Midjourney Parameters Explained: Full Reference Table

How Midjourney parameters work

A parameter is an instruction to the image generator rather than a description of the image. Your words describe what you want to see; parameters change how Midjourney produces it.

The rules are simple:

• Parameters go at the end of the prompt, after all your descriptive text.
• Each starts with two hyphens, followed by the name, a space and usually a value: --ar 3:2.
• Separate parameters with spaces. The order between them doesn't matter.
• Don't put commas or full stops after a parameter. Punctuation can be read as part of the value and cause an error.
• Many parameters have a short form. --stylize 250 and --s 250 do the same thing.

A complete prompt with parameters looks like this:

a lighthouse on a rocky coast at dusk, long exposure, moody blue light --ar 3:2 --s 150 --c 10

If you're still working on the descriptive part, our guide to Midjourney prompt structure covers how to order subject, style and setting before you add any parameters.

The Midjourney parameter reference table

This table covers the parameters most people use day to day. Ranges and defaults can change between model versions, so check Midjourney's own docs if a value is rejected.

Parameters that shape composition and variety

--ar (aspect ratio)

The aspect ratio changes the canvas shape, and Midjourney composes for that shape. A portrait at --ar 9:16 is framed differently from the same prompt at --ar 16:9, so set it from the start rather than cropping later. Ratios must use whole numbers. Our aspect ratio guide lists the right ratio for each platform.

--chaos and --weird

--chaos makes the four images in a grid differ more from each other. --weird makes each image stranger. They solve different problems: chaos is for exploring, weird is for character. Low values of both are often enough.

--seed

Every job starts from random noise. A seed number fixes that noise, so the same prompt with the same seed and settings gives very similar results. It's the best tool for testing one change at a time.

Parameters that control style

--stylize

Low values follow your prompt more literally. High values give Midjourney more freedom to add its own sense of composition, colour and detail. The default of 100 is a sensible middle.

--style raw

Raw mode tones down the built-in polish. It's useful for photography prompts, product shots and anything where you want the words to matter more than Midjourney's taste.

--sref and --sw

A style reference copies the look of an image (colour, texture, mood) without copying its content. You can use an image URL or a numeric style code, and --sref random picks a random code for you to discover new looks. --sw controls the strength. Style codes may render differently across model versions, so test old codes after an update. See our style references guide for the details.

--niji, --v and --p

--niji uses a model tuned for anime and illustration. --v picks a model version. --p applies your personalisation profile, built from images you've ranked or liked, so results lean towards your taste.

Parameters for image prompts and special outputs

• Image prompts: paste an image URL at the start of the prompt, then add --iw at the end to control its influence. Higher values follow the image more closely.
• --no: removes unwanted elements, e.g. --no text, watermark. Write the things you don't want as plain nouns.
• --tile: makes the edges match so the image repeats seamlessly. Try hand-drawn lemons and leaves, flat pastel illustration --tile.

A practical example combining several:

ceramic coffee mug on a linen tablecloth, soft window light, minimal product photography --ar 4:5 --style raw --s 50 --no text, logo

Here --style raw and a low --s keep the product realistic, and --no stops Midjourney inventing a printed logo. Remember that Midjourney is poor at rendering long, exact text, so add real typography in a design tool afterwards.

Common parameter mistakes

1. Putting parameters in the middle. Anything after a parameter can be misread. Keep all of them at the end.
2. Using a single hyphen or an en dash. It must be two plain hyphens. Some apps autocorrect -- into a dash, so check when pasting.
3. Decimal aspect ratios. --ar 1.91:1 won't work. Use whole numbers, e.g. --ar 191:100.
4. Changing several parameters at once. You won't know which one made the difference. Change one, keep the seed fixed, compare.
5. Writing "no" in the prompt text. "A beach, no people" can add people, because "people" is in the prompt. Use --no people instead.
6. Maxing everything out. --s 1000 --c 100 --w 3000 rarely gives usable images. Start low and raise values gradually.

Doing this faster with Dreamdrive

Dreamtune builds prompts from dropdowns, including a Technical group, so you can pick settings without typing them from memory. My Prompts saves every prompt, parameters included, into searchable project folders for one-click reuse. Style Vault keeps your --sref codes with preview images.

Frequently asked questions