codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Chrome/Edge extension shows Connected, but Codex app shows not connected and @Chrome is unavailable

What version of the Codex App are you using?

26.513.4821.0

What subscription do you have?

Not sure / not included

What platform is your computer?

Windows, x64

What issue are you seeing?

The Codex browser extension is installed in Microsoft Edge and the extension popup shows Connected, but the Codex desktop app still shows the Chrome/browser plugin as not connected. In Codex chats, @Chrome is not exposed as an available tool, so Codex cannot use the browser extension backend.

This creates a state mismatch:

• Browser extension popup: Connected
• Codex app settings/plugin status: not connected
• Current Codex thread/tool list: no usable @Chrome / Chrome backend

I understand the documented setup is for Chrome, but the Codex app setup flow on this Windows machine opens Edge by default, and Edge is Chromium-based. The extension can be installed there and reports Connected, but Codex does not recognize it as connected.

Additional related symptom

When trying the Chrome Web Store page directly in Chrome, the store sometimes shows the localized error equivalent to:

This item cannot be purchased or downloaded

So the Edge extension can show Connected, but the Codex app still does not accept it as a connected Chrome/browser backend.

Steps to reproduce

1. Use Codex desktop app on Windows.
2. Open Codex settings/plugins and start the Chrome/browser plugin setup flow.
3. The setup opens Edge by default on this machine.
4. Install/enable the Codex browser extension in Edge.
5. Open the extension popup and confirm it shows Connected.
6. Return to Codex settings/plugins.
7. Observe that Codex still shows the plugin as not connected.
8. Start a new Codex thread and try to invoke @Chrome.
9. Observe that @Chrome is not available/usable.

Expected behavior

Either:

• Codex should clearly require Google Chrome and not treat Edge as a valid setup path, or
• If Edge/Chromium is supported, Codex should recognize the connected Edge extension backend and expose it to new Codex threads.

At minimum, the app should not leave the user in a contradictory state where the extension says Connected but Codex says not connected.

What I tried

• Updated Codex desktop app to 26.513.4821.0.
• Restarted Codex and the browser.
• Checked that the extension popup shows Connected in Edge.
• Started a new Codex thread.
• Checked whether @Chrome appears as an available tool.
• Tried opening the Chrome Web Store extension page directly in Chrome, but encountered the "item cannot be purchased or downloaded" store error.

Possibly related issues

This seems related to the same general connection/backend state mismatch class as:

• #22264: Chrome plugin shows Connected on Windows, but Codex cannot control Chrome and initialization times out
• #21822: Chrome extension can list/claim tabs but page content APIs fail
• #21741: Chrome extension stays Disconnected while Codex settings show Connected
• #21791: Chrome plugin mention is selectable but chrome@openai-bundled is not exposed

Notes

The key difference in this report is that the browser extension shows Connected, while Codex app settings show not connected, and the setup flow opens Edge by default on this Windows machine.