Midjourney’s V6 update introduced a powerful feature called “Style Reference.” This allows you to use an image as a reference, influencing the artistic style of the image that Midjourney will generate.
Step 1: Get your reference image's URL ready
- If your image is from Midjourney, upscale your chosen image by clicking the upscale buttons [U1, U2, U3, U4] at the bottom.
- If your image is a personal photo or from an external source, upload it using the “+” button next to the prompt box.
- Click on the upscaled or uploaded image. In the bottom left corner of the image, click the "Open in Browser" link to open the image in a new tab.
- Copy the image URL from the new browser tab
Step 2: Apply the style reference code (--sref) to your prompt
- In the prompt box, type "/imagine" and press "Enter"
- Describe what you want Midjourney to create (e.g., "A portrait of a woman with flowing hair")
- Leave a space after your prompt text
- Add the style reference code (--sref) after your prompt description)
- Paste the URL you copied in step 1.4 after the space
- For multiple references, separate URLs with commas.
Here are some images we generated using Style Reference:
Right image prompt: Futuristic tech male elven --sref https://s.mj.run/raHWwNmC2sE --ar 4:5 --v 6.0
Right image prompt: a collage of a Mother, son running towards a house with solar panels, grass, --ar 4:5 --sref https://s.mj.run/pQYMYTvl14Q --v 6.0
Right image prompt: Man in the future, half human, half robot, bright, clean and modern --ar 2:1 --sref https://s.mj.run/6VZdwFU2NWc, https://s.mj.run/rfFxCD-hOps --v 6.0
For even more tips and insights, download our Midjourney Inspiration Guide or follow us on LinkedIn. We share daily prompts, inspiration, and ideas to help you elevate your visual journey.