Codex Windows Chrome plugin install fails: plugin is installed/enabled, but Native Host is not created

Codex
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1

I am using Codex Desktop on Windows 11. When I install the Chrome plugin from the Codex plugin store, the UI shows “installation failed”.

However, local diagnostics show that the Chrome plugin package itself is installed and enabled. The actual missing part appears to be the Chrome Native Messaging Host registration.

Current status:

  • Codex Chrome plugin: chrome@openai-bundled
  • Plugin status: installed, enabled
  • Plugin version: 26.616.71553
  • Codex Chrome Extension: installed and enabled
  • Extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg
  • Extension version: 1.1.5_0

Missing Native Host manifest:
C:\Users\pt\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json

Missing registry key:
HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension

Observed behavior:

  • Clicking Install for the Chrome plugin in Codex immediately shows “installation failed”.
  • codex plugin list shows chrome@openai-bundled as installed, enabled.
  • The Native Host manifest file and registry key are never created.
  • Reinstalling Codex, reinstalling Chrome, fixing permissions under AppData/OpenAI, fixing the Chrome profile permissions, and refreshing the plugin marketplace did not resolve the issue.

Environment:

  • Windows: Windows 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655
  • Codex install source: Microsoft Store / msstore
  • Codex package: OpenAI.Codex_26.616.9593.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0
  • Chrome version: 149.0.7827.156
  • Chrome extension version: 1.1.5_0
  • Chrome plugin version: 26.616.71553

Additional diagnostic details:

  • Some bundled plugin files under the Codex WindowsApps package had the Encrypted attribute.
  • A normal PowerShell Copy-Item operation from the WindowsApps bundled plugin source previously failed with:
    0x80071770: The specified file could not be encrypted.
  • A stream-based file copy was able to copy the same files, which suggests an issue around WindowsApps/EFS/encryption or the Codex local install process.
  • The Chrome plugin package can be installed, but the Native Host post-install registration step does not complete or does not persist.

Expected behavior:
The Codex Chrome plugin installer should create:
C:\Users\pt\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json

and register:
HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension

Actual behavior:
The plugin package is installed and enabled, but the Native Host manifest and registry key are missing, so the Codex UI reports installation failure and the Chrome plugin cannot communicate with Codex.

Request:
Please investigate and fix the Native Host registration flow for the Codex Windows Chrome plugin, or provide an officially supported repair procedure for regenerating the Native Host manifest and registry key.

2

Welcome to the forum!

You are welcome to discuss Codex issues on the forum, however the official place to report and track them is the GitHub issue tracker for OpenAI Codex.

I had ChatGPT look for the closest related issue and it identified:

If that issue matches your problem, consider adding a :+1: reaction on the GitHub issue page itself, not just on the forum topic, as reactions on GitHub help the developers gauge impact and prioritize work.

If it is not the same issue, try searching the existing GitHub issues for a closer match. If you cannot find one, then open a new issue with as much detail as possible.