codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Codex Desktop Chrome plugin connection times out despite extension and native host checks passing

Summary

Codex Desktop cannot connect to the Chrome plugin. The Chrome extension and native messaging host checks both report a healthy setup, but the browser runtime initialization consistently times out before any tab access can occur.

What I was trying to do

Use the Codex Chrome plugin to search for 海明威 in Chrome.

Observed behavior

Repeated attempts to initialize the Chrome browser runtime time out at:

await setupAtlasRuntime({ globals: globalThis });

The timeout happens before calls such as:

await agent.browsers.get("extension");
await browser.user.openTabs();

So the failure appears to be in the Chrome extension/runtime handshake layer, not in page navigation or search.

Troubleshooting already attempted

• Reinstalled / repaired the Codex Chrome plugin from the Codex plugin UI
• Fully quit and reopened Chrome
• Restarted the computer
• Retried the Chrome connection multiple times with longer timeouts
• Confirmed Chrome is running
• Confirmed the Codex Chrome Extension is installed and enabled
• Confirmed the native messaging host manifest exists and appears correct

Diagnostic results

Chrome running check

Google Chrome running: yes
process: Google Chrome

Extension check

{
  "extensionId": "hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg",
  "profilePath": "/Users/liuxiancong/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default",
  "installed": true,
  "registered": true,
  "enabled": true,
  "disabled": false,
  "versions": ["1.1.4_0"]
}

Native host manifest check

{
  "manifestPath": "/Users/liuxiancong/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.openai.codexextension.json",
  "expectedHostName": "com.openai.codexextension",
  "actualHostName": "com.openai.codexextension",
  "hasExpectedOrigin": true,
  "correct": true,
  "problem": null
}

Additional issue

The plugin helper script for opening a Chrome window also fails:

Command failed: open -n -a /Applications/Google Chrome.app --args --profile-directory=Default --new-window about:blank
The application /Applications/Google Chrome.app cannot be opened for an unexpected reason,
error=Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-10827 "kLSNoExecutableErr: The executable is missing"

However, Chrome itself is installed and running, and the browser check reports:

Google Chrome
version: 148.0.7778.96
path: /Applications/Google Chrome.app

Environment

• macOS
• Chrome version: 148.0.7778.96
• Codex Chrome Extension version: 1.1.4_0
• Extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg
• Chrome profile detected by checks: Default
• Chrome app path reported by checks: /Applications/Google Chrome.app

Expected behavior

Codex should be able to establish a connection to the Chrome extension, read open tabs, and perform browser automation tasks.

Actual behavior

Chrome runtime initialization consistently times out even though extension and native host checks pass.

Suggested investigation areas

• Whether setupAtlasRuntime can hang indefinitely during native messaging or extension handshake when checks appear healthy
• Whether the failure path can emit a clearer diagnostic instead of only timing out
• Whether open-chrome-window.js is using a macOS Chrome launch path or invocation pattern that can fail with kLSNoExecutableErr despite Chrome being installed and running