Windows desktop 26.820.10647.0: ChatGPT.exe memory grows to 5+ GB within minutes even in a new blank chat

Summary

On Windows 11 x64, ChatGPT desktop package OpenAI.Codex 26.820.10647.0 shows rapid, repeatable memory growth even in a newly created blank chat. The issue persists after Repair, Reset, reboot, Microsoft Store update, and testing with a fresh conversation.

The largest ChatGPT.exe process grows from hundreds of MB to more than 5 GB in under 4 minutes. Commit/private memory grows with working set, so this does not appear to be only normal working-set/cache fluctuation. The application eventually becomes unstable / crashes after continued growth.

Environment

• OS: Windows 11 x64
• Package: OpenAI.Codex
• Version: 26.820.10647.0
• Package full name: OpenAI.Codex_26.820.10647.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0
• Executable path: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\OpenAI.Codex_26.820.10647.0_x64__2p2nqsd0c76g0\app\ChatGPT.exe

Reproduction

1. Launch ChatGPT desktop.
2. Create a brand-new chat (to rule out a long conversation/history as the trigger).
3. Send a minimal test message / leave the app open.
4. Sample all ChatGPT.exe processes every 10 seconds with PowerShell:

while ($true) {
    Get-Date -Format "HH:mm:ss"

    Get-Process ChatGPT -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue |
    Sort-Object WorkingSet64 -Descending |
    Select-Object Id,
    @{N='Memory_MB';E={[math]::Round($_.WorkingSet64/1MB,1)}},
    @{N='Commit_MB';E={[math]::Round($_.PagedMemorySize64/1MB,1)}}

    Write-Host "-------------------------"
    Start-Sleep 10
}

Observed memory growth

Largest process (PID 13464 during this run):

09:24:41   ~375 MB
09:25:01   ~655 MB
09:25:11  ~1090 MB
09:25:51  ~1799 MB
09:26:01  ~2475 MB
09:26:11  ~2990 MB
09:27:12  ~3388 MB
09:27:32  ~4870 MB
09:28:22  ~5330 MB working set / ~5251 MB commit

At 09:28:22, additional ChatGPT processes were also consuming approximately:

1079.6 MB
394.5 MB
246.8 MB
177.2 MB
81.8 MB
59.5 MB
32.9 MB
27.9 MB
10.1 MB

Total ChatGPT process memory was therefore roughly 7+ GB after only a few minutes.

The memory sometimes drops temporarily, but then resumes rapid growth to a higher level, so the process does not stabilize.

Process structure observed

The app uses the expected multi-process Chromium/Electron-style layout, including:

• main ChatGPT.exe
• --type=renderer
• --type=gpu-process
• utility processes such as network/storage services
• crashpad handler

The memory growth has been observed primarily in the main/renderer-side processes rather than only the GPU process.

Troubleshooting already performed

The issue still reproduces after:

• Windows Settings -> Apps -> ChatGPT -> Repair
• Windows Settings -> Apps -> ChatGPT -> Reset
• Full Windows reboot
• Microsoft Store update
• Testing a newly created blank conversation
• Avoiding long chat history

The previous installed version 26.820.7780.0 also showed rapid memory growth and eventual crashes. Updating to 26.820.10647.0 did not resolve the memory-growth problem.

Additional startup behavior after update

After updating to 26.820.10647.0, the first launch initially showed only background processes and no visible window / renderer. The UI appeared after approximately 15 minutes. Once the UI became available, the rapid memory-growth issue remained.

Expected behavior

Memory usage should stabilize during an idle or minimal new conversation and should not increase by several GB within a few minutes.

Actual behavior

One ChatGPT process grows from a few hundred MB to 5+ GB within minutes, while total ChatGPT memory reaches roughly 7+ GB and continues rising, eventually causing instability/crashes.

I have screenshots and the full PowerShell sampling output available if useful for diagnosis.

Start by reproducing the leak in the ChatGPT.exe main and renderer processes on Windows 11 with the PowerShell sampling loop, using a new blank chat. Compare working-set and commit growth across the listed process types and the two package versions; done means memory stabilizes during an idle or minimal conversation without instability or crashes.