[Feature Request] Increase API image size limit from 5MB to 10MB to match claude.ai

[salviz]

Summary

The Anthropic API currently has a 5MB image size limit, while the claude.ai web interface supports 10MB images. This inconsistency creates friction for users of Claude Code and other API-based tools.

Current Behavior

• Claude.ai (web): Accepts images up to 10MB ✅
• Anthropic API (Claude Code): Accepts images up to 5MB only ❌

When users attempt to use images larger than 5MB with Claude Code, they receive:

API Error: 400
image exceeds 5 MB maximum: XXXXX bytes > 5242880 bytes

Requested Change

Increase the API image size limit from 5MB to 10MB to match the existing capability in claude.ai.

Rationale

1. Consistency: Users expect the same capabilities across all Anthropic products

2. Proven capability: 10MB support already exists in claude.ai, demonstrating it's technically feasible

3. Real-world use cases:

   • Generated images (DALL-E, Midjourney, Flux) often exceed 5MB
   • High-resolution screenshots for debugging
   • Detailed diagrams and technical documentation
   • Modern smartphone photos in high quality

4. Current workaround is friction: Users must manually resize/compress images before using them, which:

   • Breaks workflow continuity
   • May reduce image quality needed for accurate analysis
   • Adds unnecessary technical burden

Example Use Case

I have an 8.2MB generated image (JPEG) that I'd like to analyze with Claude Code. The image works fine on claude.ai, but Claude Code rejects it due to the 5MB API limit. I shouldn't need to manually resize an image that works perfectly fine on your web interface.

Related Issues

This inconsistency has caused problems documented in multiple bug reports:

• [Bug] Anthropic API Error: Image Exceeds 5 MB Size Limit breaks session for subsequent text prompts. Also breaks --continue mode if exit/re-enter. #8202 - Image Exceeds 5MB breaks session
• Image Upload Exceeds 5 MB Size Limit in API Request #2104 - Image Upload Exceeds 5MB
• [Bug] Anthropic API Error: Image exceeds 5 MB maximum causes persistent message state corruption #12167 - Image exceeds 5MB causes corruption
• [Bug] Anthropic API Error: Image Size Exceeds 5MB Limit #8227 - Image Size Exceeds 5MB Limit

Proposed Solution

Simply increase the API's max_image_size parameter from 5MB to 10MB to achieve parity with claude.ai.

This would benefit all Anthropic API consumers (not just Claude Code) and eliminate an artificial limitation that doesn't exist in your own web product.

[antonincohen]

Yes please! It's so annoying most of my screenshots cannot be copy/paste in Claude Code because of this. Such a waste of time that could be easily fixed!

[github-actions]

This issue has been inactive for 30 days. If the issue is still occurring, please comment to let us know. Otherwise, this issue will be automatically closed in 30 days for housekeeping purposes.

[HypeLaser]

Trying to build an app that accepts hand written scanned historical notes. The 5MB image limit sometimes means the detail is not picked up, or words are incorrectly identified. Allowing a higher image limit and higher resolution would likely help.

[bcherny]

Claude Code now resizes and compresses pasted or attached images automatically before sending them, so a large image like your 8MB JPEG no longer hits the size error (changelog). Please update and try again — closing as shipped, but reopen if you still see the error.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code