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[Bug]: Local HTML files open to a blank viewer in T3 Code Desktop #11191

Description

@mullen-hash

Before submitting

  • I searched existing issues and did not find a duplicate.
  • I included enough detail to reproduce or investigate the problem.

Area

apps/desktop

Steps to reproduce

  1. In T3 Code Desktop, open a project containing a local .html file.
  2. In the right-hand workspace file explorer, click the HTML file (reproduced with docs/issues-log-effort.html).
  3. Leave the embedded rendered-page view selected.
  4. Observe the center viewer pane.
  5. Toggle to Show HTML source and confirm that the file contains normal HTML content.
  6. Open an adjacent .md file as a comparison; its contents display normally.
Blank HTML viewer in T3 Code Desktop

Expected behavior

The local HTML document should render in the embedded viewer. If rendering fails, the pane should show an actionable error instead of a blank page.

Actual behavior

The HTML file opens as a completely blank white pane. The embedded document resolves to chrome-error://chromewebdata/ with no visible error or recovery controls.

The HTML source view works and shows the file's contents, and an adjacent Markdown file opens normally, so the failure appears isolated to rendered HTML files in the desktop file viewer.

Related but not an exact duplicate: #7212 concerns a failed floating browser preview; #10935 concerns compressed assets rendering as plain text.

Impact

Major degradation or frequent failure

Version or commit

T3 Code 0.0.40 (Stable)

Environment

macOS; T3 Code Desktop 0.0.40 Stable; local checkout

Logs or stack traces

Embedded viewer document URL: `chrome-error://chromewebdata/`

Screenshots, recordings, or supporting files

No response

Workaround

Toggle Show HTML source to read the file, open it in an external browser, or use a Markdown version instead.

Activity

  1. added
    bugSomething is broken or behaving incorrectly.
    needs-triageIssue needs maintainer review and initial categorization.
    on Sep 11, 2026
  2. juliusmarminge commented on Sep 11, 2026

    @juliusmarminge
    Member

    Triage

    Confirmed as a real desktop file-viewer bug, not a duplicate of #7212, #10935, or #9533.

    Opening a local .html file in the Desktop file explorer uses the in-panel renderer (WorkspaceBrowserPreview in apps/web/src/components/files/FilePreviewPanel.tsx): a signed /api/assets/… URL in a sandboxed <iframe>. Source view and Markdown do not use that iframe, which matches the report.

    On Desktop the renderer CSP in apps/desktop/src/electron/ElectronProtocol.ts is still:

    frame-src 'self' https://challenges.cloudflare.com

    img-src / media-src already allow http: / https: for environment asset URLs; frames do not. Chromium then navigates the iframe to chrome-error://chromewebdata/ and the pane stays blank, with no load-error UI.

    This is the same CSP miss as blank PDF previews. Open PR #10541 already widens frame-src to http: / https: and should unblock HTML as well. It has not landed (security review on relaxing frame-src). #9143 added the HTML/PDF iframe viewer without updating this policy.

    #10935 is a separate follow-on: compressed assets can lose Content-Type and render as plain text. That is not this chrome-error blank page.

    Suggested fix

    1. Land fix(desktop): allow PDF previews from connected environments #10541 or an equivalent desktop frame-src change, and verify a local .html file in Desktop (not only PDF).
    2. Optional: surface iframe load failures so a blocked document is not a silent white pane.

    Workaround

    Use Show HTML source, open the file in an external browser, or use the globe “Open in preview browser” control if the integrated browser is available.

  3. added
    acceptedfeature request accepted
    via-triageFiled through npx t3 triage
    and removed
    needs-triageIssue needs maintainer review and initial categorization.
    on Sep 11, 2026
  4. mylesthedev commented on Sep 28, 2026

    @mylesthedev

    I’m seeing similar behavior in T3 Code 0.0.42 alpha on macOS, with agent-generated HTML plans and mockups stored under ~/.t3.

    Steps to reproduce

    1. Ask an agent to create an HTML plan or mockup, saved under ~/.t3.
    2. Click the HTML file link in the agent’s response.
    3. The preview browser opens but displays a blank screen. No error message appears.

    Expected: The generated HTML document renders in the preview browser.

    Actual: The preview remains blank, with no indication of why loading failed.

    Workaround: Right-click the file link, reveal it in Finder, and open it in an external browser. The same file renders correctly there.

    The ~/.t3 location may be relevant. I haven’t confirmed whether files inside the project folder behave differently, or whether this has the same underlying cause as the original report.

  5. juliusmarminge commented on Oct 7, 2026

    @juliusmarminge
    Member

    Fixed by #11265: the desktop CSP now allows http(s) frames, so local HTML files render. If a file under ~/.t3 still opens blank, please open a new issue.

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