

I have exact same problem. I want to use the MacOS Desktop, not the web version.

12

Same problem. This is not acceptable at all. My observation is that OpenAI is not very good at building and running software outside of the actual AI model. Their API has had soooo many problems with things being released that break other things and then take days to resolve. Then there are all the wasted tokens from bad responses, API documentation and code consistency issues. How am I supposed to build anything sustainable with this? Glad I have a Claude subscription.

13

I am also experiencing the same issue, and find this to be an embarrassing way of doing business. The idea that people’s entire account is essentially deleted is completely unacceptable, and a shock for a company that apparently is professional. The fact that there is no support documentation, and no way to actually contact Support other than by submitting a help ticket is completely useless.

14

[Bug Report] macOS app update (Codex unification) hides chat history and breaks Project workspaces

Description of the issue:

After today’s update to the macOS desktop app (which seems to unify Codex and ChatGPT), the UI completely hides the traditional sidebar containing chat history and Projects. While the data is still accessible via the web interface, the macOS app shows a flattened timeline (only accessible via the bottom menu or Cmd + K) and completely fails to load existing Project structures or Workspaces.

Steps to reproduce:

Update the macOS desktop app to today’s release (July 13).

Open the application.

Notice the left sidebar is gone.

Try to access previous Projects or structured workspaces; the app shows “No projects” or fails to migrate the local cache from the previous version.

How this affects my workflow:

As a fullstack and data software engineer, this UI regression is severely impacting my productivity. I rely heavily on the “Projects” feature to isolate and maintain the context of complex, long-running architectures.

Right now, I am developing a SaaS payment gateway integration using NestJS and Docker. My previous ChatGPT Projects contained months of carefully curated context, including API structures, SQL queries, and container configurations. Because the new unified app fails to sync or display these workspaces properly, I am forced to either lose my context locally or constantly context-switch to the web browser, which defeats the purpose of having a native desktop application.

Expected behavior:

The desktop app should respect and correctly migrate the existing Project structures and maintain a persistent, easily accessible sidebar for chat history, matching the functionality of the web version.

System:

macOS (Desktop App)

Web version: Working correctly (data is still there)

bug macos ChatGPT

15

Just updated the app, having exactly the same issue.

16

Same here. Nothing has changed with the update. Same issue as others here.

17

Chat mode missing in macOS Desktop App (v26.707.72221) – Only “ChatGPT Work” and “Codex” are available

Summary

After updating the ChatGPT macOS desktop application to Version 26.707.72221 (Powered by Codex & OWL), the standard Chat experience completely disappeared.

The application only offers:

  • ChatGPT Work

  • Codex

Meanwhile, the same account continues to work normally on chat GPT Web, where the standard Chat interface is fully available.

This appears to be a desktop client regression rather than an account or subscription issue.

Environment

Operating System

  • macOS (Tahoe 26.5.1 -25F80)

Application

  • ChatGPT Desktop

  • Powered by Codex & OWL

  • Version 26.707.72221

Subscription

  • ChatGPT Team

Expected behavior

The desktop application should provide access to all ChatGPT experiences, including:

  • Chat

  • ChatGPT Work

  • Codex

This matches the web experience.

Actual behavior

The desktop application only displays:

  • ChatGPT Work

  • Codex

The standard Chat experience is completely missing.

The workspace selector contains only these two options.

Verification

The exact same account behaves differently depending on the client.

Web

Available:

  • :white_check_mark: Chat

  • :white_check_mark: Work

  • :white_check_mark: Codex

Everything works normally.

macOS Desktop

Version 26.707.72221

Available:

  • :cross_mark: Chat (missing)

  • :white_check_mark: ChatGPT Work

  • :white_check_mark: Codex

Steps to reproduce

  1. Install or update ChatGPT Desktop for macOS to 26.707.72221.

  2. Sign in with a ChatGPT Team account.

  3. Open the application.

  4. Open the workspace selector in the upper-left corner.

Observed result:

Only two options are available:

  • ChatGPT Work

  • Codex

The Chat experience is missing.

Additional observations

The application starts directly in the Codex experience.

The left sidebar contains developer-oriented sections such as:

  • Sites

  • Pull Requests

  • Projects

  • Tasks

There is also a “Chat” item in the Codex sidebar, but this appears to be the Codex conversation panel rather than the standard ChatGPT interface.

Additionally, the application displays:

Continue setup (1 of 6)

which suggests the desktop client is running the Codex onboarding flow instead of the normal ChatGPT experience.

Troubleshooting performed

Verified that:

  • the same account works correctly in the browser;

  • Chat is available on ChatGPT Web;

  • authentication is successful;

  • the Team workspace loads correctly;

  • the issue only affects the macOS desktop application.

This indicates that the account itself is healthy.

Impact

This regression prevents access to the primary ChatGPT desktop workflow.

For users who primarily use ChatGPT (documentation, research, writing, analysis, etc.), the desktop application becomes effectively a Codex-only client.

This significantly impacts productivity, despite the account functioning normally on the web.

Screenshot

(Attach the screenshot below.)

The screenshot shows:

  • Workspace selector with only ChatGPT Work and Codex

  • Missing Chat

  • Codex interface loaded by default

  • Workspace correctly recognized (“HL7 Colombia”)

Questions

  1. Is this the expected behavior for v26.707.72221?

  2. Is this a known regression?

  3. Is there any configuration or feature flag to restore the standard Chat experience?

  4. Is this related to Team workspaces or Codex rollout?

Severity

High

The desktop application no longer provides access to the primary ChatGPT experience, while the web application continues to function normally.

18

Same issue here. If this was a deliberate change, I can’t understand any reason why. If it is a bug, I can’t understand how it made it into public.

19

Same issue here! The new app doesn’t toggle between three modes: Chat, Work, and Codex. It toggles between Work and Codex. There is a button on the left side to access my chats; however, it opens in a small separate window, with all of my chats listed in chronological order, like I am entering Mac’s “Time Machine.”

The majority of people don’t code; we chat, research, brainstorm, and keep our projects organized. Now the only way to access my chats and projects is on the web. Honestly, this is absurd. I was excited for the new features, but this is not an upgrade. Instead, it is all of my ideas separated rather than accessible in one place.

I had preferred ChatGPT over Claude, but now Claude has the edge because, at least on the Claude app, I can access my chats, cowork, and coding all within the same app without having to use the browser. Fix this app, it’s terrible.

20

Kind of relieved that this isn’t an isolated issue to just myself, i updated to latest CHATGPT app on Mac and was horrified to see that my regular chat/projects had dissapeared, i can only toggle between CHATGPTWORK & CODEX from the pull down menu’s. I have over 2 years worth of very important chat projects that i need to access, so im hoping that an app update will be released asap to fix this issue, as reported by others here it appears to be working fine on desktop and mobile apps, but long chat conversations dont seem to run as smoothly on browser.