Codex Mobile Remote project assignment does not reconcile with Desktop project assignment

Start by reproducing the Mobile Remote and desktop project-assignment flow described in the issue, then compare the related Mobile Remote/project indexing issues listed there. Trace how a mobile-created project shell and its conversation are represented when the desktop project assignment changes. Done means both surfaces converge on one assignment or provide an explicit supported reconciliation action.

Summary

When using Codex Mobile Remote connected to a desktop Codex host, a project/task created from the mobile Remote UI can appear as a project on mobile, but the same work appears on desktop only as a standalone/ordinary conversation rather than as a chat inside the corresponding desktop local project.

If the user then creates the matching project on desktop and moves or continues the conversation there, the original mobile-visible project shell remains on mobile. It does not appear to merge, disappear, or update to reflect the desktop-side project assignment.

This creates two visible project-like entry points for the same body of work and becomes confusing over time.

Important clarification

This report is specifically about ChatGPT mobile app > Codex Remote / Remote connection controlling a desktop Codex host. It is not about ordinary ChatGPT mobile projects.

Remote should use the connected host's projects, chats, files, credentials, permissions, plugins, and local tools. The issue is that the mobile Remote project/list projection and the desktop project assignment appear to diverge.

Reproduction pattern

Exact app versions were not captured, but the user-visible flow is:

1. Open Codex Mobile Remote on the phone and connect to a desktop Codex host.
2. From the mobile Remote UI, create a new project/task.
3. On the phone, the new item is displayed as a project.
4. Open Codex/Desktop on the connected computer.
5. The same work appears as a normal standalone conversation, not as a chat under a desktop local project.
6. On desktop, create the corresponding local project and move/continue the conversation there.
7. Return to the mobile Remote UI.
8. The original mobile-created project shell is still visible on mobile instead of being merged, removed, or reassigned to the desktop project.

Actual behavior

• Mobile Remote displays a project-like item.
• Desktop displays the same work as an ordinary conversation or under a different project context.
• Creating the corresponding desktop local project does not reconcile the mobile project shell.
• Moving/continuing the conversation in the desktop project does not update or remove the stale mobile project entry.
• The user has to manually rename, archive, or ignore the stale mobile-side project shell.

Expected behavior

Codex Mobile Remote and Desktop should converge on one authoritative project assignment for work running on the connected host.

At minimum:

• A project/task created from Mobile Remote should clearly indicate whether it is backed by a desktop host project, a local folder, a worktree, or is standalone/unassigned.
• If the corresponding conversation is moved into or continued from a desktop local project, Mobile Remote should update the project assignment and stop showing the stale mobile-only project shell.
• If automatic reconciliation is not supported, the UI should expose a supported manual action such as Move to desktop project, Merge duplicate project shell, or Remove stale Remote project shell.
• The same work should not silently appear as a project on one surface and an ordinary conversation on another.

Why this matters

For users who frequently start or steer work from mobile, the current behavior makes project organization unreliable:

• work accumulates under duplicate project-like entries;
• users cannot tell which project has the real local folder/repository context;
• older mobile-created project shells remain visible after the user has already reorganized the work on desktop;
• long-running projects become hard to navigate and audit.

The underlying transcripts do not appear lost, but project discoverability and assignment are confusing.

Related issues

This looks related to the broader Mobile Remote / Desktop project and thread indexing family:

• #24462 - Mobile Remote briefly shows a local project/thread, then removes both after sync
• #24464 - Codex mobile thread list loses visibility after desktop resume on same host
• #34076 - Codex desktop loses local project registrations and hides active threads while CLI/core database remains healthy
• #31623 - Mobile remote: group Git worktree sessions by repository instead of exact cwd
• #34499 - Cannot create a local Work chat inside a ChatGPT Project (Windows Desktop App)
• #27243 - Windows path normalization can make project folders show "No chats"

This report is not exactly the same as those: the specific user-visible problem is a mobile Remote-created project shell remaining separate after the user creates/reconciles the corresponding project on desktop.