Codex Remote Control unstable / disconnecting across Android and iOS while Windows Desktop works normally

Summary

Codex Remote Control is persistently unstable or unavailable while Codex Desktop on Windows continues to work normally.

The issue reproduces across three different mobile phones and both Android and iOS, all connecting to the same Windows Codex host.

Environment

• Host: Windows PC running Codex Desktop
• Codex Desktop itself works normally and can communicate with the model
• Mobile devices tested:
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 / Android
  • A second Android phone
  • iPhone / iOS
• Same ChatGPT/Codex account and same Windows Codex host

Symptoms

• Mobile Remote sometimes reports that it cannot connect to the ChatGPT/Codex desktop host.
• The desktop host can appear offline/red on mobile even though Codex Desktop is open and functioning normally.
• Occasionally Remote connects successfully for a very short period and then disconnects again.
• On iPhone, the UI reports an error equivalent to: “Error loading messages: The connection to Codex has expired.”
• Older existing threads frequently fail to load, showing a gray/loading screen that repeatedly flashes/reloads.
• Newly created threads initially worked more reliably than older threads, but Remote connectivity later became unstable even for new sessions.
• Mobile devices can still receive Codex Desktop notifications, including Approval Required notifications and task/status updates, even while the Remote UI says the desktop connection is unavailable.

Troubleshooting already performed

• Restarted Codex Desktop
• Restarted the Windows PC
• Restarted mobile apps/devices
• Reconnected Remote Control
• Revoked and re-paired Remote Control
• Tested three different mobile phones
• Tested both Android and iOS
• Created new Codex conversations
• Tested different existing conversations
• Archived older/inactive conversations/projects to reduce the active thread list

The problem persists. Re-pairing may allow a very brief connection, but it quickly becomes unstable/disconnected again.

Important observation

This does not appear to be a general Codex Desktop connectivity issue. Codex Desktop remains fully usable on Windows.

Because the problem reproduces across three independent mobile devices and two operating systems while the Windows host remains functional, a single-device mobile app problem seems unlikely.

There may be two related failure modes:

1. Remote host/session transport instability, where mobile clients cannot maintain a connection to the Windows host.
2. Existing-thread resume/hydration failure, where older threads show a gray flashing/loading screen while newly created threads have sometimes worked.

The fact that mobile push notifications/approval notifications continue to arrive while the Remote UI cannot maintain the session may also help isolate the failing layer.

Expected behavior

When Codex Desktop is running and Remote Control is enabled, paired mobile devices should remain connected and reliably open both existing and new Codex threads.

Actual behavior

Remote Control either:

1. cannot connect to the desktop host,
2. connects briefly and disconnects,
3. fails to load existing threads, or
4. repeatedly reloads/flashes while opening a thread,

while Codex Desktop itself continues operating normally.

Please investigate whether this is related to Remote Control enrollment/session state, the Remote relay/transport layer, or thread resume/hydration.

I can provide screenshots, timestamps, logs, and additional diagnostics if needed.

No files, tests, or entry points are identified. Start by reproducing the failure and tracing Remote Control enrollment/session state, relay transport, and existing-thread resume or hydration; done means paired Android and iOS clients stay connected and reliably open existing and new threads.