Aspect Ratio

Midjourney images start as squares, but you can change this using the aspect ratio parameter: --ar or --aspect 

Examples of images in different aspect ratios overlaid on a grid

For more information about V8.1, see our Version article. 

What is Aspect Ratio? 

Aspect ratio is a way to describe how wide and tall an image is. It's shown as two numbers, like 1:1 or 4:3, that tell you how the width compares to the height. For example, a 4:3 aspect ratio means the width is 4 parts, and the height is 3 parts.

By default Midjourney images are square, meaning the width and height are the same, so the aspect ratio is 1:1.

Choosing an aspect ratio helps you decide if your image will be wide (landscape) or tall (portrait). Use a bigger first number for a wide image and a bigger second number for a tall image.

Important: Aspect ratio isn't the same as image dimensions. The final size of your Midjourney images will also depend on the version and upscaler you're using.

Setting the Aspect Ratio

  • Add --ar #:# to the end of your prompt in the Imagine bar.

    Using --ar on midjourney.com

    You can choose a default aspect ratio for all your images in the settings panel. To do this, click the settings settings-icon-new.svg button in the Imagine bar. Once you set it, this will apply to all your future prompts.

  • Add --ar #:# to the end of your prompt in Discord.

    Using --ar in Discord

1:1 – Perfect square, popular for social media profile pictures and posts.
4:3 – Slightly rectangular, used in older TV screens and computer monitors.
2:3 – Common in printed photography and picture frame sizes.
16:9 – Widescreen, the standard for HD videos and most modern TVs.
9:16 – Vertical orientation, common for mobile content on social media.

  • To find the aspect ratio of an image, use its dimensions. For example, if your image is 1920x1080 pixels, enter --ar 1920:1080, and Midjourney will simplify it to --ar 16:9. For something like 8.5x11 inches, remove the decimals (Midjourney doesn’t accept them) and enter --ar 85:110. This makes it easy to match your image's proportions.
  • You can change a generated image's aspect ratio using the pan and zoom out tools on both the web and Discord, or by using the Editor on midjourney.com
  • • The default aspect ratio is 1:1.
    • --ar cannot contain decimals. Use 139:100 instead of 1.39:1.
    • Some aspect ratios may be slightly changed when upscaling.
    • Older Midjourney versions may not support all aspect ratios.
    • Extremely wide and tall aspect ratios are experimental and may produce unpredictable results.