OpenAI Merges Codex into ChatGPT Desktop: Everything You Need to Know (Plus My Windows Experience)
OpenAI has officially started merging the Codex desktop app into the new ChatGPT desktop application. Instead of maintaining two separate apps, developers and general users can now access AI chat, coding assistance, and computer-use features from a single desktop application.
I recently updated my Codex app after receiving the official update notification. While the migration appears to work perfectly on macOS, my experience on Windows was quite different. In this article, I'll explain what's new, how the update works, and what Windows users should know before upgrading.
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| The new ChatGPT Desktop app combines traditional ChatGPT conversations with the powerful Codex workspace for developers in one unified application. |
What is Changing?
OpenAI has decided to combine Codex and ChatGPT Desktop into one unified application.
This means you no longer need separate applications for chatting with ChatGPT and working on coding projects. Everything is now available inside a single desktop app.
The new desktop application includes:
- ChatGPT conversations
- A dedicated Codex workspace
- AI-powered coding assistance
- Computer-use capabilities
- Access to GPT-5.5 and future models
How to Update from Codex
If you already have the Codex desktop application installed, you'll notice an Update button inside the app.
You can also manually check for updates from the application menu.
During the installation, you'll see a message similar to:
"Codex is now the ChatGPT app."
After clicking Get Started, the installer replaces the old Codex application with the new ChatGPT desktop app.
What's New in the ChatGPT Desktop App?
1. ChatGPT Workspace
This is the familiar ChatGPT experience where you can:
- Ask questions
- Generate articles
- Summarize documents
- Analyze files
- Research topics
- Use GPT-5.5 and other available models
It works similarly to the web version but in a native desktop application.
2. Codex Workspace
Developers now get a dedicated Codex section inside the same application.
Here you can:
- Write code
- Debug applications
- Generate complete projects
- Work with repositories
- Use AI coding agents
- Access computer-use features (where supported)
This creates a much smoother workflow because everything is available in one place.
My Experience Updating on Windows
As soon as the update became available, I upgraded my Codex desktop app.
The installation appeared to finish successfully, and the old Codex application was replaced by the new ChatGPT desktop application.
However, when launching the application, I was asked to complete the Windows setup.
Unfortunately, the setup never completed.
Every time I clicked "Try Windows setup again", the application displayed the same message:
"Windows setup didn't finish."
I tried almost every common troubleshooting step, including:
- Restarting Windows
- Running ChatGPT as Administrator
- Completely uninstalling ChatGPT
- Removing older ChatGPT applications
- Downloading the latest installer from OpenAI's official website
- Performing a fresh installation
- Restarting the computer several times
Unfortunately, none of these steps resolved the issue.
Testing on Another Windows 11 Laptop
To rule out the possibility that the problem was specific to my computer, I installed the same version on another Windows 11 laptop.
The result was exactly the same.
The Windows setup failed in the same way, suggesting that the issue is unlikely to be caused by local system settings.
Both systems were running the latest ChatGPT Desktop version, and both experienced identical behavior after updating from Codex.
The macOS Experience Appears Much Smoother
Based on demonstration videos shared by users, the migration process on macOS appears to complete without any issues.
After updating, users immediately gain access to the new ChatGPT desktop interface with the integrated Codex workspace.
The transition looks seamless and requires no additional troubleshooting.
This suggests that the Windows version may currently have an unresolved issue affecting the Windows setup process.
Could This Be a Bug?
While OpenAI has not officially confirmed any widespread issue, my testing strongly suggests that this may be a bug in the current Windows desktop release rather than a problem with individual computers.
The reasons include:
- The issue started immediately after updating from Codex.
- A complete uninstall and reinstall did not fix the problem.
- Running the application as Administrator made no difference.
- The exact same issue occurred on multiple Windows 11 computers.
- The application itself installs successfully, but the Windows integration never completes.
If OpenAI confirms this as a software issue, it will likely be addressed in a future desktop update.
Should You Update?
If you're using macOS, the migration appears to be smooth based on the demonstrations currently available.
If you're a Windows user, you should be aware that you may encounter the Windows setup issue described above.
The ChatGPT desktop application itself may continue to function normally for standard conversations, but Windows integration features may not be available until the setup process completes successfully.
Final Thoughts
Combining Codex with the ChatGPT desktop application is a smart move by OpenAI. Having AI conversations, coding tools, and developer features inside a single application creates a much cleaner and more productive experience.
Although my Windows installation encountered problems after the update, I believe this is likely a temporary issue that will be resolved in a future release.
If you're planning to update, I'd recommend keeping an eye on upcoming ChatGPT desktop releases and OpenAI announcements, especially if you rely on Windows integration features.
Have You Updated Yet?
Have you updated your Codex desktop app to the new ChatGPT Desktop?
If you're using Windows or macOS, I'd love to hear about your experience.
Did the migration complete successfully, or did you encounter similar setup issues?
Share your experience in the comments below so other users can learn from it.
Keywords: OpenAI Codex, ChatGPT Desktop, Codex Update, ChatGPT Windows App, GPT-5.5 Desktop, AI Coding Assistant, OpenAI Desktop App, Windows Setup Error, Codex Migration, ChatGPT Computer Use