Quick answer
Uninstall Codex Desktop and reinstall it on the C: drive, then reopen the workspace. The original reporter confirmed that moving the installation to C: restored CLI discovery.
The exact error
Unable to locate the Codex CLI binary. Set CODEX_CLI_PATH or ensure the Electron resources include bin/codex.Do not use this guide for a merely similar message. The workaround is scoped to this signature and the environments below.
Match your environment
- Codex Desktop 26.506 report
- Windows 11 with WSL
- App installed outside C:
What to do
- 01
Record the current install location
Note whether the app is on another drive and whether the failure affects native Windows, WSL mode, or both.
- 02
Back up only your configuration
Preserve configuration and project files. Do not copy the broken application resources into the new installation.
- 03
Reinstall the app on C:
Use the official installer and its default C: location. The issue reporter confirmed that moving/reinstalling to C: restored the bundled CLI lookup.
- 04
Verify both modes separately
Open a native Windows folder first. If you use WSL, test a WSL repository in a separate fresh conversation.
What likely happened
The Electron app could not find the CLI executable in its expected bundled resources. The successful C: reinstall points to install-location or package-discovery behavior in the reported build.
First-hand sources
Source links support the environment and workaround claims above. An issue being closed does not by itself mean a fix shipped.