[Windows] Chrome plugin does not install native host and browser-client fails with "Cannot redefine property: process" #33408

Description

The bundled Chrome plugin cannot connect the Codex desktop app to the Codex Chrome Extension on Windows.

The extension shows "Download ChatGPT" or remains disconnected because the native messaging host is not installed. Additionally, the Chrome browser runtime fails during initialization with:

TypeError: Cannot redefine property: process
    at browser-client.mjs:33

Environment

• OS: Windows x64
• Codex desktop package: OpenAI.Codex_26.707.9981.0_x64
• Codex internal app version: 26.707.72221
• Bundled Chrome plugin: 26.623.141536
• Codex Chrome Extension ID: hehggadaopoacecdllhhajmbjkdcmajg
• Native host name: com.openai.codexextension
• Feedback session ID: 019f66dc-0f03-7ce1-a1ef-5b43af4a716e

Steps to reproduce

1. Install and open the Codex desktop app on Windows.
2. Enable or reinstall the bundled Chrome plugin from the Plugins interface.
3. Install or enable the Codex Chrome Extension in Chrome.
4. Start a new Codex task and attempt to use @Chrome.
5. Open the extension and check its connection status.

Actual behavior

• The Chrome extension does not detect the desktop app and displays "Download ChatGPT" or remains disconnected.
• The native messaging host manifest is not created.
• The corresponding Windows registry key is not created.
• Direct initialization of the bundled browser-client.mjs fails with Cannot redefine property: process.

The failing code assigns a process shim:

globalThis.process = processShim;

The current runtime appears to expose process as a non-configurable property.

Native host diagnostics

Missing manifest:

C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\OpenAI\extension\com.openai.codexextension.json

Missing registry key:

HKCU\Software\Google\Chrome\NativeMessagingHosts\com.openai.codexextension

The native host state file contains no entries:

{
  "schemaVersion": 2,
  "entries": []
}

The official diagnostic reports:

Windows native host registry key does not exist.
Native host manifest does not exist.

Troubleshooting already performed

• Restarted Codex and Chrome several times.
• Removed and re-added the Chrome plugin.
• Removed and reinstalled the Chrome extension.
• Repaired the Codex app through Windows Settings.
• Completely reset the app.
• Uninstalled and reinstalled the Codex desktop app.
• Started a new Codex task after each relevant change.
• Confirmed that the Chrome plugin bundle is present and enabled.
• Confirmed that the plugin cache contains browser-client.mjs and the native host executable.
• Did not run installManifest.mjs or manually modify the native host, following the plugin troubleshooting instructions.

The same failure persists after a clean reinstall.

Expected behavior

Installing or enabling the bundled Chrome plugin should:

1. Create the native messaging host manifest.
2. Register com.openai.codexextension under Chrome's NativeMessagingHosts.
3. Allow the Chrome extension to show Connected.
4. Initialize browser-client.mjs without redefining a non-configurable process property.
5. Allow Codex to access the active Chrome profile and open tabs.

Update correlation

Windows deployment history indicates that version 26.623.19656.0 was installed on July 7, 2026, between 10:58 and 11:06 local time. The failing browser-client.mjs file is timestamped July 7, 2026 at 11:06.

The issue remains present in 26.707.9981.0, installed on July 14 and reinstalled on July 15.

Please investigate both the missing Windows native host installation and the incompatibility between browser-client.mjs and the current Codex runtime.
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