Legacy Codex local JSONL session import into cloud-synced Codex Desktop
Hello OpenAI/Codex Support,
I am requesting a supported migration/import path for legacy Codex local sessions into the new cloud-synced Codex Desktop app.
My current situation:
I have 269 legacy Codex sessions stored locally as
.jsonlfiles.Some individual session files are over 180MB.
I upgraded to the new Codex Desktop app, package
com.codexorbit.app, version familyv26.422+.The new app appears to use cloud-synced thread history for the Desktop sidebar, with local SQLite caching in
orbit.db, rather than directly listing legacy local.jsonlsessions.
Desired feature:
Please provide a supported way to import local legacy Codex .jsonl sessions so they appear as native, sidebar-visible Codex Desktop threads under my account.
Why current workarounds are insufficient:
SQLite patching is not viable. Injecting records into
orbit.dbdoes not create valid account-owned cloud thread IDs, and the app’s sync layer appears to purge or reject records that do not exist on the backend.Drag-and-drop file attachment is useful for referencing old context, but it does not preserve 269 individual threads, titles, timestamps, project grouping, tool history, or sidebar continuity.
External local viewers can make the archive searchable, but they do not solve migration into the native Codex Desktop workflow.
A useful migration feature could be one of:
A Codex Desktop “Import legacy sessions” command.
A CLI migration tool that uploads local
.jsonlsessions into my account as Codex cloud threads.A documented admin/support-assisted import process.
A local-only legacy sidebar mode that indexes old
.jsonlsessions without conflicting with cloud sync.
I am happy to provide sanitized schema samples, file-size distribution, and logs if helpful. The key requirement is a supported import path that does not require unsupported SQLite edits or private backend API manipulation.
Thank you.
Discussion in the ATmosphere