Feature Request: Unified background image across splits

[3mdistal]

Description

Currently, when using background-image, the image is duplicated/repeated per split/pane. It would be great to have an option for the background image to be unified across all splits in a window, so it appears as one continuous image behind all panes rather than being duplicated in each split.

Current Behavior

When using:

background-image = "/path/to/image.png"

Each split gets its own copy of the background image, resulting in the image being duplicated across multiple panes.

Desired Behavior

Add a configuration option (e.g., background-image-per-split or similar) that would allow the background image to be rendered once for the entire window, with all splits appearing on top of a single unified background image.

Use Case

This would be particularly useful for:

• Creating a cohesive aesthetic when using multiple splits
• Using wallpapers or background images that are meant to span the entire terminal window
• Avoiding visual clutter from repeated background images

Possible Implementation

Could be implemented as:

background-image = "/path/to/image.png"
background-image-per-split = false  # Default: true for backward compatibility

Or alternatively:

background-image-scope = window  # or "split" (default)

Related

• Original background image feature: Window background image configuration option #3645
• The documentation currently notes: "Currently, the image is applied per-terminal and may be duplicated across splits."