codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Codex Desktop voice input leaves a global always-on-top loading overlay stuck on macOS [1 participants]

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openai/codex#22018Fetched 2026-05-11 03:20:54
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Root Cause

This is a high-annoyance desktop UI bug because the overlay is global and appears above unrelated apps. The user has no visible close control and no recovery path other than quitting Codex.

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What version of the Codex App are you using?

Codex CLI reports: codex-cli 0.130.0-alpha.5

Observed from the running Codex process annotation: 26.506.31421

What subscription do you have?

Unknown / not relevant to the UI issue.

What platform is your computer?

macOS 26.4.1, build 25E253, arm64.

What issue are you seeing?

After using the built-in voice input feature in Codex Desktop, a small global always-on-top loading overlay remains stuck in the middle of the screen.

The overlay looks like a small white pill-shaped control with a spinner inside it. It is not confined to the Codex window. It remains visible above other apps and windows, making the whole desktop annoying to use.

The overlay only disappears after fully quitting Codex.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Open Codex Desktop on macOS.
  2. Use the built-in voice input / dictation feature.
  3. Finish or cancel voice input.
  4. Observe that a global loading overlay can remain stuck on screen.
  5. Switch to other apps or windows.
  6. The overlay remains visible globally.
  7. Fully quit Codex.
  8. The overlay disappears.

Expected behavior

When voice input ends, fails, is cancelled, or loses focus, Codex should always destroy the global voice input overlay.

There should also be a fallback cleanup path, such as timeout cleanup, Escape-to-dismiss, or cleanup on app/window blur.

Actual behavior

The overlay can remain stuck globally until Codex is fully quit.

Troubleshooting already attempted

The following processes/services were restarted or killed, but the overlay did not disappear:

  • macOS CursorUIViewService
  • macOS localspeechrecognition
  • Codex helper audio service: audio.mojom.AudioService

This suggests the stuck overlay is owned by Codex Desktop itself, likely an always-on-top Electron/native window that is not destroyed after the voice input lifecycle ends.

Impact

This is a high-annoyance desktop UI bug because the overlay is global and appears above unrelated apps. The user has no visible close control and no recovery path other than quitting Codex.

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FAQ

Expected behavior

When voice input ends, fails, is cancelled, or loses focus, Codex should always destroy the global voice input overlay.

There should also be a fallback cleanup path, such as timeout cleanup, Escape-to-dismiss, or cleanup on app/window blur.

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codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix Codex Desktop voice input leaves a global always-on-top loading overlay stuck on macOS [1 participants]