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Codex Desktop New Chat Reconnecting 5 Times? Fix It with One Config Change ​

Summary: Codex Desktop keeps showing "Reconnecting" 5 times when you open a new chat? This is a proven HTTP/SSE fallback fix: edit config.toml to disable WebSocket, and you can stop the repeated reconnecting on your first message behind a proxy in about 2 minutes — no API Key required.

📚 Table of Contents ​

1. The Bottom Line: Quick Fix

Codex Desktop showing "Reconnecting" 5 times in a new chat is a common problem for users on a proxy. The core fix: add an OpenAI provider that forces the HTTP/SSE protocol in config.toml, and make it the default.

Just copy this config and you are done:

toml
model_provider = "openai_http"

[model_providers.openai_http]
name = "OpenAI HTTP only"
wire_api = "responses"
supports_websockets = false
requires_openai_auth = true

Note: after switching, the chat history list may only show conversations under the new provider. That is expected behavior.

If you do not have Codex Desktop installed yet, start with the Codex App Guide.

2. The Problem: Does This Sound Like You?

Codex new chat repeatedly showing Reconnecting on the first message

When using Codex Desktop, have you seen any of these:

  • Your first message in a new chat (New Chat) triggers 5 Reconnecting popups in a row
  • The very first question after launching the app always reconnects
  • Everything is fine afterward — only new chats trigger it
  • It is most obvious with a local proxy (e.g. 127.0.0.1:10808); direct connections rarely hit it

If this matches your situation, the HTTP/SSE fix below will resolve it.

3. Does This Fix Apply to You?

✅ This fix works if:

  • Codex signs in normally
  • You eventually get an answer — it is only the first request of a new chat that keeps reconnecting
  • You are using a proxy / VPN tool

❌ This fix does not apply if:

  • You cannot sign in at all or see a blank screen
  • Every request fails permanently
  • The proxy node itself cannot reach OpenAI's servers

Want to compare Codex quotas across plans? See the Codex Quota Comparison.

4. Why Does Codex Keep Reconnecting in a New Chat?

Codex prefers WebSocket for streaming by default. It is efficient, but it is very sensitive to local proxies. If anything jitters in the WebSocket handshake (Upgrade), the TLS tunnel, or the long-lived connection, Codex triggers its automatic reconnection — usually about 5 retries.

Many articles about this issue tell you to "switch nodes" or "just retry." That only treats the symptom. This article takes a different approach: don't switch nodes, don't change the retry count — drop WebSocket entirely and force the more proxy-friendly HTTP/SSE (Server-Sent Events) streaming instead.

5. Step-by-Step Fix

Step 1: Fully close Codex Desktop ​

Step 2: Back up the config file ​

The config file is located at:

  • Windows: C:\Users\your-username\.codex\config.toml
  • macOS / Linux: ~/.codex/config.toml

If you cannot find the file, run codex --version once to let Codex generate a default config, then continue.

PowerShell backup command:

powershell
Copy-Item "$env:USERPROFILE\.codex\config.toml" "$env:USERPROFILE\.codex\config.toml.bak"

The .codex config directory

Backing up config.toml

Step 3: Edit config.toml ​

  1. Change model_provider at the top to:

    toml
    model_provider = "openai_http"

    Change model_provider to openai_http

  2. Append the following at the very bottom of the file:

    toml
    [model_providers.openai_http]
name = "OpenAI HTTP only"
wire_api = "responses"
supports_websockets = false
requires_openai_auth = true

    Append the openai_http provider at the bottom of config.toml

Step 4: Save and restart Codex Desktop ​

6. Complete config.toml Example

toml
model_provider = "openai_http"
model = "gpt-5.5"
model_reasoning_effort = "high"

[windows]
sandbox = "elevated"

# HTTP/SSE provider (fixes Reconnecting in new chats)
[model_providers.openai_http]
name = "OpenAI HTTP only"
wire_api = "responses"
supports_websockets = false
requires_openai_auth = true

7. What Each Config Option Does

Config optionWhat it does
model_provider = "openai_http"Makes the HTTP-only provider the default
supports_websockets = falseThe key one: disables WebSocket, forces HTTP/SSE
requires_openai_auth = trueKeeps using your web login — no API Key
wire_api = "responses"Keeps using the newer Responses API

8. How to Verify the Fix

  1. Verify from the command line:

    bash
    codex debug models

    Output of codex debug models

  2. Open Codex → New Chat → type "hello"

    Sending a test message in a new chat

  3. Confirm that Reconnecting no longer keeps popping up

9. FAQ

Q1: What is the most common cause of Codex Desktop showing "Reconnecting" 5 times in a new chat? A: A local proxy's poor support for the WebSocket protocol upgrade causes the handshake to fail.

Q2: Does switching to HTTP/SSE affect response quality? A: No. It only changes the transport protocol; model capability and context remain exactly the same.

Q3: Do I need an OpenAI API Key for this? A: No. requires_openai_auth = true keeps using your web login authorization.

Q4: What if Codex crashes after I change the config? A: It is almost always a TOML syntax error. Restore the config.toml.bak backup to recover.

Q5: What if it still reconnects occasionally? A: The proxy node itself is probably unstable. Try optimizing the proxy client core (for example switching to Sing-box) or use a lower-latency node.