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On Emacs 29 and later, register a `yank-media-handler' for `image/.*' in every Claude buffer. When the user pastes an image from the system clipboard the handler writes the bytes to a temp file and injects `@<path> ' into the terminal via `claude-code--term-send-string' — Claude's CLI reads `@path' references natively and attaches the image to the next message. Temp files are tracked per-buffer and cleaned up on kill-buffer when `claude-code-image-paste-cleanup-on-kill' is non-nil. Works transparently across all three terminal backends (eat, vterm, ghostel) because the abstraction already dispatches send-string per backend. Two new defcustoms control the feature and cleanup behavior. Documents the feature in README and adds a Features bullet.
Wrap yank-media in an interactive command that targets the Claude buffer via claude-code--with-buffer, so the user can invoke it from anywhere — command map prefix on p, or the Send group of the transient menu. README updated to mention the binding.
The default temp dir on macOS is nested deep under /var/folders/... which makes the @<path> reference inserted at the prompt unreadable. New defcustom claude-code-image-paste-directory defaults to /tmp on systems that have it and falls back to temporary-file-directory on others. Users can override to e.g. ~/.claude/pastes/ for a project directory.
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Summary
M-x yank-media. The handler writes the image to a temp file and injects@<path>at the prompt; Claude's CLI reads@pathreferences natively and attaches the image to the next message.claude-code--term-send-stringabstraction.claude-code-enable-image-paste(defaultt) andclaude-code-image-paste-cleanup-on-kill(defaultt). Requires Emacs 29+ (yank-media-handler); no-op on older versions.Motivation
This is a long-standing request (issue #127). Terminal emulators don't forward OS-level clipboard image data or drag events to the CLI on their own, but the Claude CLI does accept file path references via
@path. Bridging those two viayank-media-handleris a small, uncomplicated glue.Implementation notes
coding-system-for-write 'binaryso PNG/JPEG bytes are preserved verbatim.temporary-file-directorywith aclaude-image-prefix and a type-appropriate extension (.png,.jpg,.gif,.webp,.bmp; falls back to.pngfor unrecognized image/* types).claude-code-image-paste-cleanup-on-killis non-nil.(fboundp 'yank-media-handler)so it's a no-op on Emacs < 29.Test plan
M-x claude-code,M-x yank-media— verify the prompt shows@/tmp/claude-image-XXXX.pngand sending the message works..jpgextension.claude-code-image-paste-cleanup-on-killat its defaultt).claude-code-image-paste-cleanup-on-killto nil, kill buffer, verify the file stays.claude-code-enable-image-pasteto nil, open a fresh Claude buffer, verifyyank-mediadoes nothing.eat,vterm,ghostel); feature should work identically in each.