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codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix DOCX preview is inconsistent across file tabs, file cards, and local links on Windows

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Error Message

Error Messages / UI Text

Root Cause

This inconsistency is confusing because users can see that DOCX preview exists in Codex, but the same kind of DOCX does not preview depending on how it is opened.

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Bug Description

DOCX preview behavior is inconsistent in Codex Desktop on Windows. The same local .docx file can be previewed from one message/file-link entry point, but cannot be previewed from other entry points such as the file tab or an auto-generated file card.

Related in-app feedback ID shown by Codex Desktop:

019e6df1-1ad4-7200-a07d-3d46a4f25079

Environment

  • Agent Platform: Codex Desktop / Codex CLI
  • Codex CLI Version: codex-cli 0.135.0
  • OS: Windows 11 / Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.22621.0
  • Shell: PowerShell 7.6.1
  • File type: .docx
  • Local path characteristics: Windows absolute path, includes spaces and non-ASCII Chinese characters

What Happened

When opening a generated local DOCX from the normal file tab or auto-generated file card, Codex shows a blank viewer with the message equivalent to:

Word document preview is not supported. Please open this file outside Codex.

However, in another conversation / another message entry point, clicking a DOCX preview link for a similar local Word document opens the built-in document previewer successfully, showing DOC, page navigation, and zoom controls.

So the problem appears to be entry-point/routing dependent rather than a corrupt DOCX file.

Expected Behavior

All Codex UI entry points that refer to the same supported local .docx file should route consistently to the built-in document previewer, including:

  1. File tabs opened from the workspace/file list
  2. Auto-generated file cards in assistant messages
  3. Markdown links to absolute local paths

If a specific entry point cannot support preview, it should explain why or offer an "Open in document preview" action.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. In Codex Desktop on Windows, create or select a local .docx file in a workspace path that includes spaces and Chinese characters.
  2. Open the file from the workspace/file tab or an auto-generated file card.
  3. Observe that Codex displays a message saying Word preview is unsupported.
  4. In another message/conversation, open a DOCX through a preview-capable document link/card.
  5. Observe that the built-in DOC previewer opens correctly with page navigation and zoom controls.

Error Messages / UI Text

The non-previewing path displays Chinese UI text equivalent to:

暂不支持预览 Word 文档，请在 Codex 外部打开该文件查看

Additional Context

The user also uploaded in-app feedback for this issue; feedback ID:

019e6df1-1ad4-7200-a07d-3d46a4f25079

This inconsistency is confusing because users can see that DOCX preview exists in Codex, but the same kind of DOCX does not preview depending on how it is opened.

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codex - 💡(How to fix) Fix DOCX preview is inconsistent across file tabs, file cards, and local links on Windows