openai / openai/codex

[Windows] Computer Use cannot map Chrome native window to extension tab URL

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#42,766 5 comments 2 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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app browser bug computer-use safety-check windows-os
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Rust
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Description

Summary

On Windows, Computer Use can discover and activate a native Google Chrome window through @oai/sky, but get_window_state fails during the browser URL safety check.

Environment
  • Codex / Native Host: 26.901.22334
  • OS: Windows
  • Browser: Google Chrome
  • ChatGPT Chrome extension: 1.26.827.12125_0
  • Chrome profile: Default
Reproduction
  1. Install and enable the ChatGPT Chrome extension in the Default profile.
  2. Close all Chrome windows.
  3. Launch Chrome through the Windows Computer Use native channel.
  4. Call @oai/sky sky.list_apps(), select the single Chrome window, and call sky.activate_window().
  5. Call sky.get_window_state({ window, include_screenshot: true, include_text: true }).
Expected behavior

The native Chrome window state is returned, with a screenshot/accessibility tree, and the active Chrome tab URL is validated through the installed extension.

Actual behavior

sky.list_apps() and sky.activate_window() succeed, but get_window_state is stopped by the safety layer with:
Computer Use has been stopped for this turn because it could not determine the current browser URL on Windows with enough confidence to enforce policy.

The browser extension channel can independently list Chrome tabs and their URLs, so the extension and Native Messaging Host are reachable. The failure appears to be in the association between the Win32 Chrome window and the extension-reported active tab.

Diagnostics
  • Chrome extension check: installed=true, enabled=true for Default profile.
  • Native host manifest: exists and correct; expected origins are present.
  • Chrome browser connector: connected and able to list tabs/URLs.
  • Chrome native app ID returned by sky.list_apps(): Chrome.
  • Reproduces with one freshly launched Chrome window and a new tab.
Workaround

The Chrome browser connector can control web pages/tabs, but the native @oai/sky Chrome window path remains blocked. Edge and ordinary non-browser Windows apps are not affected.

Could the Windows Chrome window-to-tab URL mapping / safety check be updated to handle this case?

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the Windows @oai/sky flow through sky.list_apps(), sky.activate_window(), and sky.get_window_state(), then inspect how the browser connector reports Chrome tabs and URLs. Reproduce the fresh Chrome-window sequence and trace the association between the native window and the extension-reported active tab. Done means get_window_state returns the screenshot and accessibility tree while the active tab URL passes the safety check.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

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

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