diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/focus.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/focus.ts
index 2d403edef6ef9..f1ea428c3c09a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/focus.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/focus.ts
@@ -38,8 +38,14 @@ interface InsertRefsDetail {
   target: ComposerTarget
 }
 
+interface AttachImagesDetail {
+  blobs: Blob[]
+  target: ComposerTarget
+}
+
 const FOCUS_EVENT = 'hermes:composer-focus'
 const INSERT_EVENT = 'hermes:composer-insert'
+const ATTACH_IMAGES_EVENT = 'hermes:composer-attach-images'
 const INSERT_REFS_EVENT = 'hermes:composer-insert-refs'
 const SUBMIT_EVENT = 'hermes:composer-submit'
 const VOICE_TOGGLE_EVENT = 'hermes:composer-voice-toggle'
@@ -220,6 +226,22 @@ export const onComposerFocusRequest = (handler: (detail: FocusDetail) => void) =
 export const onComposerInsertRequest = (handler: (detail: InsertDetail) => void) =>
   subscribe<InsertDetail>(INSERT_EVENT, handler)
 
+/** Attach image blobs to a composer's attachment set — the unfocused-paste
+ *  path (paste-to-focus) hands clipboard images over here. The edit composer
+ *  takes no attachments (its own paste path ignores images), so a request
+ *  resolving to `'edit'` is dropped by that surface's target filter. */
+export const requestComposerAttachImages = (
+  blobs: Blob[],
+  { target = 'active' }: { target?: ComposerTarget | 'active' } = {}
+) => {
+  if (blobs.length) {
+    dispatch<AttachImagesDetail>(ATTACH_IMAGES_EVENT, { blobs, target: resolve(target) })
+  }
+}
+
+export const onComposerAttachImagesRequest = (handler: (detail: AttachImagesDetail) => void) =>
+  subscribe<AttachImagesDetail>(ATTACH_IMAGES_EVENT, handler)
+
 /** Insert typed ref chips (carrying a display label) into a composer — the
  * structured cousin of {@link requestComposerInsert}, used for session links. */
 export const requestComposerInsertRefs = (
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
index b43f9b90e93e2..5711255d0b4e4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import { COMPOSER_AREAS, runComposerMiddleware } from './contrib'
 import { ComposerControls } from './controls'
 import { ComposerDirectiveActions } from './directive-actions'
 import { COMPOSER_DROP_ACTIVE_CLASS, COMPOSER_DROP_FADE_CLASS } from './drop-affordance'
-import { markActiveComposer } from './focus'
+import { markActiveComposer, onComposerAttachImagesRequest } from './focus'
 import { HelpHint } from './help-hint'
 import { useAtCompletions } from './hooks/use-at-completions'
 import { useComposerBranch } from './hooks/use-composer-branch'
@@ -233,6 +233,27 @@ export function ChatBar({
     syncDraftFromEditor
   })
 
+  // Paste-to-focus: clipboard images from an unfocused ⌘V ride the bus (the
+  // window dispatcher has no handle on this composer's attachment scope).
+  // Same ingestion as a focused paste's image branch.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!onAttachImageBlob) {
+      return undefined
+    }
+
+    return onComposerAttachImagesRequest(({ blobs, target }) => {
+      if (target !== scope.target) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      triggerHaptic('selection')
+
+      for (const blob of blobs) {
+        void onAttachImageBlob(blob)
+      }
+    })
+  }, [onAttachImageBlob, scope.target])
+
   // Prior history belongs to the draft that just left — undoing into another
   // conversation's text is worse than having none.
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/paste-to-focus.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/paste-to-focus.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b86c715561dda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/paste-to-focus.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import {
+  onComposerAttachImagesRequest,
+  onComposerFocusRequest,
+  onComposerInsertRequest
+} from './focus'
+import { handleWindowPaste, routeClipboardToComposer } from './paste-to-focus'
+
+/** Minimal DataTransfer stand-in: text/plain + optional image file items. */
+function clipboard({ files = [] as File[], text = '' } = {}): DataTransfer {
+  return {
+    files: { item: (i: number) => files[i] ?? null, length: files.length },
+    getData: (type: string) => (type === 'text' || type === 'text/plain' ? text : ''),
+    items: files.map(file => ({ getAsFile: () => file, kind: 'file', type: file.type }))
+  } as unknown as DataTransfer
+}
+
+const image = (name = 'shot.png') => new File([new Uint8Array(8192)], name, { type: 'image/png' })
+
+/** The bus defers dispatch a macrotask; flush it. */
+const flushBus = () => new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1))
+
+function pasteEvent(clip: DataTransfer, target: EventTarget = document.body): ClipboardEvent {
+  const event = new Event('paste', { bubbles: true, cancelable: true }) as ClipboardEvent
+
+  Object.defineProperty(event, 'clipboardData', { value: clip })
+  Object.defineProperty(event, 'target', { value: target })
+
+  return event
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  document.body.replaceChildren()
+  vi.restoreAllMocks()
+})
+
+describe('routeClipboardToComposer', () => {
+  it('routes pasted text to the composer as an insert', async () => {
+    const inserts: string[] = []
+    const off = onComposerInsertRequest(({ text }) => inserts.push(text))
+
+    expect(routeClipboardToComposer(clipboard({ text: 'hello there' }))).toBe(true)
+    await flushBus()
+    off()
+
+    expect(inserts).toEqual(['hello there'])
+  })
+
+  it('chips a pasted link the same way a focused paste does', async () => {
+    const inserts: string[] = []
+    const off = onComposerInsertRequest(({ text }) => inserts.push(text))
+
+    routeClipboardToComposer(clipboard({ text: 'see https://example.com/docs' }))
+    await flushBus()
+    off()
+
+    expect(inserts[0]).toContain('@url:')
+  })
+
+  it('attaches clipboard images and pulls focus on an image-only paste', async () => {
+    const attached: Blob[][] = []
+    const focused: boolean[] = []
+    const offAttach = onComposerAttachImagesRequest(({ blobs }) => attached.push(blobs))
+    const offFocus = onComposerFocusRequest(() => focused.push(true))
+
+    expect(routeClipboardToComposer(clipboard({ files: [image()] }))).toBe(true)
+    await flushBus()
+    offAttach()
+    offFocus()
+
+    expect(attached).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(attached[0]).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(focused).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
+  it('takes both from a mixed paste — images attach AND the text inserts', async () => {
+    const attached: Blob[][] = []
+    const inserts: string[] = []
+    const offAttach = onComposerAttachImagesRequest(({ blobs }) => attached.push(blobs))
+    const offInsert = onComposerInsertRequest(({ text }) => inserts.push(text))
+
+    routeClipboardToComposer(clipboard({ files: [image()], text: 'look at this' }))
+    await flushBus()
+    offAttach()
+    offInsert()
+
+    expect(attached).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(inserts).toEqual(['look at this'])
+  })
+
+  it('reports an empty clipboard as unhandled', () => {
+    expect(routeClipboardToComposer(clipboard())).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('handleWindowPaste', () => {
+  it('swallows a routed paste on non-editable chrome', () => {
+    const event = pasteEvent(clipboard({ text: 'hi' }))
+
+    handleWindowPaste(event)
+
+    expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('yields to editable targets — they own their own paste', () => {
+    const input = document.createElement('input')
+    document.body.append(input)
+    const event = pasteEvent(clipboard({ text: 'hi' }), input)
+
+    handleWindowPaste(event)
+
+    expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('yields while a dialog covers the chat, like type-to-focus', () => {
+    const dialog = document.createElement('div')
+    dialog.setAttribute('role', 'dialog')
+    document.body.append(dialog)
+    const event = pasteEvent(clipboard({ text: 'hi' }))
+
+    handleWindowPaste(event)
+
+    expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('leaves an already-handled or empty paste alone', () => {
+    const handled = pasteEvent(clipboard({ text: 'hi' }))
+    handled.preventDefault()
+    const before = handled.defaultPrevented
+
+    handleWindowPaste(handled)
+    expect(before).toBe(true)
+
+    const empty = pasteEvent(clipboard())
+    handleWindowPaste(empty)
+    expect(empty.defaultPrevented).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/paste-to-focus.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/paste-to-focus.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9cf56228db79d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/paste-to-focus.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/**
+ * Paste-to-focus: the paste twin of type-to-focus. A ⌘V/Ctrl+V landing on
+ * non-editable chrome (the transcript, empty chat, the window body) routes the
+ * clipboard into the active composer instead of dying on the body — images
+ * attach, text inserts (links/paths chipping exactly like a focused paste),
+ * and the composer takes focus so the user keeps typing.
+ *
+ * Clipboard data is only readable synchronously inside the paste event, so the
+ * window listener extracts everything here and the payload rides the composer
+ * bus. Editable targets keep their own paste handlers, and the same surfaces
+ * that block type-to-focus (dialogs, menus, terminal, full pages) block this.
+ */
+
+import { sanitizeComposerInput } from '@/lib/composer-input-sanitize'
+import { DATA_IMAGE_URL_RE } from '@/lib/embedded-images'
+import { isEditableTarget } from '@/lib/keybinds/combo'
+import { composerFocusBlockedBySurface } from '@/lib/keybinds/composer-focus-keys'
+
+import { requestComposerAttachImages, requestComposerFocus, requestComposerInsert } from './focus'
+import { pathifyRefs } from './path-refs'
+import { extractClipboardImageBlobs } from './text-utils'
+import { linkifyUrls } from './url-refs'
+
+/** Route clipboard contents to the active composer. True when it carried
+ *  something a composer can take (the caller should swallow the event). */
+export function routeClipboardToComposer(clipboard: DataTransfer): boolean {
+  const blobs = extractClipboardImageBlobs(clipboard)
+  const text = sanitizeComposerInput(clipboard.getData('text').trim())
+
+  if (blobs.length > 0) {
+    requestComposerAttachImages(blobs)
+  }
+
+  // A bare `data:` URL IS the image attached above — not text to insert.
+  if (text && !DATA_IMAGE_URL_RE.test(text)) {
+    // Same chipping the focused paste path applies: links land as `@url:`
+    // chips, bare `@path` tokens promote. The insert focuses the composer.
+    requestComposerInsert(pathifyRefs(linkifyUrls(text)), { mode: 'inline' })
+
+    return true
+  }
+
+  if (blobs.length > 0) {
+    // Image-only paste: pull focus so the attach lands somewhere visible.
+    requestComposerFocus('active')
+
+    return true
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
+
+/** The window-level `paste` dispatcher (use-keybinds registers it beside the
+ *  keydown listener). Yields to editables — they own their own paste — and to
+ *  every surface that owns its keys per type-to-focus. */
+export function handleWindowPaste(event: ClipboardEvent) {
+  if (
+    event.defaultPrevented ||
+    !event.clipboardData ||
+    isEditableTarget(event.target) ||
+    composerFocusBlockedBySurface()
+  ) {
+    return
+  }
+
+  if (routeClipboardToComposer(event.clipboardData)) {
+    event.preventDefault()
+  }
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
index 1e2107f517686..bc9a0ead25c17 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ import { openNewWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 import { useTheme } from '@/themes/context'
 
 import { requestComposerFocus, requestModelMenuToggle, requestVoiceToggle } from '../chat/composer/focus'
+import { handleWindowPaste } from '../chat/composer/paste-to-focus'
 import { openSession } from '../open-session'
 import {
   $workspaceIsPage,
@@ -413,12 +414,17 @@ export function useKeybinds(deps: KeybindRuntimeDeps): void {
     window.addEventListener('keyup', onKeyUp, { capture: true })
     window.addEventListener('blur', onBlur)
     window.addEventListener('contextmenu', onContextMenu, { capture: true })
+    // Paste twin of type-to-focus: ⌘V on non-editable chrome routes the
+    // clipboard (text AND images) into the active composer. Bubble phase so
+    // editables' own paste handlers run first and mark the event handled.
+    window.addEventListener('paste', handleWindowPaste)
 
     return () => {
       window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown, { capture: true })
       window.removeEventListener('keyup', onKeyUp, { capture: true })
       window.removeEventListener('blur', onBlur)
       window.removeEventListener('contextmenu', onContextMenu, { capture: true })
+      window.removeEventListener('paste', handleWindowPaste)
     }
   }, [])
 }