codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Codex Desktop Chrome plugin: Native Messaging Host registry key missing on Windows

Environment

• OS: Windows
• Codex Desktop
• Codex Chrome Extension installed and enabled
• Chrome extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg
• Native host name: com.openai.codexextension

Problem

The Codex Chrome Extension appears to be installed and enabled, but the Chrome-backed browser automation path is unusable because the Windows Native Messaging Host registry key is missing.

The missing key is:

HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension

Diagnostic output

Running the bundled checker:

node <codex-home>\plugins\cache\openai-bundled\chrome\26.519.31651\scripts\check-native-host-manifest.js --json

returns this structure:

{
  "manifestPath": "%LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json",
  "registryKey": "HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension",
  "registryManifestPath": null,
  "expectedHostName": "com.openai.codexextension",
  "expectedExtensionId": "hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg",
  "expectedOrigin": "chrome-extension://hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg/",
  "exists": true,
  "correct": false,
  "problem": "Windows native host registry key does not exist: HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension"
}

Expected behavior

Installing or enabling the Codex Chrome Extension from Codex Desktop should create or repair the Windows Native Messaging Host registration so the Chrome-backed browser automation path works without manual registry repair.

Actual behavior

The native host manifest file exists under:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json

but the Chrome Native Messaging Host registry key is missing, so Chrome cannot discover the native host.

Impact

Codex cannot reliably use the Chrome Extension path for authenticated browser automation. This forces fallback to the in-app browser, which is not equivalent because it does not share the user's Chrome profile/session state.

Related note

This appears separate from an in-app Browser Use runtime issue where an incomplete runtime caused Browser Use virtual clipboard is not installed. The in-app browser issue could be worked around by bootstrapping from a complete bundled browser runtime, but the Chrome Extension Native Messaging Host registration issue remains.