Deleted conversations remain stuck in Recents on macOS desktop app

Summary

Two conversations that are already deleted on the server remain permanently visible under Chat > Recents in the ChatGPT macOS desktop app.

The conversations do not appear on ChatGPT Web or mobile. Attempts to open, delete, or archive them return 404 conversation_deleted.

Affected conversation IDs

• 6a91b7a8-130c-83e8-88ae-e93a2e4f615a
• 6a91ac78-9554-83ee-a5be-cb9af1116240

Session / Feedback IDs

Session ID (appSessionId):
02273e5d-d46b-44d4-aa3b-ad6526a1f481

Feedback ID:
no-active-thread-01a05286-bd46-7cd2-b972-8106616e4701

Environment

• macOS desktop app
• Intel iMac Pro
• Release shown in log: 26.825.51511
• Finder version: Codex 151.0.7922.174

Expected behavior

Deleted conversations should disappear from Recents.

Actual behavior

The two deleted conversations remain permanently visible in Recents.

• Opening either conversation returns 404 conversation_deleted.
• Deleting either conversation returns 404 conversation_deleted.
• Archiving either conversation returns 404 conversation_deleted.
• Pinning one temporarily moves it to Pinned, then displays "Conversation has been deleted. Start a new chat." and moves it back to Recents.
• Neither conversation appears on ChatGPT Web or mobile.
• Both appear under the Chat filter, not Work.
• Normal newly-created conversations delete successfully and immediately disappear from Recents.
• Creating additional conversations only moves these two entries further down the Recents list; they do not disappear.

Troubleshooting performed

• Signed out and signed back in.
• Completely uninstalled the macOS desktop app.
• Removed the app's local Application Support, caches, preferences, HTTP storage, logs, and related local data.
• Rebooted the Mac.
• Reinstalled the current ChatGPT app from the official OpenAI download.
• The two conversations reappeared after signing in.
• Searched local ~/Library data for both conversation IDs and titles; no matches were found.
• Verified that deletion of normal conversations works correctly.

Relevant log excerpt

Log timestamps are UTC. 11:23 UTC = 20:23 KST.

2026-08-30T11:23:00.097Z info [browser-session-registry] browser_use_iab_backend_startup_started appSessionId=02273e5d-d46b-44d4-aa3b-ad6526a1f481 backend=iab platform=darwin release=26.825.51511 sessionId=6a91b7a8-130c-83e8-88ae-e93a2e4f615a

2026-08-30T11:23:01.390Z warning [electron-message-handler] sa_server_request_failed errorCode=conversation_deleted method=get routePattern=/conversation/{conversation_id} status=404 url=/conversation/6a91b7a8-130c-83e8-88ae-e93a2e4f615a

2026-08-30T11:23:05.912Z warning [electron-message-handler] sa_server_request_failed errorCode=conversation_deleted method=delete routePattern=/conversation/id/{conversation_id} status=404 url=/conversation/id/6a91b7a8-130c-83e8-88ae-e93a2e4f615a

2026-08-30T11:23:07.401Z info [browser-session-registry] browser_use_iab_backend_startup_started appSessionId=02273e5d-d46b-44d4-aa3b-ad6526a1f481 backend=iab platform=darwin release=26.825.51511 sessionId=6a91ac78-9554-83ee-a5be-cb9af1116240

2026-08-30T11:23:08.122Z warning [electron-message-handler] sa_server_request_failed errorCode=conversation_deleted method=get routePattern=/conversation/{conversation_id} status=404 url=/conversation/6a91ac78-9554-83ee-a5be-cb9af1116240

2026-08-30T11:23:12.974Z warning [electron-message-handler] sa_server_request_failed errorCode=conversation_deleted method=delete routePattern=/conversation/id/{conversation_id} status=404 url=/conversation/id/6a91ac78-9554-83ee-a5be-cb9af1116240

OpenAI Support reviewed these results and directed me to file the bug on the Codex GitHub repository.

I can provide a larger log excerpt if needed.

The report points to the macOS desktop app's Recents view and logs from browser-session-registry and electron-message-handler. Start by tracing how Recents handles conversations that return 404 conversation_deleted, then reproduce with the reported conversation IDs. Done means deleted conversations no longer remain in Recents while normal conversation deletion continues to work.