Image Paste

How to paste screenshots and other clipboard images into supported AI workflows on Windows.

How image paste works

Copy an image to the Windows clipboard. Screenshots, mockups, terminal captures, and diagrams all work well.

Focus the supported target app and place the cursor in the composer or input area that accepts pasted images.

Use PromptPaste's image paste action or shortcut.

Confirm that the image appeared in the target app before you send the prompt.

Supported app and workflow notes

Claude, Codex, ChatGPT, and similar AI tools

These are common destinations when the focused composer already accepts clipboard image paste. PromptPaste does not add support to apps that do not already allow pasted images.

Screenshot prompting

Useful for bug reports, terminal errors, UI review, mockups, diagrams, and product images that are easier to show than describe.

Works alongside voice drafting

A practical flow is to draft the request by voice first, then paste the screenshot before sending. Voice remains the primary input; image paste adds context.

Limitations

The target app must support pasted clipboard images in the exact field you are using.
Some fields accept text only, even inside apps that support image attachments elsewhere.
The intended composer or input area must be focused. A container, sidebar, or inactive panel is not enough.
Once pasted, the receiving app handles storage, retention, and model-side behavior according to its own product rules.

Best practices

Use clean screenshots with the relevant area visible. Cropped images are easier for AI tools to interpret.
Pair the image with a short voice-drafted brief so the model knows what to look for and what output you want.
Prefer paste over file selection when the image is already on your clipboard. It keeps the workflow faster and more local.
If image paste fails, try a normal manual paste in that same field. That is the fastest way to confirm whether the limitation is in the target app.

Troubleshooting

Nothing happened after image paste

Check that the image is really on the clipboard and that the focused field accepts images. Text-only fields silently ignore image paste in many apps.

The wrong element received the paste

Click directly into the target composer and try again. In multi-pane apps, focus is often on the wrong panel even when the window looks active.

The app supports uploads but not pasted images

That is an app-specific limitation. PromptPaste can use paste-based workflows, but it cannot substitute for an upload-only UI.

For broader diagnostics, see Troubleshooting. For concrete workflow examples, see Use Cases.