How to Use Midjourney to Create High-Quality AI-Generated Images

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Need a logo for your business or artwork for a presentation? One option is to use an AI image generator like Midjourney. With this image creator, you describe the type of image you need and the site displays four high-quality renderings, which you can fine-tune and edit.

You need a paid subscription to use Midjourney. The company has offered free trials in the past, but not consistently. Plans run between $10-$60 per month and $96-$576 per year. Each tier bumps up the speed of the responses and offers additional perks. To get a taste of Midjourney, you’ll want to start with the basic plan to see how well it works for you.

In the past, Midjourney required you to use Discord to create AI images. That required a lot of fiddling with text-based prompts, a process that could be clumsy and frustrating, especially for newbies. To appeal to a wider audience, Midjourney has since launched a dedicated website that’s much easier and friendlier to use.

Sign Up for Midjourney

To get started, head to the Midjourney website and click the Sign Up button at the bottom of the home page. Signing up requires either a Google or Discord account. If you previously created images through Discord, you can use that account to retrieve your history and then merge your Discord and Google accounts to sign in with either one.

After signing into the site, a sidebar on the left displays tabs for different sections. Select Explore to check out images other people have created. Filter the images by choosing different categories at the top, such as Random, Hot, Top Day (as well as Top Week or Top Month), and Likes.

Click an image that interests you to view it full screen. You'll also find the prompt used to generate the image, which you can copy and use as the basis for your own image. Click the X to return to the image gallery.

When you’re ready to create your own images, click the Create tab on the left. At this point, you’ll be prompted to sign up for one of the paid subscriptions. Click the Join Now button, choose the subscription tier you want, and follow the steps to pay for and activate your subscription.

Generate an Image

At the Create screen, generate an image by typing a prompt in the What will you imagine field at the top of the page. Add the necessary details to describe the image. You'll also want to indicate the style you want, such as watercolor, drawing, anime, or photorealistic. Press the Enter key to submit your prompt. In response, four images are generated that hopefully match your description.

Adjust an Image

Don't like the results? Modify the image by clicking the three-lined settings icon to the right of the prompt. Here, you can change options like the size, model, and aesthetics for the image. For example, you can change the aspect ratio among square, portrait, and landscape. You can also move the slider to tweak the stylization, weirdness, and variety. Hover over one of the options under Aesthetics to learn how it will change your image.

Once you've made adjustments, copy and paste your previous prompt into the What will you imagine field and press Enter. Similar to Microsoft's Copilot and Google's Gemini, Midjourney will create a new set of four images based on the same prompt but using the options you adjusted.

Hover over an image to display options for Vary Subtle and Vary Strong. Click on one and Midjourney will create a new batch of four images with subtle or strong variations based on the one you selected and the options you chose.

Modify Images With Creation Actions

Click an image that you like and wish to tweak further. That image then opens in a larger view. On the right side of the screen, different actions appear under Creation Actions. Hovering over a specific action explains what it does. The Vary action lets you change the image in a subtle or strong way. In response, Midjourney creates a new image with subtle or dramatic changes. To try this one, click Subtle or Strong.

With the Upscale action, you can generate a larger image better suited for downloading or printing. For this one, click Subtle or Creative. Using the More action, you can run the same prompt again or go directly to the editor. You can also use the image, a style, or a prompt to revise it. Click Rerun or Editor. With the Use action, you can use the image, style, or original prompt to generate a new image.

Try some of the different actions. Each time you select one, a new series of four images is generated. You’ll want to limit the number of actions you choose; otherwise you’ll end up with a lot of new images. When you’re done, return to the Create screen to see the new sets of images.

Edit an Image

Choose an image from the Create screen. Midjourney has a built-in editor through which you can make more changes to an image. Click Editor on the right. In the editing screen, zoom in or out on the image by moving the Scale slider at the top. Here, you can also change the aspect ratio by selecting one of the presets.

You’re then able to move the image around the canvas by dragging the four-arrow icon in the middle. For example, you can shrink the image to add more content to the left, right, top, or bottom. When done, click Submit and return to the Create screen to see the newly generated images.

Again, select the image you want to use moving forward. Next, you’re able to change parts of the image based on revisions to your prompt. For instance, you could add a new element to your image by erasing the part that you want to change, and then adding the new information to the prompt.

After submitting the new prompt, Midjourney generates a new set of images to the right of your current one. Click one of the new images to view it.

Download and Organize Images

Once you’ve chosen the image you like best, open it in its own window. Click the Download Image button on the right and select a location in which to save the file. Your image is then downloaded as a PNG file.

You can view and organize all the images you've generated by clicking the Organize category on the left. Right-click on a specific image to access a menu where you can like, hide, modify, copy, or save the image. Click the Organize button on the right to display a sidebar. Here, you can create folders to save your images, filter the list of images by different criteria, and play with the layout and image size.