diff --git a/package/src/components/Channel/Channel.tsx b/package/src/components/Channel/Channel.tsx
index 5b3439c6d1..9acd090aa7 100644
--- a/package/src/components/Channel/Channel.tsx
+++ b/package/src/components/Channel/Channel.tsx
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ export type ChannelPropsWithContext = Pick<ChannelContextValue, 'channel'> &
       | 'bottomInset'
       | 'topInset'
       | 'disableAttachmentPicker'
+      | 'shouldRenderAttachmentPicker'
       | 'numberOfAttachmentPickerImageColumns'
       | 'numberOfAttachmentImagesToLoadPerCall'
     >
@@ -389,6 +390,7 @@ export type ChannelPropsWithContext = Pick<ChannelContextValue, 'channel'> &
 const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) => {
   const {
     disableAttachmentPicker = !isImageMediaLibraryAvailable(),
+    shouldRenderAttachmentPicker = true,
     additionalKeyboardAvoidingViewProps,
     additionalPressableProps,
     additionalTextInputProps,
@@ -1571,6 +1573,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
       closePicker: handleClosePicker,
       disableAttachmentPicker,
       openPicker: handleOpenPicker,
+      shouldRenderAttachmentPicker,
       topInset,
       numberOfAttachmentPickerImageColumns,
       attachmentPickerBottomSheetHeight,
@@ -1583,6 +1586,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
       handleClosePicker,
       disableAttachmentPicker,
       handleOpenPicker,
+      shouldRenderAttachmentPicker,
       topInset,
       numberOfAttachmentPickerImageColumns,
       attachmentPickerBottomSheetHeight,
@@ -1805,7 +1809,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
                         <AudioPlayerProvider value={audioPlayerContext}>
                           <NotificationAnnouncer />
                           <View style={{ height: '100%' }}>{children}</View>
-                          <AttachmentPicker />
+                          {shouldRenderAttachmentPicker ? <AttachmentPicker /> : null}
                         </AudioPlayerProvider>
                       </MessageInputProvider>
                     </MessageComposerProvider>
diff --git a/package/src/components/MessageInput/__tests__/AttachButton.test.tsx b/package/src/components/MessageInput/__tests__/AttachButton.test.tsx
index 32be1025f6..4e909f5c90 100644
--- a/package/src/components/MessageInput/__tests__/AttachButton.test.tsx
+++ b/package/src/components/MessageInput/__tests__/AttachButton.test.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import React from 'react';
 
+import { Text } from 'react-native';
+
 import { act, cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react-native';
 import type { Channel as ChannelType, StreamChat } from 'stream-chat';
 
 import { OverlayProvider } from '../../../contexts';
+import { useAttachmentPickerState } from '../../../hooks/useAttachmentPickerState';
 
 import { initiateClientWithChannels } from '../../../mock-builders/api/initiateClientWithChannels';
 import * as NativeHandler from '../../../native';
@@ -12,6 +15,11 @@ import { Channel } from '../../Channel/Channel';
 import { Chat } from '../../Chat/Chat';
 import { AttachButton } from '../components/InputButtons/AttachButton';
 
+const SelectedPicker = () => {
+  const { selectedPicker } = useAttachmentPickerState();
+  return <Text testID='selected-picker'>{selectedPicker ?? 'none'}</Text>;
+};
+
 const renderComponent = ({
   channelProps,
   client,
@@ -32,6 +40,25 @@ const renderComponent = ({
   );
 };
 
+const renderWithSelectedPicker = ({
+  channelProps,
+  client,
+}: {
+  channelProps: Partial<ChannelProps>;
+  client: StreamChat;
+}) => {
+  return render(
+    <OverlayProvider>
+      <Chat client={client}>
+        <Channel {...(channelProps as ChannelProps)}>
+          <AttachButton />
+          <SelectedPicker />
+        </Channel>
+      </Chat>
+    </OverlayProvider>,
+  );
+};
+
 describe('AttachButton', () => {
   let client: StreamChat;
   let channel: ChannelType;
@@ -211,4 +238,65 @@ describe('AttachButton', () => {
       expect(queryByTestId('attachment-picker-list')).toBeNull();
     });
   });
+
+  it('should select the image picker when pressed', async () => {
+    jest.spyOn(NativeHandler, 'isImageMediaLibraryAvailable').mockImplementation(() => true);
+
+    renderWithSelectedPicker({ channelProps: { channel }, client });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('attach-button')).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    act(() => {
+      fireEvent.press(screen.getByTestId('attach-button'));
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('selected-picker')).toHaveTextContent('images');
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should not select a picker when pressed if shouldRenderAttachmentPicker is false', async () => {
+    jest.spyOn(NativeHandler, 'isImageMediaLibraryAvailable').mockImplementation(() => true);
+
+    renderWithSelectedPicker({
+      channelProps: { channel, shouldRenderAttachmentPicker: false },
+      client,
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('attach-button')).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    act(() => {
+      fireEvent.press(screen.getByTestId('attach-button'));
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('selected-picker')).toHaveTextContent('none');
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('attachment-picker-list')).toBeNull();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should render the attachment picker by default', async () => {
+    renderWithSelectedPicker({ channelProps: { channel }, client });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('upload-file-touchable')).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should not render the attachment picker when shouldRenderAttachmentPicker is false', async () => {
+    renderWithSelectedPicker({
+      channelProps: { channel, shouldRenderAttachmentPicker: false },
+      client,
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.queryByTestId('attach-button')).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('upload-file-touchable')).toBeNull();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/package/src/contexts/attachmentPickerContext/AttachmentPickerContext.tsx b/package/src/contexts/attachmentPickerContext/AttachmentPickerContext.tsx
index 71ccda2f50..a2def88b59 100644
--- a/package/src/contexts/attachmentPickerContext/AttachmentPickerContext.tsx
+++ b/package/src/contexts/attachmentPickerContext/AttachmentPickerContext.tsx
@@ -33,7 +33,20 @@ export type AttachmentPickerContextValue = Pick<
   openPicker: () => void;
   topInset: number;
 
+  /**
+   * When `true`, the native image picker is used instead of the in-app image gallery.
+   * The attachment picker itself (with its attachment type selection bar) is still rendered.
+   * To not render the attachment picker at all, set `shouldRenderAttachmentPicker` to `false`.
+   */
   disableAttachmentPicker?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * Whether the attachment picker should be rendered at all. Defaults to `true`.
+   *
+   * Can be set to `false` if attachment picker is not used. `openAttachmentPicker` then
+   * does nothing. The attach button is still shown, so it needs to either be hidden it or set
+   * `handleAttachButtonPress` to override what it does.
+   */
+  shouldRenderAttachmentPicker?: boolean;
   attachmentPickerStore: AttachmentPickerStore;
   numberOfAttachmentPickerImageColumns?: number;
   numberOfAttachmentImagesToLoadPerCall?: number;
diff --git a/package/src/contexts/messageInputContext/MessageInputContext.tsx b/package/src/contexts/messageInputContext/MessageInputContext.tsx
index 7bf77ec6dd..0d6d5e3efb 100644
--- a/package/src/contexts/messageInputContext/MessageInputContext.tsx
+++ b/package/src/contexts/messageInputContext/MessageInputContext.tsx
@@ -221,8 +221,13 @@ export const MessageInputProvider = ({
 }: PropsWithChildren<{
   value: InputMessageInputContextValue;
 }>) => {
-  const { closePicker, openPicker, attachmentPickerStore, disableAttachmentPicker } =
-    useAttachmentPickerContext();
+  const {
+    closePicker,
+    openPicker,
+    attachmentPickerStore,
+    disableAttachmentPicker,
+    shouldRenderAttachmentPicker = true,
+  } = useAttachmentPickerContext();
   const { client } = useChatContext();
   const channelCapabilities = useOwnCapabilitiesContext();
   const [audioRecorderManager] = useState(new AudioRecorderManager());
@@ -371,10 +376,14 @@ export const MessageInputProvider = ({
    * Function to open the attachment picker if the MediaLibary is installed.
    */
   const openAttachmentPicker = useCallback(() => {
+    if (!shouldRenderAttachmentPicker) {
+      // There is no picker to open, and a selected picker would leave space reserved for it.
+      return;
+    }
     dismissKeyboard();
     attachmentPickerStore.setSelectedPicker('images');
     openPicker();
-  }, [attachmentPickerStore, openPicker]);
+  }, [attachmentPickerStore, openPicker, shouldRenderAttachmentPicker]);
 
   /**
    * Function to close the attachment picker if the MediaLibrary is installed.