Why Ctrl+V won't paste images in Claude Code on WSL, with a fix
by rajveerb on 5/25/2026, 2:41:09 PM
https://rajveerbachkaniwala.com/blog/2026/05/24/on-the-difficulty-of-pasting-a-picture/
Comments
by: dested
Unrelated but I have a similar problem with speech to text apps on windows, where due to the funkiness of claude codes (necessary) implementation, it doesn't send the keybindings correctly.<p>I sure wish it didn't have to be a console app
5/28/2026, 4:05:19 AM
by: benjaminl
Ctrl+V paste works for me on WSL. My secret is that I have given up on WSLg and use a standalone X Windows server. Specifically, the X410 X Server. This removes a whole lot of weird behavior including the ones described by the article.
5/28/2026, 3:14:59 AM
by: bombcar
I have the opposite problem; pasting anything moderately substantial into VSClaude ends up sending an image.
5/28/2026, 3:38:24 AM
by: rajveerb
tl;dr Use Claude Code in WSL inside Windows Terminal? Copying an image in Windows and pressing Ctrl+V in Claude Code doesn't work. Three things break: (1) WSL only hands Windows images to the Linux side in an old BMP format Claude Code can't read; (2) WSL also keeps quietly overwriting your fixes a moment later; (3) Windows Terminal grabs Ctrl+V before Claude Code can see it. The fix is a small Windows program that converts the image to PNG, a Linux script that puts it on the Linux clipboard (and re-asserts once after WSL overwrites it), and one extra keybinding for Claude Code so the keystroke actually reaches the program.<p>Code: <a href="https://github.com/rajveerb/wsl-clip-bridge" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/rajveerb/wsl-clip-bridge</a>
5/25/2026, 2:41:09 PM
by: jocelyner
[dead]
5/28/2026, 4:05:05 AM
by: jadar
The last "When this stops being needed" needs one amendment: "Or stop using Windows."
5/28/2026, 2:43:30 AM