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A Codex Desktop user reports that Crashpad folders grew to about 323GB, containing roughly 4.04 million files measured from Oct. 15 to Oct. 17, 2026. The user says the accumulation left 1.4GB free on a 926GB Mac disk, with no in-app warning; the report asks OpenAI to add storage limits, cleanup and a warning. The post is an individual report, not confirmation that all users or installations are affected.
A Codex Desktop user says the app’s Crashpad folders grew to about 323GB on a Mac, leaving only 1.4GB free on a 926GB disk during measurements from Oct. 15 to Oct. 17, 2026. The report on GitHub says the files accumulated without an in-app warning, raising concerns about disk space and whether other users face the same issue.
The reporter identified two locations under the user’s Library folder: 180GB and 2,251,765 files in `~/Library/Application Support/com.openai.codex/web/Crashpad`, and 143GB and 1,785,095 files in `~/Library/Application Support/Codex/Crashpad`. The post says nearly all of the second folder’s data was in its `pending` directory. Together, the folders held about 4.04 million files, or roughly 35% of the reported 926GB disk.
The report identifies the setup as ChatGPT.app version 26.1007.71326, build 20398, Codex Framework using Chromium 155.0.8059.40, macOS 15.7.4 and Apple Silicon. The user says the app continued working while the files accumulated, and that the issue was found by checking disk usage with `du` rather than through an app notification.
For cleanup, the user says they renamed both Crashpad folders while the app was still running, then deleted the renamed copies. Available space rose from 1.4GB to more than 50GB within minutes, according to the post, while deletion continued because of the millions of small files. This is the reporter’s account of a single system; the post does not establish how widespread the behavior is or whether OpenAI has confirmed a cause.
A Disk-Space Problem With Limited Visibility
If the reported growth is representative of other installations, a background process could consume large amounts of storage without disrupting the app’s visible operation. That combination may make the problem harder to spot: users might first notice it through low-disk-space warnings from macOS or by manually inspecting application data. The report says the user’s free space fell to 1.4GB before discovery, potentially affecting other tasks that rely on available storage.
The report also points to the burden of cleanup. Millions of small files can take time to remove, and the reporter says deletion was still running after free space had increased. The user asks for a size or file-count cap, automatic pruning and an in-app warning when Codex data grows beyond a few gigabytes. These requests describe proposed remedies, not features OpenAI has announced.
For readers, the central practical point is narrower than a claim that Codex routinely consumes hundreds of gigabytes: one report documents an unusually large accumulation and a way its author located it. Other installations, operating systems and app builds may behave differently. The report warrants attention because the alleged files were substantial, but it does not by itself measure prevalence.
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Earlier Reports Point to Crashpad
The GitHub issue’s title history records an earlier version describing growth to about 5GB; on June 9, 2026, it was changed to say growth was occurring “without any limit” and at least 5GB per day. The later measurements posted for Oct. 15-17 describe a much larger total on the reporter’s machine. These figures refer to different points in the issue’s history and should not be treated as a verified rate applying to every user.
The report links several related GitHub issues, including one titled “browser_crashpad_handler SIGTRAPs 2ms after launch”, which its title says involved launchd restarting the handler and pending files filling disk at about 17GB per day. That linked issue’s title presents a proposed connection between handler crashes and file growth; the supplied material does not include an investigation establishing that as the cause of the newer report.
Crashpad is associated with collecting crash reports, but the source material does not explain why these particular pending files accumulated or whether they were all valid crash dumps. The user separately links a request for storage limits and automatic cleanup for Codex-generated data. That provides product context, but it does not confirm that a fix is planned or that the broader storage request covers this specific behavior.
““Still happening on the current build, and at a much larger scale.””
— The GitHub issue reporter
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Scope and Root Cause Remain Unknown
The supplied report documents one Mac and does not show how many Codex Desktop users are affected, whether the behavior occurs on other builds or operating systems, or how quickly files grow under typical use. Its measurements cover Oct. 15-17, 2026, but do not provide a complete day-by-day log or a controlled reproduction.
The cause is also unconfirmed. The reporter links an issue alleging rapid SIGTRAP crashes and launchd restarts of the Crashpad handler, but the material here does not establish that those events produced the files measured in this case. There is no response from OpenAI in the supplied source, and no confirmed statement about a fix, affected versions, a storage cap or a diagnostic method.
It is also unclear whether the pending files represent repeated crash reports, another type of generated data, or a mixture. The report describes them as Crashpad pending dumps, but offers no independent file analysis. Its cleanup account does not establish whether renaming folders while the app is running is safe or appropriate for other users.
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Watch for an OpenAI Response
The next concrete development would be an OpenAI response to the GitHub issue or a change in a subsequent Codex Desktop build. Readers should look for confirmation of the root cause, affected versions and whether the proposed safeguards—automatic pruning, a storage limit and an in-app warning—will be implemented. No release date or remediation plan appears in the supplied material.
Until more information is available, this report should be treated as a signal to check reported disk usage rather than proof of a universal defect. Users concerned about low storage can inspect application data and consult official support guidance before deleting app files; the source does not provide a general cleanup procedure. Further reports or an official technical explanation would help establish the scale and safe remedy.
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Key Questions
How much storage did the report say was used?
The user reported about 323GB across two Crashpad folders, containing roughly 4.04 million files, measured from Oct. 15 to Oct. 17, 2026.
Does this show that every Codex Desktop user is affected?
No. The source is an individual GitHub report describing one Mac. It does not establish how common the issue is or whether other systems and builds are affected.
What caused the files to accumulate?
The cause has not been confirmed in the supplied material. The reporter links a separate issue about Crashpad handler crashes, but that connection is not established as the cause of the reported 323GB accumulation.
Has OpenAI announced a fix or storage limit?
No fix, release date or storage limit is confirmed in the source material. The reporter asks for a cap, automatic cleanup and an in-app warning.
Source: hn
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