Codex CLI consumes OpenAI platform credits despite authenticating with ChatGPT Plus account

[Shaurya-Sethi]

What version of Codex is running?

0.14.0

Which model were you using?

codex-mini

What platform is your computer?

Windows

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Run codex
2. Authenticate with ChatGPT account
3. Perform tasks and observe api credits being used (I went into negative balance)

What is the expected behavior?

Codex CLI should not have consumed api credits as I never provided an API key.

What do you see instead?

Additional information

Can assure that I am a plus subscriber - its just that I also happened to have some api credits

[Akrelion45]

Looks related to my issue: #1953
You can not skip / disable the organisation if you have on created.

[Shaurya-Sethi]

True, I just read through it - were you using it from windows or WSL? I'll try installing and using on WSL and update here if it resolves the issue.

They have stated that windows support is limited

[bolinfest]

For now, run it with OPENAI_API_KEY= codex to unset OPENAI_API_KEY

[Akrelion45]

@bolinfest That doesnt work on windows

C:\Users\me>set OPENAI_API_KEY= && codex (node:14552) ExperimentalWarning: Importing JSON modules is an experimental feature and might change at any time (Use node --trace-warnings ...` to show where the warning was created)
╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ ● OpenAI Codex (research preview) v0.16.0 │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ localhost session: 97c36b9a77604f0aa50588f3dbe94d9a │
│ ↳ workdir: C:\Users\me │
│ ↳ model: gpt-5 │
│ ↳ provider: openai │
│ ↳ approval: suggest │
╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
user
test

system
⚠ Insufficient quota: You exceeded your current quota, please check your plan and billing details. For more
information on this error, read the docs: https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/error-codes/api-errors. Manage or
purchase credits at https://platform.openai.com/account/billing.`

I have also tried to copy the auth.json from wsl to windows, but then, it just wants to sign in again. (Copying the auth.json from wsl to a debian root server however, works for example)

[iGodly]

@bolinfest That doesnt work on windows

C:\Users\me>set OPENAI_API_KEY= && codex (node:14552) ExperimentalWarning: Importing JSON modules is an experimental feature and might change at any time (Use node --trace-warnings ...` to show where the warning was created) ╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮ │ ● OpenAI Codex (research preview) v0.16.0 │ ╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯ ╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮ │ localhost session: 97c36b9a77604f0aa50588f3dbe94d9a │ │ ↳ workdir: C:\Users\me │ │ ↳ model: gpt-5 │ │ ↳ provider: openai │ │ ↳ approval: suggest │ ╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯ user test

system
⚠ Insufficient quota: You exceeded your current quota, please check your plan and billing details. For more
information on this error, read the docs: https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/error-codes/api-errors. Manage or
purchase credits at https://platform.openai.com/account/billing.`

I have also tried to copy the auth.json from wsl to windows, but then, it just wants to sign in again. (Copying the auth.json from wsl to a debian root server however, works for example)

Did you find a solution? I tried to run codex on native windows (No WSL installed on my pc), and i also get the same message like you posted.

[M1kEk1M]

Had the same issue on windows, everything works smooth on wsl. Also, looks like different versions or behaviour on windows/wsl (both insallations via npm):

1. On windows can't run /status command,
2. On wsl it exists and returns subscription info

[iGodly]

Had the same issue on windows, everything works smooth on wsl. Also, looks like different versions or behaviour on windows/wsl (both insallations via npm):

1. On windows can't run /status command,
2. On wsl it exists and returns subscription info

Do you have also claude code installed? If so, does it installed on windows native or via wsl?
I have Claude Code installed on windows native, and im afraid that if i'll install Codex using WSL it will "screw up" my claude code or something like that

[Akrelion45]

Had the same issue on windows, everything works smooth on wsl. Also, looks like different versions or behaviour on windows/wsl (both insallations via npm):

1. On windows can't run /status command,
2. On wsl it exists and returns subscription info

Do you have also claude code installed? If so, does it installed on windows native or via wsl? I have Claude Code installed on windows native, and im afraid that if i'll install Codex using WSL it will "screw up" my claude code or something like that

I have Claude Code installed both in wsl and windows. Shouldn't be a problem at all. you can have both.

[bolinfest]

This was fixed in #1971, so it should be available in 0.19.0 or later. Though I would strongly recommend using the latest version (currently 0.21.0: https://github.com/openai/codex/releases).