Codex reports Chrome extension is not installed when connected in Brave

Bug report: Codex reports Chrome extension is not installed even though the extension is connected in Brave

Summary

Codex reports that the browser extension is not installed, but the Codex Chrome Extension is installed and connected in Brave. The extension-backed browser connection works from Codex, but Codex's local detection appears to check only Google Chrome stable paths and Google Chrome profile data.

Expected behavior

Codex should recognize and use the connected Codex Chrome Extension when it is installed and connected in Brave, or the error message should clearly state that the check only supports Google Chrome stable.

Actual behavior

Codex reports that the browser extension is not installed. The extension popup in Brave shows:

• Status: Connected
• Extension: Codex
• Version: v1.1.4

The Codex extension-backed browser runtime can also communicate with the extension and enumerate open tabs.

Environment

• OS: macOS 26.4.1 (Build 25E253)
• Browser in use: Brave Browser 148.1.90.122
• Default browser bundle id: com.brave.browser
• Google Chrome stable app: not installed at /Applications/Google Chrome.app
• Brave app: installed at /Applications/Brave Browser.app
• Codex Chrome Extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg
• Codex Chrome Extension version in Brave profile: 1.1.4_0
• Codex Chrome plugin cache path observed: chrome@openai-bundled version 0.1.7

Diagnostics

Extension-backed connection works

Using the Codex Chrome plugin browser runtime:

{
  "connection": {
    "ok": true,
    "openTabCount": 73,
    "browserType": "extension"
  }
}

No tab URLs are included here for privacy; the important part is that the extension connection succeeds.

Local detector looks for Google Chrome stable

The Chrome DevTools MCP check failed with:

Could not find Google Chrome executable for channel 'stable' at:
 - /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome.

Codex helper script outputs

scripts/chrome-is-running.js --json:

{
  "platform": "darwin",
  "running": false,
  "processes": []
}

scripts/installed-browsers.js --json:

{
  "platform": "darwin",
  "default_browser": {
    "source": "LaunchServices",
    "schemes": {
      "https": {
        "scheme": "https",
        "bundle_id": "com.brave.browser",
        "name": null,
        "path": null,
        "version": null
      },
      "http": {
        "scheme": "http",
        "bundle_id": "com.brave.browser",
        "name": null,
        "path": null,
        "version": null
      }
    }
  },
  "installed_browsers": []
}

scripts/check-extension-installed.js --json:

Could not find a Chrome profile directory with Preferences in ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome.

Exit code: 3

scripts/check-native-host-manifest.js --json:

{
  "manifestPath": "~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.openai.codexextension.json",
  "expectedHostName": "com.openai.codexextension",
  "actualHostName": "com.openai.codexextension",
  "expectedExtensionId": "hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg",
  "expectedOrigin": "chrome-extension://hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg/",
  "allowedOrigins": [
    "chrome-extension://hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg/"
  ],
  "exists": true,
  "nameMatches": true,
  "hasExpectedOrigin": true,
  "registryMatchesManifestPath": true,
  "correct": true,
  "problem": null
}

Additional local observations

Brave has profile preferences at:

~/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Profile 1/Preferences
~/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Preferences
~/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/System Profile/Preferences

No Google Chrome profile preferences were found under:

~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome

The Codex extension is present in the Brave default profile at:

~/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser/Default/Extensions/hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg/1.1.4_0

Suspected cause

The extension-backed runtime is able to connect to Brave, but the installation/health-check path appears to assume Google Chrome stable:

• /Applications/Google Chrome.app
• ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome

Because this setup uses Brave only, the detector concludes that Chrome/the extension is missing even though the actual extension backend is connected and working.

Suggested fix

Either:

1. Support Chromium-family browsers such as Brave in the detector by checking the active connected browser/profile, or
2. If only Google Chrome stable is intended to be supported, change the user-facing error from "extension not installed" to a more specific message explaining that Google Chrome stable was not found or that Brave is unsupported.