Chat permanently bricked after image upload on Kimi models (works fine on Gemma)

[jackula-spectacula]

Summary

Uploading images to a chat while using a Kimi model causes the chat to become
permanently unresponsive and undeletable. The first image sometimes succeeds;
a second image (same message or follow-up) bricks the chat. The same images
upload successfully when the model is switched to Gemma. Reproduced on iOS,
web, and macOS desktop app. I have 6 bricked chats that are not responsive.

Environment

• macOS desktop app: version 3.3.9
• macOS: Tahoe 26.5.2
• iPhone 13 (iOS app)
• Web app via Brave browser
• VPN: tested both enabled and disabled — no difference
• Plan: Pro at time of first failures (was at 99% usage), upgraded to Max;
  failures persisted on Max
• Models: FAILURES on Kimi K2 ("Powerful" preset, iOS) and Kimi 3 (attempts 2–6);
  SUCCESS on Gemma 4 (attempt 7)

Minimal Steps to Reproduce

1. Open a new chat with a Kimi model selected.
2. Upload one image ("Can you see this photo?") → works.
3. Upload a second image (same message or follow-up).
4. Chat becomes permanently unresponsive; cannot be deleted.

Control test: same 4 images, new chat, Gemma 4 selected → all uploaded and
processed successfully.

Expected Behavior

• Images upload and process on any model advertised as supporting image
  analysis (your model guide lists kimi-k2.5 for image analysis), OR
• If the selected model doesn't support images, the upload is blocked with a
  clear error and the chat remains usable.

Actual Behavior

After the triggering upload, the chat becomes completely non-interactive:

• No response is ever generated
• The last message/photo cannot be deleted to recover the chat
• No error message is shown
• There is no self-recovery path — the chat is permanently unusable

Full Reproduction History

#	Platform	Model	Scenario	Result
1	iPhone 13	Kimi K2 ("Powerful")	Existing long chat, 4 HEIC photos	Bricked
2	Web (Brave)	Kimi 3	New chat w/ copied history, photos 1 at a time	Bricked on 3rd photo
3	macOS app	Kimi 3	New chat, 1 photo (worked), then 2 at once	Bricked
4	macOS app	Kimi 3	New chat, 1 photo (worked), then 1 more	Bricked
5	macOS app	Kimi 3	Photos converted to .jpeg, 1 worked	Bricked on 2nd
6	macOS app	Kimi 3	Renamed .jpeg → .jpg	Bricked after 2nd photo
7	macOS app	Gemma 4	Same 4 images, new chat	✅ All worked

What I've Ruled Out

• File format: fails identically with HEIC, JPEG, .jpeg, .jpg
• File size: all images under the documented 5MB limit
• Platform: iOS, web, and macOS app all affected
• Chat history length: occurs in new and long-standing chats
• VPN: reproduced with VPN on and off
• Plan/usage cap: persisted after upgrading from Pro (99% usage) to Max
• The common factor in all failures is the Kimi model; Gemma works

Notes

• Possibly related to PDF document upload can silently fail or show generic error #571 (upload failures not surfaced as errors to users).
• The failure mode is the severe part — even if
  Kimi image support is simply broken, the chat should not be destroyed.

[jackula-spectacula]

Update: Recovery via Global Model Switch

I have discovered a partial recovery path that confirms this is model-specific:

1. Because the model selector in Maple is GLOBAL, switching the model in one chat changes it for all chats.
2. After switching the global model to Gemma, several of my previously bricked chats (including Attempt 2 and Attempt 3) "woke up."
3. Upon sending a prompt with Gemma, the AI responded: "I am so sorry! I had a temporary connection glitch. I am here and I have the photo."

Key Findings:

• Recovery: Most bricked chats can be revived by switching the global model to Gemma.
• Permanent Failure: My original historical chat (Attempt 1) remains bricked even after switching to Gemma, suggesting some failures result in permanent state corruption.
• Confirmation: This confirms the "bricking" is tied to how the Kimi models handle these image uploads/responses, as the UI becomes functional again the moment a different model is used to process the chat.

[AnthonyRonning]

Unable to reproduce. Uploading multiple images to kimi k3 works fine for me. Must be whatever images you are uploading.

[AnthonyRonning]

Actually, confirmed it is an issue for large images. This will be fixed this week.