Windows app: in-app browser crashes and repeated “Reconnecting …/5” delays task execution #33162

Summary

The Codex Windows desktop app has two recurring stability problems that significantly affect usability:

1. The built-in/in-app browser frequently crashes or closes unexpectedly.
2. The app frequently displays “Reconnecting …/5”. Each retry takes about 5 seconds, and tasks often do not begin executing until 1–2 minutes later.

Observed behavior

• Start a task that needs browser or tool interaction.
• The app enters a reconnect cycle, showing a retry counter ending in /5.
• Each retry introduces an approximately 5-second wait.
• Multiple reconnect cycles may occur before the task actually starts.
• When using the built-in browser, it may crash, interrupting the workflow.

Expected behavior

• Tasks should begin promptly without repeated reconnect cycles.
• A transient connection interruption should recover quickly and preserve task/browser state.
• The built-in browser should remain stable during navigation and interaction.

Impact

Although the AI capability is strong, these reliability problems make routine tasks feel slow and unpredictable. A task may spend 1–2 minutes reconnecting before any useful execution begins, and browser crashes can interrupt work entirely.

Environment

• Codex desktop app on Windows
• Observed around the rust-v0.144.4 release timeframe
• Exact desktop build number was not available when this report was submitted

If useful, please advise which diagnostic logs or build information should be collected for a follow-up.