fzf-preview.sh: The image keeps loading

[XhstormR]

Checklist

• I have read through the manual page (man fzf)
• I have searched through the existing issues
• For bug reports, I have checked if the bug is reproducible in the latest version of fzf

Output of fzf --version

0.74 (conda-forge)

OS

• Linux
• macOS
• Windows
• Etc.

Shell

• bash
• zsh
• fish

Problem / Steps to reproduce

export FZF_CTRL_T_OPTS='--preview "fzf-preview.sh {}" --preview-window "~4"'

Unable to preview images using fzf-preview.sh, stuck in loading, but text preview works fine.

Chafa is installed, and displaying images directly using Chafa works correctly. All tool CLIs are up-to-date.

└──❯ v tmux
tmux 3.7b
└──❯ v fish
fish，version 4.8.1
└──❯ v fzf
0.74 (conda-forge)
└──❯ v chafa
Chafa version 1.18.2

Loaders:  AVIF CoreGraphics GIF JPEG JXL PNG QOI TIFF WebP XWD
Features: none
Applying: none

Copyright (C) 2018-2025 Hans Petter Jansson et al.
Incl. libnsgif copyright (C) 2004 Richard Wilson, copyright (C) 2008 Sean Fox
Incl. LodePNG copyright (C) 2005-2018 Lode Vandevenne
Incl. QOI decoder copyright (C) 2021 Dominic Szablewski

This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

[junegunn]

Does fzf-preview.sh ui.png work outside the fzf?

[XhstormR]

Yes, it works.

[junegunn]

In the first image, I see you're running fzf inside a floating pane. Are you running fzf with --popup option?

[XhstormR]

In the first image, I see you're running fzf inside a floating pane. Are you running fzf with --popup option?

Yes.
export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS='-0 -1 --gap --wrap --multi --ansi --popup 85% --border-label " fzf " --style=full --info=inline-right --marker-multi-line "╔║╚" --marker "║" --pointer ▌ --gutter " " --highlight-line --color marker:green,pointer:green,prompt:green,selected-bg:238,border:#9999cc --preview-window "wrap:70%" --bind "alt-a:select-all,alt-d:deselect-all,ctrl-/:toggle-preview,ctrl-y:execute-silent(echo {} | cb)+abort"'

[junegunn]

Have you tried without --preview-window "~4"?

[XhstormR]

I tried deleting all FZF environment variable configurations except for export FZF_CTRL_T_OPTS='--preview "fzf-preview.sh {}"'. not work

[junegunn]

Which terminal emulator do you use? I've tested it on Kitty and iTerm, and it works for me.

fzf --preview 'fzf-preview.sh tmp/fzf-mugs.jpg' --popup

• I need to investigate the garbage chars in the red square though.
• I also noticed the image doesn't render properly with --preview-window "~4".

[XhstormR]

I'm using the Ghostty terminal.

└──❯ ghostty +version
Ghostty 1.3.2-main-+e6e26e165

Version
  - version: 1.3.2-main-+e6e26e165
  - channel: tip
Build Config
  - Zig version   : 0.16.0
  - build mode    : .ReleaseFast
  - app runtime   : .none
  - font engine   : .coretext
  - renderer      : renderer.generic.Renderer(renderer.Metal)
  - libxev        : kqueue

I also deleted all FZF environment variables and tmux configurations, and running fzf --preview 'fzf-preview.sh /Users/leo/Documents/IdeaProjects/dotfiles/ui.png' --popup didn't work either.

[DANIII3L]

Which terminal emulator do you use? I've tested it on Kitty and iTerm, and it works for me.

fzf --preview 'fzf-preview.sh tmp/fzf-mugs.jpg' --popup

* I need to investigate the garbage chars in the red square though.

* I also noticed the image doesn't render properly with `--preview-window "~4"`.

I most definetely gonna buy one of those mugs junegunn, they look bad ass , i wasnt aware they were available :)