How to Uninstall the Codex Plugin from VS Code: Step-by-Step Guide

To uninstall the Codex plugin from VS Code, open the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X), search for "Codex" by OpenAI, click Uninstall, and reload the window.

The Codex plugin distributed by OpenAI is a standard VS Code extension that integrates Claude Code functionality into your editor. Since the extension is published to the VS Code marketplace and manages its lifecycle through the standard VS Code extension host, removing it requires only the built-in extension manager. According to the openai/codex-plugin-cc repository, the installation process uses the marketplace command /plugin marketplace add openai/codex-plugin-cc, which confirms that the reverse operation follows normal VS Code uninstallation flows.

Uninstalling the Codex Plugin via the VS Code GUI

The most straightforward method uses the Extensions view built into VS Code. This approach works across Windows, macOS, and Linux without requiring terminal access.

Follow these steps to remove the extension:

1. Open VS Code.
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+X (or click the Extensions icon on the Activity Bar) to open the Extensions view.
3. In the search box, type codex — the extension appears as "Codex" published by OpenAI.
4. Click the Uninstall button on the extension’s card.
5. When prompted, reload VS Code to complete the removal.

After the reload, VS Code deletes the extension files from the internal extensions folder and unregisters all commands contributed by the plugin, including /codex:review.

Uninstalling via the VS Code CLI

If you prefer command-line operations or need to automate the uninstallation across multiple machines, use the VS Code CLI tool.

Run the following command in your terminal:

code --uninstall-extension openai.codex-plugin-cc

This command targets the specific extension ID defined in package.json within the openai/codex-plugin-cc repository. The CLI method performs the same cleanup as the GUI approach, removing the extension from the .vscode/extensions directory and updating the internal state database.

Post-Uninstallation Cleanup

Once uninstalled, the system removes several key components:

• Extension files are purged from VS Code’s extensions folder, typically located at ~/.vscode/extensions/ on Unix systems or %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions\ on Windows.
• Plugin metadata stored in plugins/codex/.claude-plugin/plugin.json (generated during installation) is no longer loaded by the extension host.
• Command palette entries and keybindings specific to the Codex plugin become unavailable immediately after the reload.

The README.md in the openai/codex-plugin-cc repository documents the installation process via marketplace commands, which implicitly confirms that no special teardown scripts are required for removal.

Summary

• The Codex plugin is a standard VS Code extension distributed through the marketplace by OpenAI.
• Use Ctrl+Shift+X to open the Extensions view, search for "Codex", and click Uninstall to remove it graphically.
• Alternatively, run code --uninstall-extension openai.codex-plugin-cc in your terminal for command-line removal.
• A window reload is required to complete the uninstallation and remove commands like /codex:review.
• No additional cleanup scripts are needed because the extension follows standard VS Code lifecycle management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to run special scripts to remove the Codex plugin?

No. Because the extension is a standard VS Code extension as defined in the repository's package.json, you only need to use the built-in Extensions view or the code --uninstall-extension CLI command. The repository does not provide or require any custom uninstallation scripts.

Where are the Codex plugin files stored in VS Code?

The extension files reside in VS Code's global extensions folder, typically under ~/.vscode/extensions/openai.codex-plugin-cc-* on macOS/Linux or %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions\openai.codex-plugin-cc-* on Windows. These files are automatically deleted when you uninstall the extension and reload the window.

Can I reinstall the Codex plugin after uninstalling it?

Yes. You can reinstall the extension at any time by searching for "Codex" in the Extensions marketplace within VS Code or by running the installation command referenced in the repository's README.md. Your previous settings may persist if VS Code retains extension state data.

What commands become unavailable after uninstalling the Codex plugin?

After removal and reload, all commands prefixed with the Codex namespace are disabled, including /codex:review and any other interactions defined in the extension's contribution points. The plugins/codex/.claude-plugin/plugin.json metadata that registers these commands is no longer loaded by the extension host.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}