[BUG] Claude in Chrome extension installed and signed in, but never connects to Claude desktop app

### Preflight Checklist

- [x] I have searched [existing issues](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20state%3Aopen%20label%3Abug) and this hasn't been reported yet
- [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
- [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

### What's Wrong?

Subject: Claude in Chrome extension installed and signed in, but never connects to Claude desktop app

Claude in Chrome shows "not connected" from the Claude desktop app (Code tab).
- Extension installed, enabled, and reinstalled once. Chrome fully restarted.
- Signed into Chrome as agatha@whirlwindatlarge.com; extension side panel is signed in.
- list_connected_browsers returns an empty list.
- switch_browser reports no other browsers available to connect to.
- Have retried across multiple days (2026-09-16 to 09-18) with no change.
Expected: the browser appears as connected so Claude can edit Google Sheets.

### What Should Happen?

it should be able to to tasks inside docs and change clean up edit etc.

### Error Messages/Logs

```shell

```

### Steps to Reproduce

Claude in Chrome shows "not connected" from the Claude desktop app (Code tab).
- Extension installed, enabled, and reinstalled once. Chrome fully restarted.
- Signed into Chrome as agatha@whirlwindatlarge.com; extension side panel is signed in.
- list_connected_browsers returns an empty list.
- switch_browser reports no other browsers available to connect to.
- Have retried across multiple days (2026-09-16 to 09-18) with no change.
Expected: the browser appears as connected so Claude can edit Google Sheets.

### Claude Model

None

### Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

### Last Working Version

_No response_

### Claude Code Version

Sonnet 5

### Platform

Anthropic API

### Operating System

macOS

### Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

### Additional Information

_No response_

Start by reproducing the connection state in the Claude desktop app's Code tab with the Claude in Chrome extension installed and signed in. Check the results of list_connected_browsers and switch_browser; done means the browser appears as connected and can be used for Google Sheets tasks.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.