From 7a8092a4479ad401c36b58580f1a3aeafe9ce890 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Felipe Coury <felipe.coury@openai.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2026 20:25:03 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Preserve Markdown formatting when copying TUI responses
 (#42847)

## What changed

- Add rendered HTML alongside the original Markdown when copying a whole response through the native clipboard, so rich-text destinations preserve headings, lists, tables, code, and other formatting.
- Keep code-block, blockquote, transcript, terminal, and WSL clipboard copies as plain text.
- Escape raw HTML, omit remote image sources, and render unsupported link destinations as visible text when producing clipboard HTML.

## Testing

- Add coverage for rich formatting, local and unsafe links, inert images, fenced tables, copy selection formats, and clipboard fallbacks.

GitOrigin-RevId: c6f5edd88b65f9e9b1ddc5618442868cf47ee560
---
 MODULE.bazel.lock                             |   1 +
 codex-rs/Cargo.lock                           |   7 +
 codex-rs/core/tests/suite/turn_state.rs       |   6 +
 codex-rs/tui/Cargo.toml                       |   2 +-
 codex-rs/tui/src/app/event_dispatch.rs        |   4 +-
 codex-rs/tui/src/app_event.rs                 |   1 +
 codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs    |  27 +++-
 .../src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs    |  33 ++++-
 .../tui/src/chatwidget/transcript_export.rs   |   5 +-
 codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_copy.rs            | 140 ++++++++++++------
 codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html.rs            |  49 ++++++
 codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html_tests.rs      |  77 ++++++++++
 codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs                       |   1 +
 codex-rs/tui/src/markdown.rs                  |   2 +-
 codex-rs/tui/src/session_log_tests.rs         |   2 +
 ...ard_preserves_local_link_destinations.snap |  12 ++
 ...n_clipboard_preserves_rich_formatting.snap |  17 +++
 17 files changed, 329 insertions(+), 57 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html.rs
 create mode 100644 codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html_tests.rs
 create mode 100644 codex-rs/tui/src/snapshots/codex_tui__clipboard_html__tests__markdown_clipboard_preserves_local_link_destinations.snap
 create mode 100644 codex-rs/tui/src/snapshots/codex_tui__clipboard_html__tests__markdown_clipboard_preserves_rich_formatting.snap

diff --git a/MODULE.bazel.lock b/MODULE.bazel.lock
index 55590eafc2..a0a27c646a 100644
--- a/MODULE.bazel.lock
+++ b/MODULE.bazel.lock
@@ -1502,6 +1502,7 @@
       "ptr_meta_0.3.2": "{\"dependencies\":[{\"default_features\":false,\"name\":\"ptr_meta_derive\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"=0.3.2\"}],\"features\":{\"default\":[\"derive\",\"std\"],\"derive\":[\"ptr_meta_derive\"],\"std\":[]}}",
       "ptr_meta_derive_0.3.2": "{\"dependencies\":[{\"default_features\":false,\"features\":[\"proc-macro\"],\"name\":\"proc-macro2\",\"req\":\"^1\"},{\"default_features\":false,\"features\":[\"proc-macro\"],\"name\":\"quote\",\"req\":\"^1\"},{\"default_features\":false,\"features\":[\"clone-impls\",\"derive\",\"full\",\"parsing\",\"printing\",\"proc-macro\"],\"name\":\"syn\",\"req\":\"^3.0\"}],\"features\":{}}",
       "publicsuffix_2.3.0": "{\"dependencies\":[{\"features\":[\"inline-more\"],\"name\":\"hashbrown\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"^0.15.1\"},{\"name\":\"idna\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"^1.0\"},{\"name\":\"psl-types\",\"req\":\"^2.0.11\"},{\"kind\":\"dev\",\"name\":\"rspec\",\"req\":\"^1.0.0\"},{\"default_features\":false,\"name\":\"unicase\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"^2.6.0\"}],\"features\":{\"anycase\":[\"unicase\"],\"default\":[\"punycode\"],\"punycode\":[\"idna\"],\"std\":[]}}",
+      "pulldown-cmark-escape_0.10.1": "{\"dependencies\":[],\"features\":{\"simd\":[]}}",
       "pulldown-cmark_0.10.3": "{\"dependencies\":[{\"kind\":\"dev\",\"name\":\"bincode\",\"req\":\"^1.3.1\"},{\"name\":\"bitflags\",\"req\":\"^2\"},{\"kind\":\"dev\",\"name\":\"criterion\",\"req\":\"^0.5\"},{\"name\":\"getopts\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"^0.2\"},{\"kind\":\"dev\",\"name\":\"lazy_static\",\"req\":\"^1.4\"},{\"name\":\"memchr\",\"req\":\"^2.5\"},{\"name\":\"pulldown-cmark-escape\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"^0.10.0\"},{\"kind\":\"dev\",\"name\":\"regex\",\"req\":\"^1.6\"},{\"features\":[\"derive\"],\"name\":\"serde\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"^1.0\"},{\"kind\":\"dev\",\"name\":\"serde_json\",\"req\":\"^1.0.61\"},{\"name\":\"unicase\",\"req\":\"^2.6\"}],\"features\":{\"default\":[\"getopts\",\"html\"],\"gen-tests\":[],\"html\":[\"pulldown-cmark-escape\"],\"simd\":[\"pulldown-cmark-escape?/simd\"]}}",
       "pxfm_0.1.27": "{\"dependencies\":[{\"name\":\"num-traits\",\"req\":\"^0.2.3\"}],\"features\":{}}",
       "pyo3-build-config_0.28.3": "{\"dependencies\":[{\"name\":\"python3-dll-a\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"^0.2.12\"},{\"kind\":\"build\",\"name\":\"python3-dll-a\",\"optional\":true,\"req\":\"^0.2.12\"},{\"name\":\"target-lexicon\",\"req\":\"^0.13.3\"},{\"kind\":\"build\",\"name\":\"target-lexicon\",\"req\":\"^0.13.3\"}],\"features\":{\"abi3\":[],\"abi3-py310\":[\"abi3-py311\"],\"abi3-py311\":[\"abi3-py312\"],\"abi3-py312\":[\"abi3-py313\"],\"abi3-py313\":[\"abi3-py314\"],\"abi3-py314\":[\"abi3\"],\"abi3-py37\":[\"abi3-py38\"],\"abi3-py38\":[\"abi3-py39\"],\"abi3-py39\":[\"abi3-py310\"],\"default\":[],\"extension-module\":[],\"generate-import-lib\":[\"dep:python3-dll-a\"],\"resolve-config\":[]}}",
diff --git a/codex-rs/Cargo.lock b/codex-rs/Cargo.lock
index bfceb074d4..3fe6a2c5f6 100644
--- a/codex-rs/Cargo.lock
+++ b/codex-rs/Cargo.lock
@@ -11444,9 +11444,16 @@ checksum = "76979bea66e7875e7509c4ec5300112b316af87fa7a252ca91c448b32dfe3993"
 dependencies = [
  "bitflags 2.13.1",
  "memchr",
+ "pulldown-cmark-escape",
  "unicase",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pulldown-cmark-escape"
+version = "0.10.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "bd348ff538bc9caeda7ee8cad2d1d48236a1f443c1fa3913c6a02fe0043b1dd3"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pxfm"
 version = "0.1.27"
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/turn_state.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/turn_state.rs
index ce306dbe96..17b7537b3f 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/turn_state.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/turn_state.rs
@@ -125,6 +125,12 @@ async fn websocket_turn_state_persists_within_turn_and_resets_after() -> Result<
     let mut builder = test_codex();
     let test = builder.build_with_websocket_server(&server).await?;
     // Phase 1: startup prewarm uses the connection without generating a response.
+    // Wait before submitting a turn, which changes the session's sandbox policy.
+    tokio::time::timeout(
+        std::time::Duration::from_secs(/*secs*/ 10),
+        server.wait_for_request(/*connection_index*/ 0, /*request_index*/ 0),
+    )
+    .await?;
     // Phase 2: the first turn mints state for its same-turn tool follow-up.
     test.submit_turn("run the echo command").await?;
     // Phase 3: the follow-up replays that state on the same physical connection.
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/Cargo.toml b/codex-rs/tui/Cargo.toml
index 8a8533b781..9dfded194b 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/Cargo.toml
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/Cargo.toml
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ image = { workspace = true, features = ["jpeg", "png", "gif", "webp"] }
 itertools = { workspace = true }
 lazy_static = { workspace = true }
 pathdiff = { workspace = true }
-pulldown-cmark = { workspace = true }
+pulldown-cmark = { workspace = true, features = ["html"] }
 rand = { workspace = true }
 ratatui = { workspace = true, features = [
     "scrolling-regions",
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/event_dispatch.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/event_dispatch.rs
index 1d5771bb62..3d27521d5d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app/event_dispatch.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app/event_dispatch.rs
@@ -205,8 +205,8 @@ impl App {
                     self.chat_widget.maybe_send_next_queued_input();
                 }
             }
-            AppEvent::CopySelection { text, label } => {
-                self.chat_widget.copy_selection(text, label);
+            AppEvent::CopySelection { text, label, format } => {
+                self.chat_widget.copy_selection(text, label, format);
             }
             AppEvent::ClearUi { name } => {
                 self.clear_terminal_ui(tui, /*redraw_header*/ false)?;
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app_event.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app_event.rs
index 7c5bed7b19..08b5a199be 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app_event.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app_event.rs
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@ pub(crate) enum AppEvent {
     CopySelection {
         text: Arc<str>,
         label: String,
+        format: crate::clipboard_copy::CopyFormat,
     },
 
     /// Persist a submitted prompt in the cross-session message history.
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs
index 015a69807f..39379f7d17 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/interaction.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 use super::*;
 use crate::bottom_pane::BottomPaneView;
+use crate::clipboard_copy::CopyFormat;
 
 impl ChatWidget {
     pub(crate) fn set_agents_navigation_enabled(&mut self, enabled: bool) {
@@ -283,9 +284,11 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         false
     }
 
-    /// Copy the last agent response (raw markdown) to the system clipboard.
+    /// Copy the last response as Markdown with HTML for rich-text destinations.
     pub(crate) fn copy_last_agent_markdown(&mut self) {
-        self.copy_last_agent_markdown_with(crate::clipboard_copy::copy_to_clipboard);
+        self.copy_last_agent_markdown_with(|text| {
+            crate::clipboard_copy::copy_to_clipboard(text, CopyFormat::Markdown)
+        });
     }
 
     /// Inner implementation with an injectable clipboard backend for testing.
@@ -327,6 +330,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         let mut choices = vec![(
             "Whole response".to_string(),
             Arc::<str>::from(markdown.as_str()),
+            CopyFormat::Markdown,
         )];
         let source = self
             .transcript
@@ -343,21 +347,27 @@ impl ChatWidget {
                             |language| format!("{language} code"),
                         ),
                         content,
+                        CopyFormat::PlainText,
                     )),
                     crate::markdown::CopyTarget::Quote(content) => {
                         let content: String = content
                             .split_inclusive('\n')
                             .map(|line| crate::git_action_directives::strip_line_directives(line).0)
                             .collect();
-                        (!content.trim().is_empty())
-                            .then(|| ("Blockquote".to_string(), Arc::from(content)))
+                        (!content.trim().is_empty()).then(|| {
+                            (
+                                "Blockquote".to_string(),
+                                Arc::from(content),
+                                CopyFormat::PlainText,
+                            )
+                        })
                     }
                 }),
         );
 
         let items = choices
             .into_iter()
-            .map(|(label, text)| {
+            .map(|(label, text, format)| {
                 let description = text
                     .lines()
                     .find(|line| !line.trim().is_empty())
@@ -369,6 +379,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
                         tx.send(AppEvent::CopySelection {
                             text: Arc::clone(&text),
                             label: label.clone(),
+                            format,
                         });
                     })],
                     dismiss_on_select: true,
@@ -386,8 +397,10 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         self.defer_input_until_settings_applied();
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn copy_selection(&mut self, text: Arc<str>, label: String) {
-        self.copy_selection_with(&text, &label, crate::clipboard_copy::copy_to_clipboard);
+    pub(crate) fn copy_selection(&mut self, text: Arc<str>, label: String, format: CopyFormat) {
+        self.copy_selection_with(&text, &label, |text| {
+            crate::clipboard_copy::copy_to_clipboard(text, format)
+        });
     }
 
     pub(super) fn copy_selection_with(
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs
index de6eb5f405..07a3444767 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests/slash_commands.rs
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ fn next_copy_selection(
     rx: &mut tokio::sync::mpsc::UnboundedReceiver<AppEvent>,
 ) -> (String, String) {
     let selection = match rx.try_recv() {
-        Ok(AppEvent::CopySelection { text, label }) => (text.to_string(), label),
+        Ok(AppEvent::CopySelection { text, label, .. }) => (text.to_string(), label),
         other => panic!("expected selected clipboard content, got {other:?}"),
     };
     assert_matches!(rx.try_recv(), Ok(AppEvent::SettingsSelectionClosed));
@@ -2089,6 +2089,37 @@ async fn slash_copy_picker_numeric_shortcuts_copy_whole_response_and_exact_code(
     );
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn slash_copy_picker_renders_only_whole_responses_as_markdown() {
+    use crate::clipboard_copy::CopyFormat;
+
+    let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;
+    let markdown = "**Intro**\n\n```text\n# literal *code*\n```\n\n> **Quote**\n";
+    chat.transcript.last_agent_markdown = Some(markdown.to_string());
+    for (key, expected) in [
+        ('1', (markdown, "Whole response", CopyFormat::Markdown)),
+        (
+            '2',
+            ("# literal *code*\n", "text code", CopyFormat::PlainText),
+        ),
+        ('3', ("**Quote**\n", "Blockquote", CopyFormat::PlainText)),
+    ] {
+        chat.dispatch_command(SlashCommand::Copy);
+        chat.handle_key_event(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char(key), KeyModifiers::NONE));
+        let event = rx.try_recv().expect("selected clipboard content");
+        let AppEvent::CopySelection {
+            text,
+            label,
+            format,
+        } = event
+        else {
+            panic!("expected selected clipboard content, got {event:?}");
+        };
+        assert_eq!((text.as_ref(), label.as_str(), format), expected);
+        assert_matches!(rx.try_recv(), Ok(AppEvent::SettingsSelectionClosed));
+    }
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn slash_copy_picker_preserves_nested_blockquote_markdown_and_code() {
     let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/transcript_export.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/transcript_export.rs
index 9253cc9b06..50a6fc5b84 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/transcript_export.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/transcript_export.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ use crate::app_event::TranscriptExportDestination;
 
 impl ChatWidget {
     pub(crate) fn copy_transcript_to_clipboard(&mut self, markdown: &str) {
-        match crate::clipboard_copy::copy_to_clipboard(markdown) {
+        match crate::clipboard_copy::copy_to_clipboard(
+            markdown,
+            crate::clipboard_copy::CopyFormat::PlainText,
+        ) {
             Ok(lease) => {
                 self.clipboard_lease = lease;
                 self.add_info_message(
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_copy.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_copy.rs
index 1ad369d24b..cf43d301b0 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_copy.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_copy.rs
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 //! so callers can store it for the lifetime of the TUI. On other platforms the lease
 //! is always `None`.
 //!
-//! The module is intentionally narrow: text copy only, user-facing error strings,
-//! no reusable clipboard abstraction. Image paste lives in `clipboard_paste`.
+//! Markdown copies also offer HTML on the native clipboard. Terminal and WSL
+//! fallbacks retain the original text. Image paste lives in `clipboard_paste`.
 
 use base64::Engine;
 use std::io::Write;
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ const OSC52_MAX_RAW_BYTES: usize = 100_000;
 static STDERR_SUPPRESSION_MUTEX: std::sync::OnceLock<std::sync::Mutex<()>> =
     std::sync::OnceLock::new();
 
+/// Whether copied text should also have a rendered HTML representation.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub(crate) enum CopyFormat {
+    PlainText,
+    Markdown,
+}
+
 /// Copy text to the system clipboard.
 ///
 /// Over SSH, uses terminal-mediated copy so the text reaches the *local*
@@ -37,9 +44,13 @@ static STDERR_SUPPRESSION_MUTEX: std::sync::OnceLock<std::sync::Mutex<()>> =
 /// copy, if needed.
 ///
 /// OSC 52 is supported by kitty, WezTerm, iTerm2, Ghostty, and others.
-pub(crate) fn copy_to_clipboard(text: &str) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
+pub(crate) fn copy_to_clipboard(
+    text: &str,
+    format: CopyFormat,
+) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
     copy_to_clipboard_with(
         text,
+        format,
         CopyEnvironment {
             ssh_session: is_ssh_session(),
             wsl_session: is_wsl_session(),
@@ -93,10 +104,11 @@ struct CopyEnvironment {
 
 fn copy_to_clipboard_with(
     text: &str,
+    format: CopyFormat,
     environment: CopyEnvironment,
     tmux_copy_fn: impl Fn(&str) -> Result<(), String>,
     osc52_copy_fn: impl Fn(&str) -> Result<(), String>,
-    arboard_copy_fn: impl Fn(&str) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String>,
+    arboard_copy_fn: impl Fn(&str, Option<&str>) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String>,
     wsl_copy_fn: impl Fn(&str) -> Result<(), String>,
 ) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
     if environment.ssh_session {
@@ -119,7 +131,11 @@ fn copy_to_clipboard_with(
         });
     }
 
-    match arboard_copy_fn(text) {
+    let html = match format {
+        CopyFormat::PlainText => None,
+        CopyFormat::Markdown => Some(crate::clipboard_html::render_markdown(text)),
+    };
+    match arboard_copy_fn(text, html.as_deref()) {
         Ok(lease) => Ok(lease),
         Err(native_err) => {
             if environment.wsl_session {
@@ -222,8 +238,8 @@ fn is_wsl_session() -> bool {
 /// triggers `os_log` / `NSLog` output on stderr. Because the TUI owns the
 /// terminal, that stray output corrupts the display. We temporarily redirect
 /// fd 2 to `/dev/null` around the call to keep the screen clean.
-#[cfg(all(not(target_os = "android"), not(target_os = "linux")))]
-fn arboard_copy(text: &str) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
+#[cfg(not(target_os = "android"))]
+fn arboard_copy(text: &str, html: Option<&str>) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
     #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
     let _stderr_lock = STDERR_SUPPRESSION_MUTEX
         .get_or_init(|| std::sync::Mutex::new(()))
@@ -232,30 +248,26 @@ fn arboard_copy(text: &str) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
     let _guard = SuppressStderr::new();
     let mut clipboard =
         arboard::Clipboard::new().map_err(|e| format!("clipboard unavailable: {e}"))?;
-    clipboard
-        .set_text(text)
-        .map_err(|e| format!("failed to set clipboard text: {e}"))?;
-    Ok(None)
-}
-
-/// Run arboard with stderr suppressed.
-///
-/// On Linux/X11 and some Wayland setups, clipboard contents are served by the
-/// process that last wrote them. Keep the `Clipboard` alive so the copied text
-/// remains pasteable while the TUI is running.
-#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
-fn arboard_copy(text: &str) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
-    let _guard = SuppressStderr::new();
-    let mut clipboard =
-        arboard::Clipboard::new().map_err(|e| format!("clipboard unavailable: {e}"))?;
-    clipboard
-        .set_text(text)
-        .map_err(|e| format!("failed to set clipboard text: {e}"))?;
-    Ok(Some(ClipboardLease::native_linux(clipboard)))
+    match html {
+        Some(html) => clipboard
+            .set_html(html, Some(text))
+            .or_else(|_| clipboard.set_text(text)),
+        None => clipboard.set_text(text),
+    }
+    .map_err(|e| format!("failed to set clipboard text: {e}"))?;
+    // Linux clipboard owners must stay alive until the user pastes.
+    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+    {
+        Ok(Some(ClipboardLease::native_linux(clipboard)))
+    }
+    #[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
+    {
+        Ok(None)
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(target_os = "android")]
-fn arboard_copy(_text: &str) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
+fn arboard_copy(_text: &str, _html: Option<&str>) -> Result<Option<ClipboardLease>, String> {
     Err("native clipboard unavailable on Android".to_string())
 }
 
@@ -506,6 +518,7 @@ mod tests {
     use std::cell::Cell;
 
     use super::CopyEnvironment;
+    use super::CopyFormat;
     use super::OSC52_MAX_RAW_BYTES;
     use super::copy_to_clipboard_with;
     use super::osc52_sequence;
@@ -598,17 +611,19 @@ mod tests {
         let native_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
-            "hello",
+            "**hello**",
+            CopyFormat::Markdown,
             remote_environment(),
             |_| {
                 tmux_calls.set(tmux_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |text| {
+                assert_eq!(text, "**hello**");
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(None)
             },
@@ -633,6 +648,7 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             remote_environment(),
             |_| {
                 tmux_calls.set(tmux_calls.get() + 1);
@@ -642,7 +658,7 @@ mod tests {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("blocked".into())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(None)
             },
@@ -670,6 +686,7 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             remote_tmux_environment(),
             |_| {
                 tmux_calls.set(tmux_calls.get() + 1);
@@ -679,7 +696,7 @@ mod tests {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(None)
             },
@@ -704,6 +721,7 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             remote_tmux_environment(),
             |_| {
                 tmux_calls.set(tmux_calls.get() + 1);
@@ -713,7 +731,7 @@ mod tests {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(None)
             },
@@ -734,10 +752,11 @@ mod tests {
     fn ssh_inside_tmux_reports_tmux_and_osc52_errors_when_both_fail() {
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             remote_tmux_environment(),
             |_| Err("tmux unavailable".into()),
             |_| Err("osc blocked".into()),
-            |_| Ok(None),
+            |_, _| Ok(None),
             |_| Ok(()),
         );
 
@@ -793,13 +812,14 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             local_wsl_environment(),
             |_| Ok(()),
             |_| {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(Some(super::ClipboardLease::test()))
             },
@@ -815,20 +835,47 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(wsl_calls.get(), 0);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn local_copy_offers_html_only_for_markdown() {
+        for (format, html) in [
+            (
+                CopyFormat::Markdown,
+                Some("<p><strong>hello</strong></p>\n"),
+            ),
+            (CopyFormat::PlainText, None),
+        ] {
+            let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
+                "**hello**",
+                format,
+                local_environment(),
+                |_| panic!("native copy should succeed"),
+                |_| panic!("native copy should succeed"),
+                |text, actual_html| {
+                    assert_eq!((text, actual_html), ("**hello**", html));
+                    Ok(None)
+                },
+                |_| panic!("native copy should succeed"),
+            );
+            assert!(matches!(result, Ok(None)));
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn local_non_wsl_falls_back_to_osc52_when_native_fails() {
         let osc_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let native_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
-            "hello",
+            "**hello**",
+            CopyFormat::Markdown,
             local_environment(),
             |_| Ok(()),
-            |_| {
+            |text| {
+                assert_eq!(text, "**hello**");
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("native unavailable".into())
             },
@@ -852,6 +899,7 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             local_tmux_environment(),
             |_| {
                 tmux_calls.set(tmux_calls.get() + 1);
@@ -861,7 +909,7 @@ mod tests {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("native unavailable".into())
             },
@@ -885,13 +933,14 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             local_wsl_environment(),
             |_| Ok(()),
             |_| {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("native unavailable".into())
             },
@@ -914,13 +963,14 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             local_wsl_environment(),
             |_| Ok(()),
             |_| {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Ok(())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("native unavailable".into())
             },
@@ -943,13 +993,14 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             local_environment(),
             |_| Ok(()),
             |_| {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("osc blocked".into())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("native unavailable".into())
             },
@@ -978,13 +1029,14 @@ mod tests {
         let wsl_calls = Cell::new(0_u8);
         let result = copy_to_clipboard_with(
             "hello",
+            CopyFormat::PlainText,
             local_wsl_environment(),
             |_| Ok(()),
             |_| {
                 osc_calls.set(osc_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("osc blocked".into())
             },
-            |_| {
+            |_, _| {
                 native_calls.set(native_calls.get() + 1);
                 Err("native unavailable".into())
             },
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..383126365e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+//! Portable HTML for copying Markdown responses into rich-text applications.
+//!
+//! Raw HTML is escaped, and destinations use the TUI's web-link policy. Link
+//! destinations that cannot be linked remain visible as escaped text. The original
+//! Markdown remains the plain-text clipboard representation. Images render only
+//! their alt text so pasting cannot trigger remote image requests.
+
+use pulldown_cmark::Event;
+use pulldown_cmark::Options;
+use pulldown_cmark::Parser;
+use pulldown_cmark::Tag;
+use pulldown_cmark::TagEnd;
+
+pub(crate) fn render_markdown(markdown: &str) -> String {
+    let normalized = crate::markdown::unwrap_markdown_fences(markdown);
+    let options = Options::ENABLE_STRIKETHROUGH | Options::ENABLE_TABLES;
+    let mut link_destinations = Vec::new();
+    let events = Parser::new_ext(&normalized, options).filter_map(|event| {
+        Some(match event {
+            Event::Html(text) | Event::InlineHtml(text) => Event::Text(text),
+            Event::Start(Tag::Image { .. }) | Event::End(TagEnd::Image) => return None,
+            Event::Start(mut tag) => {
+                if let Tag::Link { dest_url, .. } = &mut tag {
+                    if let Some(destination) = crate::terminal_hyperlinks::web_destination(dest_url)
+                    {
+                        *dest_url = destination.into();
+                        link_destinations.push(/*value*/ None);
+                    } else {
+                        link_destinations.push(Some(dest_url.clone()));
+                        return None;
+                    }
+                }
+                Event::Start(tag)
+            }
+            Event::End(TagEnd::Link) => match link_destinations.pop().flatten() {
+                Some(destination) => Event::Text(format!(" ({destination})").into()),
+                None => Event::End(TagEnd::Link),
+            },
+            event => event,
+        })
+    });
+    let mut html = String::new();
+    pulldown_cmark::html::push_html(&mut html, events);
+    html
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+#[path = "clipboard_html_tests.rs"]
+mod tests;
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html_tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c478244dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/clipboard_html_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+use super::render_markdown;
+use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
+
+#[test]
+fn markdown_clipboard_preserves_rich_formatting() {
+    let markdown = "# Findings\n\nRead [the source](https://example.com/source?q=1&v=2).\n\n\
+        - **Bold**, *italic*, ~~removed~~, and `inline <code>`\n\n\
+        > A quoted finding.\n\n\
+        ```rust\nfn main() { println!(\"<hello>\"); }\n```\n\n\
+        | Item | Result |\n| --- | --- |\n| Copy | Formatted |\n";
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(render_markdown(markdown));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn markdown_clipboard_preserves_local_link_destinations() {
+    let markdown = r#"[parser](/repo/src/parser.rs:42)
+
+[**Windows parser**](C:\repo\src\parser.rs:42:7)
+
+[`relative parser`](../src/parser.rs#L42-L48)
+
+[file URL](file:///repo/src/parser.rs#L42)
+
+[escaped path](/repo/a&amp;b/&lt;parser&gt;.rs:42)
+
+[Unicode path](</repo/my project/解析.rs:42>)
+
+[![diagram](https://example.com/diagram.png)](/repo/diagram.rs:7)
+
+[web link](https://example.com/source) and [another file](src/lib.rs:9)
+"#;
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(render_markdown(markdown));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn markdown_clipboard_images_are_inert() {
+    assert_eq!(
+        render_markdown(
+            "![tracking pixel](https://example.com/pixel)\n\n\
+             [![**Preview** & details](https://example.com/image.png)](https://example.com/page)"
+        ),
+        "<p>tracking pixel</p>\n\
+         <p><a href=\"https://example.com/page\"><strong>Preview</strong> &amp; details</a></p>\n"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn markdown_clipboard_escapes_raw_html_and_rejects_unsafe_destinations() {
+    assert_eq!(
+        render_markdown("<script>alert(1)</script>\n\nHello <img src=x onerror=alert(1)>!"),
+        "&lt;script&gt;alert(1)&lt;/script&gt;\n<p>Hello &lt;img src=x onerror=alert(1)&gt;!</p>\n"
+    );
+    for (destination, visible_destination) in [
+        ("javascript:alert(1)", "javascript:alert(1)"),
+        ("JaVaScRiPt:alert(1)", "JaVaScRiPt:alert(1)"),
+        ("jav&#x61;script:alert(1)", "javascript:alert(1)"),
+        ("data:text/html,unsafe", "data:text/html,unsafe"),
+        (
+            "javascript:alert(&quot;&lt;&gt;&amp;&quot;)",
+            "javascript:alert(\"&lt;&gt;&amp;\")",
+        ),
+    ] {
+        assert_eq!(
+            render_markdown(&format!("[link]({destination}) ![image]({destination})")),
+            format!("<p>link ({visible_destination}) image</p>\n")
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn markdown_clipboard_unwraps_table_fences_like_the_tui() {
+    let table = "| Item | Result |\n| --- | --- |\n| Copy | Formatted |\n";
+    assert_eq!(
+        render_markdown(&format!("```markdown\n{table}```")),
+        render_markdown(table)
+    );
+}
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
index c89d979ead..121f13aba1 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/lib.rs
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ mod branch_summary;
 mod chatwidget;
 mod cli;
 mod clipboard_copy;
+mod clipboard_html;
 mod clipboard_paste;
 mod collaboration_modes;
 mod color;
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown.rs
index 8c6ce25b2f..8880a23194 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/markdown.rs
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ pub(crate) fn extract_copy_targets(markdown_source: &str) -> Vec<CopyTarget> {
 /// The fence unwrapping is intentionally conservative: it buffers the entire fence body before
 /// deciding, and an unclosed fence at end-of-input is re-emitted with its opening line so partial
 /// streams degrade to code display.
-fn unwrap_markdown_fences<'a>(markdown_source: &'a str) -> Cow<'a, str> {
+pub(crate) fn unwrap_markdown_fences<'a>(markdown_source: &'a str) -> Cow<'a, str> {
     // Zero-copy fast path: most messages contain no fences at all.
     if !markdown_source.contains("```") && !markdown_source.contains("~~~") {
         return Cow::Borrowed(markdown_source);
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/session_log_tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/session_log_tests.rs
index fce6f9a1da..5e0e918262 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/session_log_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/session_log_tests.rs
@@ -12,10 +12,12 @@ fn inbound_fallback_records_only_variant_names() {
         AppEvent::CopySelection {
             text: Arc::from("private plan without parentheses"),
             label: "private label".to_string(),
+            format: crate::clipboard_copy::CopyFormat::Markdown,
         },
         AppEvent::CopySelection {
             text: Arc::from("private code(with parentheses)"),
             label: "private label".to_string(),
+            format: crate::clipboard_copy::CopyFormat::PlainText,
         },
         AppEvent::ConsolidateProposedPlan("private tuple payload".to_string()),
         AppEvent::SettingsSelectionClosed,
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/snapshots/codex_tui__clipboard_html__tests__markdown_clipboard_preserves_local_link_destinations.snap b/codex-rs/tui/src/snapshots/codex_tui__clipboard_html__tests__markdown_clipboard_preserves_local_link_destinations.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..01ed189daf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/snapshots/codex_tui__clipboard_html__tests__markdown_clipboard_preserves_local_link_destinations.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+source: tui/src/clipboard_html_tests.rs
+expression: render_markdown(markdown)
+---
+<p>parser (/repo/src/parser.rs:42)</p>
+<p><strong>Windows parser</strong> (C:\repo\src\parser.rs:42:7)</p>
+<p><code>relative parser</code> (../src/parser.rs#L42-L48)</p>
+<p>file URL (file:///repo/src/parser.rs#L42)</p>
+<p>escaped path (/repo/a&amp;b/&lt;parser&gt;.rs:42)</p>
+<p>Unicode path (/repo/my project/解析.rs:42)</p>
+<p>diagram (/repo/diagram.rs:7)</p>
+<p><a href="https://example.com/source">web link</a> and another file (src/lib.rs:9)</p>
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/snapshots/codex_tui__clipboard_html__tests__markdown_clipboard_preserves_rich_formatting.snap b/codex-rs/tui/src/snapshots/codex_tui__clipboard_html__tests__markdown_clipboard_preserves_rich_formatting.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5486bbb177
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/snapshots/codex_tui__clipboard_html__tests__markdown_clipboard_preserves_rich_formatting.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+source: tui/src/clipboard_html_tests.rs
+expression: render_markdown(markdown)
+---
+<h1>Findings</h1>
+<p>Read <a href="https://example.com/source?q=1&amp;v=2">the source</a>.</p>
+<ul>
+<li><strong>Bold</strong>, <em>italic</em>, <del>removed</del>, and <code>inline &lt;code&gt;</code></li>
+</ul>
+<blockquote>
+<p>A quoted finding.</p>
+</blockquote>
+<pre><code class="language-rust">fn main() { println!("&lt;hello&gt;"); }
+</code></pre>
+<table><thead><tr><th>Item</th><th>Result</th></tr></thead><tbody>
+<tr><td>Copy</td><td>Formatted</td></tr>
+</tbody></table>