base64-img-copy-paste

Copy Obsidian notes with local images embedded as base64 Markdown, and convert pasted base64 images back into image files in your vault.

Export a note

1. Open a Markdown note.
2. Open the command palette and run base64-img-copy-paste: Export markdown. You can also choose Export markdown from the note's file menu (including its … menu) or the file explorer context menu.
3. Paste the copied Markdown into your destination application.

The command copies the entire note, including the latest editor changes, to the clipboard. It does not modify the note or create an exported file on disk.

For example:

![Diagram](Attachments/diagram.png)
![[photo.jpg]]

becomes Markdown with embedded image data:

![Diagram](data:image/png;base64,...)
![photo.jpg](data:image/jpeg;base64,...)

Inline Markdown images and Obsidian image embeds are supported, including local relative paths, URL-encoded filenames and angle-bracket paths containing spaces. Export preserves the original image bytes and MIME type. Supported image file extensions are PNG, JPG/JPEG, GIF, WebP, SVG, BMP, AVIF and ICO.

Remote images and existing data URLs are left unchanged. Missing or unreadable local images retain their links and produce a warning. Non-image note/PDF embeds, HTML images and reference-style Markdown images are not expanded. Data URLs may not be supported by every destination application.

Paste base64 images

Paste text containing an image data URL into a Markdown editor. The plugin saves the image as a timestamped PNG in the configured vault folder and inserts a Markdown image reference. Both bare data URLs and ![](data:image/...) wrappers are handled without creating nested image syntax.

For asynchronous image processing through editor transactions, temporary image placeholders are used. Non-PNG input is rendered to PNG, which can discard animation or vector properties. Conversion depends on the image formats supported by the device's browser engine.

Vim keys are handled by Obsidian's Vim mode: yy/p retains linewise behavior, and combinations such as fp remain Vim motions. The plugin transforms supported input transactions rather than taking over the p key or changing Vim registers.

When pasted text starts with > [@ or >[@, the plugin also inserts a quote callout marker:

> [!quote] [@citation]

Settings

• 图片存储文件夹名称 (image folder): vault-relative folder for pasted images; defaults to base64-images. Prefer a path without spaces for generated embeds.
• 默认插入图片的 caption 名称 (image caption): alt text for generated image embeds; defaults to image. An empty value produces empty alt text.

Settings are stored in .obsidian/plugins/img-copy-paste/data.json (or the corresponding custom Obsidian configuration folder). Keep this personal file when updating the plugin; it is not part of the release.

Installation

This plugin is being prepared for the official community directory. Until it is listed, install it manually:

1. Download main.js and manifest.json from a GitHub release.
2. Create .obsidian/plugins/img-copy-paste/ in your vault and put both files there.
3. Reload Obsidian, open Settings → Community plugins, and enable base64-img-copy-paste.

To update, disable the plugin, replace those two release files, then enable it again. Preserve data.json.

Starting with 0.1.2, the plugin ID is img-copy-paste to comply with the community directory's manifest rules. The display name and repository name are unchanged. If upgrading from either old ID (base64-img-paste or base64-img-copy-paste), disable the old plugin, install the new release in .obsidian/plugins/img-copy-paste/, copy the old folder's data.json into the new folder, and enable the new plugin. Avoid enabling both copies at the same time. Reassign any custom command hotkeys because Obsidian identifies commands by the plugin ID.

The manifest currently declares Obsidian 1.5.0 or later. The plugin does not use Node.js or Electron at runtime; mobile clipboard behavior and the declared minimum Obsidian version still need device testing. Automated tests use a simulated Obsidian host and do not replace in-app verification.

Privacy and permissions

• Processing is local. No accounts, payments, analytics or telemetry are required.
• Export reads the selected note and its referenced local images, then writes the result to the system clipboard when invoked.
• Paste examines pasted text in the focused Markdown editor and writes image files into the configured folder inside the vault.
• The plugin does not fetch remote images, contact remote services, or access files outside the vault. Unchanged remote image links may still be loaded by Obsidian or by the application where the exported Markdown is opened.
• Export does not modify the source note. Paste edits the active note as requested.

Development

Use Node.js 20 or later and npm:

npm ci
npm test
npm run build

npm run dev watches the TypeScript sources. npm run release:prepare runs tests, builds the plugin and validates/stages the release files under release/img-copy-paste/. See the release checklist for publishing and official-directory submission.

Credits and license

The export feature was inspired by MD Image Embed by mengzhishanghun, whose supplied plugin declares the MIT license. The export parser and integration in this repository are implemented here; the reference plugin itself is not bundled or distributed.

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Report problems through GitHub Issues.