diff --git a/app/compositeview.go b/app/compositeview.go
index 99a983a..01cdc6c 100644
--- a/app/compositeview.go
+++ b/app/compositeview.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package app
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"image"
+	"image/color"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -13,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/lib/parse"
 	"git.sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/lib/ui"
 
+	"golang.org/x/image/draw"
+
 	_ "image/jpeg"
 	_ "image/png"
 
@@ -25,7 +28,8 @@ const (
 	blockText  = 0
 	blockImage = 1
 
-	defaultImageHeight = 15
+	// Max image height in terminal rows
+	maxImageHeight = 20
 )
 
 type contentBlock struct {
@@ -34,17 +38,22 @@ type contentBlock struct {
 	imageIdx  int
 }
 
+// halfBlockRow stores pre-computed cells for one row of a halfblock image.
+// Each cell uses upper-half-block "▀" with fg=top pixel, bg=bottom pixel.
+type halfBlockRow struct {
+	cells []vaxis.Cell
+}
+
 type compositeContent struct {
 	blocks []contentBlock
 	images []parse.ImageRef
 	width  int
 
-	mu       sync.Mutex
-	decoded  map[int]image.Image
-	decErrs  map[int]bool // true = decode attempted and failed
-	graphics map[int]vaxis.Image
-
-	invalidate func() // callback to trigger redraw after async decode
+	mu         sync.Mutex
+	decoded    map[int]image.Image
+	decErrs    map[int]bool
+	rendered   map[int][]halfBlockRow // pre-rendered halfblock rows per image
+	invalidate func()
 }
 
 func splitContentBlocks(text string, images []parse.ImageRef) []contentBlock {
@@ -106,17 +115,16 @@ func newCompositeContent(text string, images []parse.ImageRef, width int, invali
 		width:      width,
 		decoded:    make(map[int]image.Image),
 		decErrs:    make(map[int]bool),
-		graphics:   make(map[int]vaxis.Image),
+		rendered:   make(map[int][]halfBlockRow),
 		invalidate: invalidate,
 	}
-	// Decode all images in background
-	go cc.decodeAllImages()
+	go cc.decodeAndRender()
 	return cc
 }
 
-// decodeAllImages decodes all referenced images in a background goroutine.
-// Calls invalidate() when done so the UI redraws with images.
-func (cc *compositeContent) decodeAllImages() {
+// decodeAndRender decodes images and pre-renders them as halfblock cells.
+// All rendering happens here (background goroutine), not in Draw().
+func (cc *compositeContent) decodeAndRender() {
 	defer log.PanicHandler()
 	for i, img := range cc.images {
 		f, err := os.Open(img.Path)
@@ -139,12 +147,103 @@ func (cc *compositeContent) decodeAllImages() {
 		cc.mu.Lock()
 		cc.decoded[i] = decoded
 		cc.mu.Unlock()
+
+		// Pre-render as halfblock cells
+		rows := renderHalfBlock(decoded, cc.width, maxImageHeight)
+		cc.mu.Lock()
+		cc.rendered[i] = rows
+		cc.mu.Unlock()
 	}
 	if cc.invalidate != nil {
 		cc.invalidate()
 	}
 }
 
+// renderHalfBlock converts an image into halfblock character rows.
+// Each terminal row represents 2 pixel rows using "▀" (upper half block).
+// Top pixel → foreground color, bottom pixel → background color.
+func renderHalfBlock(img image.Image, maxWidth, maxHeight int) []halfBlockRow {
+	bounds := img.Bounds()
+	srcW := bounds.Dx()
+	srcH := bounds.Dy()
+	if srcW == 0 || srcH == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Calculate target dimensions in cells
+	// Each cell = 1 char wide, 2 pixel rows tall
+	targetW := maxWidth
+	targetH := maxHeight * 2 // pixel rows (2 per cell row)
+
+	// Maintain aspect ratio
+	ratio := float64(srcH) / float64(srcW)
+	fitH := int(float64(targetW) * ratio)
+	if fitH < targetH {
+		targetH = fitH
+	}
+	// Don't upscale
+	if targetW > srcW {
+		targetW = srcW
+	}
+	if targetH > srcH {
+		targetH = srcH
+	}
+	// Ensure even height for halfblock pairing
+	if targetH%2 != 0 {
+		targetH++
+	}
+
+	// Resize the image
+	dst := image.NewRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, targetW, targetH))
+	draw.BiLinear.Scale(dst, dst.Rect, img, bounds, draw.Over, nil)
+
+	// Convert to halfblock rows
+	cellRows := targetH / 2
+	rows := make([]halfBlockRow, cellRows)
+	for y := 0; y < cellRows; y++ {
+		cells := make([]vaxis.Cell, targetW)
+		for x := 0; x < targetW; x++ {
+			topR, topG, topB, topA := toRGBA(dst.At(x, y*2))
+			botR, botG, botB, botA := toRGBA(dst.At(x, y*2+1))
+
+			switch {
+			case topA < 50 && botA < 50:
+				cells[x] = vaxis.Cell{
+					Character: vaxis.Character{Grapheme: " ", Width: 1},
+				}
+			case topA < 50:
+				cells[x] = vaxis.Cell{
+					Character: vaxis.Character{Grapheme: "▄", Width: 1},
+					Style:     vaxis.Style{Foreground: vaxis.RGBColor(botR, botG, botB)},
+				}
+			case botA < 50:
+				cells[x] = vaxis.Cell{
+					Character: vaxis.Character{Grapheme: "▀", Width: 1},
+					Style:     vaxis.Style{Foreground: vaxis.RGBColor(topR, topG, topB)},
+				}
+			default:
+				cells[x] = vaxis.Cell{
+					Character: vaxis.Character{Grapheme: "▀", Width: 1},
+					Style: vaxis.Style{
+						Foreground: vaxis.RGBColor(topR, topG, topB),
+						Background: vaxis.RGBColor(botR, botG, botB),
+					},
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		rows[y] = halfBlockRow{cells: cells}
+	}
+	return rows
+}
+
+func toRGBA(c color.Color) (uint8, uint8, uint8, uint8) {
+	pr, pg, pb, pa := c.RGBA()
+	if pa == 0 {
+		return uint8(pr), uint8(pg), uint8(pb), 0
+	}
+	return uint8((pr * 255) / pa), uint8((pg * 255) / pa), uint8((pb * 255) / pa), uint8(pa >> 8)
+}
+
 func (cc *compositeContent) totalHeight() int {
 	h := 0
 	for _, b := range cc.blocks {
@@ -160,33 +259,17 @@ func (cc *compositeContent) totalHeight() int {
 
 func (cc *compositeContent) imageHeight(idx int) int {
 	cc.mu.Lock()
-	img, ok := cc.decoded[idx]
+	rows, ok := cc.rendered[idx]
 	cc.mu.Unlock()
-	if ok {
-		bounds := img.Bounds()
-		if bounds.Dx() == 0 {
-			return defaultImageHeight
-		}
-		ratio := float64(bounds.Dy()) / float64(bounds.Dx())
-		h := int(float64(cc.width) * ratio / 2.0)
-		if h < 3 {
-			h = 3
-		}
-		if h > defaultImageHeight {
-			h = defaultImageHeight
-		}
-		return h
+	if ok && len(rows) > 0 {
+		return len(rows)
 	}
-	return defaultImageHeight
+	// Placeholder height before rendered
+	return 1
 }
 
 func (cc *compositeContent) Destroy() {
-	cc.mu.Lock()
-	defer cc.mu.Unlock()
-	for _, g := range cc.graphics {
-		g.Destroy()
-	}
-	cc.graphics = make(map[int]vaxis.Image)
+	// No vaxis resources to clean up — halfblock uses only cells
 }
 
 func (cc *compositeContent) CleanupFiles() {
@@ -195,7 +278,7 @@ func (cc *compositeContent) CleanupFiles() {
 	}
 }
 
-// Draw renders composite content. Only renders images that are already decoded.
+// Draw renders composite content into the UI context.
 func (cc *compositeContent) Draw(ctx *ui.Context, scroll int, style ...vaxis.Style) {
 	width := ctx.Width()
 	height := ctx.Height()
@@ -222,21 +305,20 @@ func (cc *compositeContent) Draw(ctx *ui.Context, scroll int, style ...vaxis.Sty
 		case blockImage:
 			imgH := cc.imageHeight(b.imageIdx)
 			if row+imgH > 0 && row < height {
-				cc.drawImage(ctx, b.imageIdx, row, width, imgH, defaultStyle)
+				cc.drawImage(ctx, b.imageIdx, row, width, defaultStyle)
 			}
 			row += imgH
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-func (cc *compositeContent) drawImage(ctx *ui.Context, idx, row, width, height int, style vaxis.Style) {
+func (cc *compositeContent) drawImage(ctx *ui.Context, idx, row, width int, style vaxis.Style) {
 	cc.mu.Lock()
-	img, decoded := cc.decoded[idx]
+	rows, rendered := cc.rendered[idx]
 	failed := cc.decErrs[idx]
 	cc.mu.Unlock()
 
-	// Show alt text if not yet decoded or failed
-	if !decoded {
+	if !rendered {
 		alt := "[loading image...]"
 		if failed {
 			alt = "[image]"
@@ -250,46 +332,22 @@ func (cc *compositeContent) drawImage(ctx *ui.Context, idx, row, width, height i
 		return
 	}
 
-	vx := ctx.Window().Vx
-	graphic, ok := cc.graphics[idx]
-	// Recover from panics in vaxis image encoding (e.g. sixel encoder bugs)
-	defer func() {
-		if r := recover(); r != nil {
-			log.Errorf("composite: panic rendering image %d: %v", idx, r)
-			alt := "[image: render error]"
-			if idx < len(cc.images) && cc.images[idx].Alt != "" {
-				alt = fmt.Sprintf("[%s]", cc.images[idx].Alt)
-			}
-			if row >= 0 && row < ctx.Height() {
-				ctx.Printf(0, row, style, "%s", alt)
-			}
+	win := ctx.Window()
+	for i, hbRow := range rows {
+		y := row + i
+		if y < 0 {
+			continue
 		}
-	}()
-	if !ok {
-		var err error
-		graphic, err = vx.NewImage(img)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("composite: vaxis NewImage %d: %v", idx, err)
-			if row >= 0 && row < ctx.Height() {
-				alt := "[image: render error]"
-				if idx < len(cc.images) && cc.images[idx].Alt != "" {
-					alt = fmt.Sprintf("[%s]", cc.images[idx].Alt)
-				}
-				ctx.Printf(0, row, style, "%s", alt)
-			}
-			return
+		if y >= ctx.Height() {
+			break
+		}
+		for x, cell := range hbRow.cells {
+			if x >= width {
+				break
+			}
+			win.SetCell(x, y, cell)
 		}
-		cc.graphics[idx] = graphic
 	}
-
-	graphic.Resize(width, height)
-
-	startRow := row
-	if startRow < 0 {
-		startRow = 0
-	}
-	win := ctx.Window().New(0, startRow, width, height)
-	graphic.Draw(win)
 }
 
 func truncateLine(s string, width int) string {