Parameter Overview
| Parameter | Syntax | Type | Range | Default | Description |
|---|
| Aspect Ratio | --ar W:H | Integer ratio | Any positive integer ratio | 1:1 | Image aspect ratio |
| Chaos | --c N | int | 0 - 100 | 0 | Diversity of generated results |
| Negative Prompt | --no word1,word2 | Keywords | — | — | Exclude unwanted elements |
| Quality | --q N | Enum | 1, 2, 4 | 1 | Generation detail level, affects cost |
| Seed | --seed N | int | 0 - 4294967295 | Random | Fix seed for reproducible results |
| Stylize | --s N | int | 0 - 1000 | 100 | Artistic style intensity |
| Weird | --w N | int | 0 - 3000 | 0 | Unconventional/surreal degree |
| Experimental | --exp N | int | 0 - 100 | 0 | Aesthetic effect (V7 exclusive) |
| Raw Mode | --raw | Flag | — | Off | Disable default beautification |
| Tile | --tile | Flag | — | Off | Seamless repeating pattern |
| Image Weight | --iw N | float | 0 - 3 | 1 | Image prompt influence |
| Style Reference | --sref [URL] | URL | — | — | Match visual style |
| Style Weight | --sw N | int | 0 - 1000 | 100 | Style reference strength |
| Style Version | --sv N | enum | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | 4 | Style algorithm version |
| Object Reference | --oref [URL] | URL | — | — | Place character/object (V7 exclusive), doubles cost |
| Object Reference Weight | --ow N | int | 1 - 1000 | 100 | Object reference strength |
| Draft Mode | --draft | flag | — | off | 10x faster, half cost (V7 exclusive), controlled via API model_params.speed |
Speed mode (draft / fast / turbo) is controlled via the API’s model_params.speed field. There is no need to manually write --draft / --fast / --turbo in the prompt.
Basic Parameters
Aspect Ratio --ar
Sets the image aspect ratio. Only integer ratios are supported.
Common values: 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 9:16, 2:3
Chaos --chaos / --c
Controls the diversity of generated results. Higher values produce greater differences among the 4 images.
| Range | Effect |
|---|
| 0 | 4 images are very similar (default) |
| 1-50 | Moderate diversity |
| 50-100 | Highly random, suitable for creative exploration |
Negative Prompt --no
Excludes unwanted elements, equivalent to -0.5 weight. Supports multiple keywords.
vibrant tulip field --no red,shadows
V7 does not support the :: multi-prompt syntax. You can only use --no to exclude unwanted elements.
Quality --quality / --q
Controls generation detail level.
| Value | Description |
|---|
| 1 | Default, with optimized hand coherence |
| 2 | Uses the pre-optimization V7 model |
| 4 | Experimental mode (incompatible with --oref) |
Higher quality values consume more GPU resources and increase costs accordingly.
Seed --seed
Fixes the initial random state for comparison testing.
- Range: 0 - 4294967295
- Same seed + same prompt → similar (not identical) results
- Not applicable in turbo speed mode
Stylize --stylize / --s
Adjusts the balance between realism and artistic style.
| Range | Effect |
|---|
| 0-250 | Realistic style, faithful to the prompt |
| 250-750 | Balanced |
| 750-1000 | Strong artistic expression, bold colors and composition |
Weird --weird / --w
Introduces unconventional and surreal elements.
| Range | Effect |
|---|
| 10-300 | Slightly weird |
| 300-1000 | Noticeably unconventional elements |
| 1000-3000 | Extreme surrealism and abstraction |
Experimental --exp (V7 Exclusive)
Similar to --stylize but stackable, generating more detailed, dynamic, and creative images.
- Recommended values: 5, 10, 25, 50, 100
- Noticeable effect changes from 5-50, diminishing returns from 50-100
- May override
--stylize effects above 25-50
Raw Mode --raw
Disables default beautification for stricter adherence to prompt details. Suitable for photorealism or precise control scenarios.
Tile --tile
Generates seamlessly repeating patterns (seamless in all four directions), suitable for textures, wallpapers, and fabric designs.
brick wall texture --tile
Image Reference Parameters
Image Prompt
Place image URLs at the beginning of the prompt to influence the generated content.
https://example.com/ref.jpg text description --iw 1.5
| Combination | Valid? |
|---|
| 1 image + no text | ❌ Invalid (will error) |
| 1 image + text description | ✅ Valid |
| 2+ images + no text | ✅ Valid |
| 2+ images + text description | ✅ Valid |
- Maximum 20 image prompts
- Supported formats:
.png, .gif, .webp, .jpg, .jpeg
Image Weight --iw
Controls the influence of image prompts on the result. Range 0 - 3, default 1. Higher values produce results closer to the reference image.
https://example.com/ref.jpg watercolor landscape --iw 2.0
Style Reference --sref
Matches the visual style (colors, textures, lighting) of the reference image without copying content. Must be used with a text prompt.
a cat --sref https://example.com/style.jpg
- Multiple supported:
--sref URL1 URL2
- Weight allocation supported:
--sref URL1::2 URL2::1 (Note: the :: here is weight syntax within the sref parameter, which is a different concept from the multi-prompt :: separator that V7 does not support)
- Random style supported:
--sref random (returns a numeric code after generation, reusable)
- Maximum 20 srefs
Style Weight --sw
Controls the influence of the style reference. Range 0 - 1000, default 100.
a cat --sref https://example.com/style.jpg --sw 500
Style Version --sv
Switches the style reference algorithm version.
| Version | Characteristics |
|---|
| 1 | Original algorithm, more “atmospheric” |
| 2 | Second iteration |
| 3 | Updated version of v1 |
| 4 | Updated version of v2 (default) |
| 5 | New in V7 |
| 6 | New in V7 |
Object Reference --oref (V7 Exclusive)
Places characters, objects, vehicles, or non-human creatures from the reference image into a new image. Must be used with a text prompt.
a duckling holding a magic wand --oref https://example.com/duck.jpg
Using object reference consumes 2x GPU time, doubling the cost. Only one reference image can be used.
Object Reference Weight --ow (V7 Exclusive)
Range 1 - 1000, default 100. Recommended to keep below 400, otherwise results may be unpredictable. High --stylize values may require higher --ow to compensate.
duckling --oref https://example.com/duck.jpg --ow 300
Speed Modes
Speed mode is controlled via the API’s model_params.speed field, which is automatically injected into the prompt.
| Mode | Description | Cost |
|---|
draft | 10x faster, lower quality, can be enhanced later with mj-v7-enhance. Image generation endpoint only | Lowest |
fast | Standard quality (default) | Standard |
turbo | Maximum speed | ~2x fast |
Dependencies
The following parameters require other parameters to take effect:
| Parameter | Prerequisite |
|---|
--sv, --sw | Requires --sref |
--iw | Requires image prompt |
--ow | Requires --oref |
--sref, --oref | Requires text prompt |
| Single image prompt | Requires text prompt |
Conflicts
| Parameter A | Parameter B | Description |
|---|
--oref | draft / turbo speed | Object reference only compatible with fast mode |
--oref | --q 4 | Quality 4 is incompatible with object reference |
--oref | inpaint/pan/outpaint | Object reference images cannot be used for these operations |
--draft | --tile | Draft mode does not support tiling |
| Image-only prompt | --stylize / --weird | Incompatible without text |
When --exp exceeds 25-50, it will suppress the effect of --stylize. It is recommended to use lower exp values (5-25) when combining them.
Unsupported Parameters in V7
| Parameter | Description |
|---|
--stop | Not supported in V7 |
--cref / --cw | Use --oref object reference instead |
--relax | V7 does not support relax mode |
--repeat / --r | Not supported via API |
--p (personalize) | Not supported via API |
{} permutations | Not supported via API |
--stealth / --public | Not supported by API (images are not publicly accessible) |
Multi-prompt :: | Not supported in V7 |
Basic Structure
[image URL] text description --param1 value1 --param2 value2
Writing Rules
- Parameters go at the end of the text prompt
- A space is required before
--
- Do not use punctuation in parameters
- No text can follow after parameters
Examples
a yellow Persian cat --ar 1:2 --s 500
Content Moderation Notice
Midjourney has a built-in content moderation system. If some generated images are filtered by moderation, credits consumed for that request will not be refunded. Please ensure your prompts comply with content guidelines.