I have the same version of TBird you have, and I just clicked Write and addressed a message to myself and gave it a subject and some small text, and then I went to a folder of pictures on my PC and copied a small picture to the clipboard, and then I went back to my message (still open; didn't close that window) and right-clicked my mouse in the text window, and pasted, and boom! There was the picture that I had copied. So then I sent that message with a picture in it to myself, and a moment later, when the message arrived, I opened it, and there was the picture.

Successful experiment, as Dr. Frankenstein would say.

I'd like you to try again, but this time, to be sure that the picture you Ctr-C'd (copied) is IN THE CLIPBOARD before you try to paste it, use the Windows key + V to see the contents of the clipboard. If the picture is there, and right at the top, then close that panel, go into your TBird, address a message to yourself, type some text in the message panel, and Ctrl-V to paste the pic, and if that doesn't work immediately, right-click and choose Paste. Then Send.

If the picture copied and pasted and the message comes back to you with the picture in it. All's well.

Otherwise, come back and tell us what happened. Please.

I'm afraid we're going to find that you have a problem in something else; not your Thunderbird.

Thanks for your reply, Dr Frankenstein (!!) I've been using Tbird since the beginning of time - and the procedure you outlined is exactly how I normally do it. - all the way down to win-v to check if I need to see if the image is in the clipboard - sop

Hence the reason for my posting my problem here. It is not doing what I am expecting it to do. When I Ctrl-V into the email message body, nothing happens except for the cursor jumps up to a single line space. that's it I see no image or outline box, nothing. Similarly, using the menu insert/image. After selecting the file, all that shows in the message body is an outline, no picture and if I send it - same thing appears in the received email, outline box and no image.

I would really appreciate it if you would do an experiment for me this time. If you have Word, use Word. If you have another word processor program, use that. It won't work in an ordinary text editor like Notepad. Try copying a small pic and pasting it into that word processor program on a page. Does that work?

Okay, well I don't use word - don't subscribe for something I don't use all that much. I do have Google docs - and pasting an image into a doc there works just fine as expected. Same for Microsoft One Note - image pastes just fine.

Well, but those (G Docs and One Note) are on the Web, and TBird is on your system disk or data disk, and it's the working of Windows from your photo folder to another doc ON your Windows disk that I'm worried about. Could you try copying an image and then opening a different folder that already contains images (but not the one you just copied) and pasting the copied image into that other folder?

If that works, I'm stumped. If it doesn't, we're on to something.

Please report here (at your convenience, of course).

Hiya, I can easily copy an image from one folder and paste to another unique folder. In Photoshop, I can create a new image based upon the size of what is in the clipboard and then paste the image. No problems, I do it all the time.

It's just Thunderbird and it has only started doing this recently. Prior to that, I could happily copy images and paste them to my heart's content. I use the new snipping tool a lot and would paste things I've copied into emails quite a bit.

This is a relatively new install on a new computer too. New within this past month.

Hmmmm. I just don’t know what’s going on here. I think the best way forward is for you to post an answer to my reply (this one) to say that you don’t know what’s happening here, and you’d like someone else to try to help you out. (That way, your question looks as though you’re still asking for a solution.)

So sorry I didn’t help.

well, Thanks a bunch for the help you took the time out on this little conundrum.

Well, I really don’t know what’s happening here, and hope there may be someone else to try to help me out.

What do you have for Settings/Composition/Sending Format? If it's not Only HTML, try that.

https://support.cdn.mozilla.net/si/questions/1210374

Sending Format was set on Automatic (which I think is fine), I tried setting it to Only HTML also Restored Defaults in HTML Style, no juice, still messed up.

Here's one for the count. I am in the process of setting up a new laptop and installed Thunderbird. Copy/pasting images work just fine when composing a new email.

Leaves me wondering if I should just do a complete uninstall and reinstall & go thru all the bs it takes setting up email accounts - I just think something is messed up in my current install and at least this is a feasable workaround.

OK this is starting to drive me nutz. I uninstalled TBird and then re-installed it. When opened, it had all my email accounts intact and I figured I wanted a complete uninstall. Removed the accounts (only 3 of them) then uninstalled. Opened TBird and reconfigged for the 3 email accounts I use.

Went to my primary account and started a new email - "Write" Entered email address, subject and the word 'test' in the message body. Started a new line, went to file manager, found an image, copied it, went to the new email message pasted the image and . . . NOTHING!!!!! it still does not work!! WTF??

Help me before I go mad!!

Reinstalling TB won't have any effect if the issue lies in the profile, which is not touched with a reinstall. Better to create a new profile, just like with the new laptop. Help/More Troubleshooting, about:profiles, create a new profile, add accounts. The old profile can still be launched from about:profiles, and address books and local mail can be transferred from the old to the new.

I had this problem too. I have format: text as the default compose type. I tried composing in format: html and then pasting images directly from clipboard worked.

Thanks to this suggestion, https://support.mozilla.org/gl/questions/1417882#answer-1589679

Would be nice if the image was simply attached when composing in text format, but I guess that would be a feature request.