This page lists common issues when migrating OpenAI Codex Desktop between Mac and Windows computers.
Some live Codex or Git cache folders can contain socket or IPC files. The package scripts exclude *.ipc, *.sock, runtime folders, and process manager state by default.
vendor_imports Or Git Object Permission DeniedSome cached Git objects under runtime or vendor import folders may be unreadable. Standard mode excludes vendor_imports, .git, node_modules, .venv, venv, and __pycache__.
Codex session history can be large. If the package is too large, inspect:
~/.codex/sessionsoutputs and artifacts--projectAvoid including node_modules, virtual environments, and Git object stores.
This is expected. Standard and full modes do not migrate browser login state, cookies, auth tokens, or private keys.
Old threads may contain paths like /Users/<name>/Documents/... or C:\Users\<name>\Documents\.... On the target computer, restore or move the project folder, then reopen it from Codex. Avoid direct JSONL path rewrites unless you have a verified backup and a parser-safe migration tool.
Codex Chrome integration may need target-side setup. Reinstall or repair the Chrome plugin from Codex on the target computer and confirm the Codex Chrome extension is installed and enabled in the same Chrome profile.