Windows: Chrome, Browser, and Computer Use mentions recognized but callable tools are not attached (26.707.12708.0)

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Assessment

Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Newbie friendliness
48/100
Issue type
Bug
Clarity
Mostly clear
Activity status
Quiet
Tech stack
rust

Research direction

Start by reproducing the Windows fresh-task steps for @Chrome, @Browser, and @Computer Use, then read the plugin-mention and task capability attachment paths alongside related issues #21791, #23805, #24838, and #25809. Done means each mention exposes its callable tool, or the UI reports that attachment failed before sending the task.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Description

app browser bug computer-use skills tool-calls windows-os
Summary

On Windows, the bundled @Chrome, @Browser, and @Computer Use plugin mentions are recognized by Codex Desktop, but the corresponding callable tools are not attached to the active task.

This persists after a clean Codex Desktop reinstall and after reinstalling the official plugins and Chrome extension.

Environment
  • OS: Windows x64
  • Codex Desktop: 26.707.12708.0
  • Bundled Chrome / Browser / Computer Use plugins: 26.707.91948
  • Codex Chrome extension: 1.2.27203.26575
  • Browser: Google Chrome Stable
Verified local state
  • Chrome extension popup shows Connected.
  • Chrome plugin is installed and enabled.
  • Browser plugin is installed and enabled.
  • Computer Use plugin is installed and enabled.
  • Native Messaging registry entry exists at:
    HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension
  • Native host manifest exists at:
    C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json
  • extension-host.exe is running.
  • The plugin mention is inserted from the UI and arrives in the task as a real plugin capability, not plain text.
Steps to reproduce
  1. Start a new Codex Desktop task on Windows.
  2. Select the real Chrome plugin mention from the @ menu.
  3. Send a minimal request such as:
    @Chrome Open a new tab and tell me the page title.
  4. Observe that the Chrome capability/instructions are recognized, but the task does not receive a callable Chrome control tool.
  5. Repeat in fresh tasks with @Browser and @Computer Use.
Actual behavior

All three mentions are recognized, but none of the executable browser/Windows-control tools are exposed to the agent. The agent can use normal local shell tools, but cannot open or control Chrome, the in-app browser, or Windows applications.

The failure occurs before accessing any target website and reproduces with an innocuous new-tab request.

Expected behavior
  • @Chrome should expose the extension-backed Chrome control tool.
  • @Browser should expose the in-app browser control tool.
  • @Computer Use should expose the Windows UI control tool.
  • If a tool cannot be attached, the UI should report that before allowing the mention to be sent.
Troubleshooting already completed
  • Restarted Chrome and Codex Desktop.
  • Started multiple fresh tasks.
  • Selected each plugin from the @ menu.
  • Reinstalled Codex Desktop.
  • Reinstalled/enabled the official Chrome, Browser, and Computer Use plugins.
  • Reinstalled the official Chrome extension.
  • Confirmed the extension is connected, Native Messaging is registered, the manifest exists, and extension-host.exe is active.
  • Did not manually modify the registry or native host manifest.
Related issues
  • #21791
  • #23805
  • #24838
  • #25809

The important additional data point here is that this reproduces on the newer 26.707.12708.0 Windows build and affects all three bundled control surfaces in fresh tasks.

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