React Native has several libraries that let you get the contents of the clipboard, but none of them support images.

react-native-media-clipboard suports:

• images
• strings
• URLs

$ npm install react-native-media-clipboard --save

1. cd ios && pod install
2. Add the following line near the top of AppDelegate.h:

#import <react-native-media-clipboard/MediaClipboard.h>

3. [Optional] Inside the AppDelegate @implementation add this:

- (void)applicationDidBecomeActive:(UIApplication *)application {
  [MediaClipboard onApplicationBecomeActive];
}

^{This makes sure that the clipboard is in sync if the application went into the background.}

If your project does not contain any Swift code, then you need to create a bridging header – or you'll get a bunch of strange build errors.

4. Xcode -> File -> New -> Create an empty .swift file. It will prompt you asking if you want to create a bridging header. Say yes.

If your project already has Swift code (or a bridging header), just ignore this step.

5. Re-build your app: react-native run-ios

import {
  ClipboardContext,
  ClipboardProvider
} from "react-native-media-clipboard";

7. At the root of your application, add <ClipboardProvider> in the render method, like this:

<ClipboardProvider>
  <MyVeryRealApp>{children}</MyVeryRealApp>
</ClipboardProvider>

8. ClipboardContext contains a clipboard and a mediaSource object. It automatically updates whenever the user copies something to their clipboard or removes something from their clipboard.

const { clipboard, mediaSource } = React.useContext(ClipboardContext);

// Example mediaSource:
{
  "mimeType": "image/png",
  "scale": 1,
  "width": 828,
  "uri": "file:///tmp/C4A65610-E644-44C2-AC54-25A8AD56A4C6.png",
  "height": 1792
}

// Example clipboard:
{
  urls: [],
  strings: [],
  hasImages: false,
  hasURLs: false,
  hasStrings: false
};

// You can just pass in the `mediaSource` object to the built-in Image component. As long as the mediaSource object is not null, it should just work.
<Image source={mediaSource} />

There are type definitions for these, so you shouldn't need to refer back to this much.

This library is iOS only. There is no Android support.

Images are saved in the temporary directory for the app in a background thread. It does not send data URIs across the bridge.

There is a JSI implementation of this as well, however I haven't finished porting it to this library. A contributor is welcome to submit a PR for that :)

Example repo: react-native-media-clipboard-example