[Windows] In-app browser tab is detected, but browser-control tools are not exposed after app/plugin consolidation #32720

Codex App version

26.707.8168.0

Platform

• Windows 11 Pro, 64-bit
• OS version: 10.0.26200

Issue

The Codex Windows app detects an open in-app browser tab and supplies its URL as ambient UI context, but Codex cannot interact with the tab.

The Browser skill/plugin is installed and available to the task. However, the browser-control runtime required by the skill is not exposed. In particular, the expected mcp__node_repl__js tool is absent from the task's available tools.

As a result, Codex can see that an in-app browser tab exists, but cannot inspect, click, type, take screenshots, or read the page.

This appears to have started after the recent consolidation/change involving ChatGPT apps, plugins, and browser tooling. I cannot confirm that this change caused the problem, but the timing may be relevant.

Relevant component versions observed

• Codex Windows app: 26.707.8168.0
• Browser plugin: 26.707.61608
• Computer Use plugin: 26.707.61608
• Bundled workspace runtime: 26.709.11516

The differing component versions may or may not be relevant.

Steps to reproduce

1. Start the Codex Windows desktop app.
2. Open the in-app browser.
3. Navigate to an authenticated website.
4. Start a Codex task and explicitly ask Codex to inspect the open in-app browser session.
5. Observe that the tab URL is included in the task's ambient browser context.
6. Codex loads the installed Browser skill.
7. The expected browser-control execution interface is not available to the task.
8. Reload the browser tab and retry.
9. Fully quit and restart Codex, open a new task, and retry.

Actual behavior

Codex detects the in-app browser tab but reports that it cannot establish the browser-control connection. Reloading the tab, restarting Codex, and using a new task do not restore browser control.

The same missing execution interface also prevents the Computer Use plugin from initializing.

Expected behavior

When the Browser skill is installed and an in-app browser tab is detected, Codex should receive the browser-control execution interface and be able to interact with the tab.

If the runtime cannot be initialized, the app should display a clear diagnostic explaining which component is unavailable and how to repair or reinstall it.

Additional information

• The problem is not specific to the website being opened.
• No website contents, credentials, cookies, or other private browser data were inspected or included in this report.
• Searching the open issues did not reveal an obvious duplicate at the time of filing.