Claude Code on Windows

How to paste a screenshot into Claude Code

The short answer: Claude Code's documentation lists three ways. Paste with Ctrl+V (Alt+V on Windows and WSL), drag the image file into the Claude Code window, or give Claude the file's path in your prompt. This page covers all three, what to do if a paste does nothing, and how to right-size the screenshot first.

Download for Windows Screenshots for AI coding

You want to show Claude Code a screenshot — an error dialog, a broken layout, a design frame — and typing it out would take forever. A terminal is not a chat box, so adding an image takes one of the routes Claude Code documents. There are three, and two of them start from a saved file.

This is a Maxisnap-published guide. Maxisnap makes a Windows screenshot tool whose export is built for exactly this hand-off, so it appears where it's relevant — but the routes below work with any screenshot, from any tool.

The documented routes

What are the three ways to give Claude Code an image?

Anthropic's Claude Code documentation, read in October 2026, lists three ways to add an image: drag and drop it into the Claude Code window, paste it with Ctrl+V (Alt+V on Windows and WSL), or give Claude the image's file path.

Route	How
File path in the prompt	Type or paste the saved image's path, e.g. `C:\Users\you\shot.png`, in your message.
Drag the file in	Drag the image file from Explorer (or straight from a capture tool) into the Claude Code window.
Paste shortcut	Copy the image, then press Ctrl+V, or Alt+V on Windows and WSL.

Check Claude Code's current documentation for the exact paste key. A file path does not depend on the clipboard.

If a paste does nothing

What if Ctrl+V does nothing in the terminal?

Try Alt+V first. Anthropic's Claude Code documentation, read in October 2026, says that on WSL both Ctrl+V and Alt+V are bound, and to use Alt+V if your terminal intercepts Ctrl+V. If neither key adds the image, use a saved file: drag it into the Claude Code window or give Claude its path in your prompt. Neither of those routes uses the clipboard.

Before you paste

Should I resize the screenshot before sending it?

Yes, if you're doing this all day. A full-resolution capture is usually more image than the job needs. Anthropic's vision guide, read in October 2026, says images above a model's size limits are downscaled before processing, and suggests downsampling images before sending them to control token costs when you do not need the extra fidelity.

Maxisnap's AI-optimized export produces a copy capped at a default maximum width of 1600 px (configurable in Settings), ready to drag into the terminal or reference by path. Before exporting, exclude credentials and private customer data from the capture or crop them out. Blur can obscure a detail visually, but it cannot guarantee that sensitive text will remain secret.

$ the fastest reliable hand-off

1. Ctrl+Alt+5  ->  drag a box around the error
2. crop secrets out, export the AI-optimized copy, and inspect it
3. drag the saved file into the terminal
   ...or paste its path:  read this: C:\Users\you\shot.png

Frequently asked

Pasting screenshots into Claude Code — FAQ

What if Ctrl+V does not paste my screenshot into Claude Code?

How do I add an image without using the clipboard?

Reference the saved file by its path in your message, or drag the file into the Claude Code window. Both routes are in Claude Code's documentation, and neither uses the clipboard.

Does the screenshot need to be a certain size?

Smaller is usually better. Anthropic's vision guide, read in October 2026, says images above a model's size limits are downscaled before processing, and suggests downsampling images before sending them to control token costs when you do not need the extra fidelity. Maxisnap's AI-optimized copy is capped at 1600 px wide by default.

How do I hide an API key before sending a screenshot?

Keep the key outside the selected capture area or use Crop to remove it before export. Blur alone can leave enough detail to infer text. If cropping is unsuitable, use a fully opaque redaction tool in another editor and inspect the flattened image before giving it to Claude Code.

Can I do the same thing with Codex CLI or Gemini CLI?

Yes, each documents its own ways to add an image. Our screenshots for AI coding page has the per-tool detail, and screen recording for AI coding covers sending a short clip when a still isn't enough.

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