I’m currently using Codex, and I noticed that the file explorer button recently disappeared from the interface.
This was a very important part of my workflow. When working on a project, I often need to quickly inspect the project structure, open files, check where generated or edited files are located, and understand the codebase visually. Without the file explorer button, navigating the workspace feels much harder and slower, especially as projects grow larger.
For coding workflows, a visible file explorer is not just a convenience feature. It is essential for quickly understanding the project structure, checking which files Codex created or modified, opening documentation and source files without relying only on commands, helping new users feel oriented inside the workspace, and managing larger projects with many folders and files.
Please consider bringing back the file explorer button, or adding an equivalent always-accessible project/files panel in Codex.
This would significantly improve usability and make Codex much more practical for real project work.
Hi @agho, I can see why you’d want this back. The file explorer makes it much easier to understand project structure and quickly move around larger workspaces.
What’s a bit odd here is that the behavior seems inconsistent right now. Some users still have access to the explorer while others are seeing it disappear, so this has already been passed along to the team for investigation.
One workaround that’s helped a few folks so far:
Hover near the upper-right area of the Codex window
A floating file panel may appear
Click into it and look for the folder icon
Clicking that folder button can sometimes restore the missing file tree
Definitely not as straightforward as having the explorer always visible, but hopefully it helps in the meantime.
I’m seeing the same issue on Codex Desktop for Windows.
In a previous version, I could browse the full project file tree directly inside Codex. In the current UI, the right-side panel only shows the Review / changed files tree, such as unstaged Git changes. Files that exist in the workspace but are not modified do not appear there.
This is a real blocker for documentation-heavy projects. For example, I have existing delivery documentation under:
The files exist on disk, but I cannot browse to them from the Codex UI unless they are part of the current Git changes. Search can sometimes find specific files, but it does not replace a full project tree because I need to visually inspect the folder structure.
I also tried the workaround mentioned above: hovering near the upper-right area of the Codex window and looking for the floating file panel / folder icon. In my case, I still only see the Review / changed files panel, not the full workspace file explorer.
Please bring back an always-visible Project Files / Explorer panel, or provide a clear way to switch the right panel from “Review changes” to “All workspace files”.
Hi @ligan, we appreciate you chiming in and confirming you’re seeing the same behavior. That helps show this likely isn’t isolated to a single setup.
We’ve already forwarded the file explorer feedback/request to the team so they can review the behavior and overall UX around it. No timeline to share right now, but additional reports like this are useful context for them.
I wasn’t aware that browsing the project directory directly inside Codex was possible.
What works today is right-clicking a project, a conversation, or even a single chat, then selecting Open in Explorer. This opens a window where you can browse the files.
The extension already provides many GUI-based capabilities. The file exploring functionality is integrated through the VSCode source code control, for example:
Try CMD+P, open a file from the project and see a second Tab appear next to the “Review” tab in the side panel (here the example.md file).
In this tab you can then toggle the folder icon in the top right hand corner and you will be able to see the file tree to which this file belongs. Not perfect but a good workaround.
Nice find @jonero. This workaround is a bit hidden right now, but opening a file first via CMD+P to expose the second tab + file tree does help a lot until the UX improves.
The old button opened the actual project/workspace folder directly.
The new behavior opens the parent folder, which adds extra clicks every time.
This is a regression in daily workflow.
