How to Use Midjourney for Beginners (2026 Guide)

Midjourney creates the most beautiful AI art available in 2026. But if you’re new to it, the interface can be confusing — especially since it runs through Discord.

This guide walks you through everything from signup to creating your first masterpiece.

What You’ll Need

  • Discord account (free)
  • Midjourney subscription ($10-60/month, no free tier)
  • Basic understanding of Discord (we’ll cover this)

Note: Midjourney removed its free trial in 2024. You need a paid subscription to use it.

Step 1: Sign Up for Midjourney

  1. Go to midjourney.com
  2. Click Join the Beta
  3. Sign in with Discord (or create a Discord account)
  4. Choose a subscription plan:
    • Basic: $10/month (200 images)
    • Standard: $30/month (unlimited relaxed mode)
    • Pro: $60/month (unlimited fast mode)

Recommendation: Start with Basic ($10/month) to learn.

Step 2: Join the Midjourney Discord

After subscribing, you’ll be added to the Midjourney Discord server automatically.

What you’ll see:

  • Hundreds of channels (don’t panic!)
  • Lots of people generating images
  • A chaotic but creative environment

Where to start: Look for channels named #newbies-1, #newbies-2, etc.

Step 3: Your First Image

Basic Command Structure

/imagine prompt: [your description here]

Example:

/imagine prompt: a cat wearing a space suit, digital art

How to do it:

  1. Go to any #newbies channel
  2. Type /imagine (Discord will show autocomplete)
  3. Press Tab or click the prompt option
  4. Type your description
  5. Press Enter

Wait 60 seconds — Midjourney will generate 4 variations.

Step 4: Understanding the Results

After generation, you’ll see:

  • 4 image variations (numbered 1-4)
  • Buttons below the images:
    • U1, U2, U3, U4 — Upscale (get high-res version)
    • V1, V2, V3, V4 — Create variations
    • 🔄 — Reroll (generate 4 new images)

What to do:

  • Click U1 (or U2, U3, U4) to upscale your favorite
  • Click V1 to create 4 variations of image #1
  • Click 🔄 to start over with new images

Step 5: Writing Better Prompts

Basic Prompt Structure

[subject] [style] [lighting] [mood] [technical details]

Examples:

Simple:

/imagine prompt: mountain landscape, sunset

Better:

/imagine prompt: mountain landscape at sunset, golden hour lighting, cinematic, 8k

Advanced:

/imagine prompt: mountain landscape at sunset, golden hour lighting, dramatic clouds, cinematic composition, shot on ARRI Alexa, 8k, highly detailed

The more specific you are, the better the results.

Step 6: Using Style Keywords

Art Styles

  • digital art
  • oil painting
  • watercolor
  • pencil sketch
  • anime style
  • pixel art
  • 3D render

Photography Styles

  • cinematic
  • portrait photography
  • macro photography
  • aerial view
  • wide angle
  • bokeh

Lighting

  • golden hour
  • studio lighting
  • dramatic lighting
  • soft lighting
  • neon lights
  • volumetric lighting

Quality Keywords

  • 8k
  • highly detailed
  • photorealistic
  • sharp focus
  • professional

Step 7: Advanced Parameters

Add parameters at the end of your prompt:

Aspect Ratio

--ar 16:9   (widescreen)
--ar 1:1    (square)
--ar 9:16   (vertical/phone)
--ar 3:2    (standard photo)

Example:

/imagine prompt: beach sunset, cinematic --ar 16:9

Stylization

--s 100   (less stylized, more literal)
--s 250   (default)
--s 750   (very stylized, more artistic)

Chaos

--c 0     (predictable)
--c 50    (balanced)
--c 100   (wild, unexpected)

Quality

--q 0.5   (faster, lower quality)
--q 1     (default)
--q 2     (slower, higher quality)

Step 8: Using Image References

You can use an existing image as a reference:

  1. Upload an image to Discord (drag and drop)
  2. Right-click the image → Copy Link
  3. Paste the link in your prompt

Example:

/imagine prompt: https://[image-url] same style but with a cat

Step 9: Creating in Private (DMs)

Tired of the chaotic public channels?

Send a DM to the Midjourney Bot:

  1. Click on the Midjourney Bot in the member list
  2. Send it a message
  3. Use /imagine commands in the DM

Note: This only works with Standard ($30) or Pro ($60) plans.

Step 10: Using the Web Interface

Midjourney now has a web interface (midjourney.com/app):

Features:

  • Browse your creations
  • Organize into folders
  • Rate and favorite images
  • Easier than Discord for managing images

You still need Discord to generate images, but the web interface is great for organization.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Vague Prompts

Bad: a dog
Good: a golden retriever puppy playing in a field, golden hour lighting, cinematic

❌ Too Many Ideas

Bad: a cat and a dog and a bird and a house and a car
Good: a cat sitting on a vintage car, sunset lighting

❌ Expecting Perfection First Try

Midjourney requires iteration. Generate, refine, repeat.

❌ Not Using Parameters

Parameters like --ar 16:9 and --s 750 dramatically improve results.

❌ Ignoring Copyright

Midjourney images are yours to use commercially (with paid plan), but don’t try to recreate copyrighted characters exactly.

Example Prompts to Try

Portrait

/imagine prompt: portrait of a woman with red hair, studio lighting, professional photography, 85mm lens, shallow depth of field --ar 2:3

Landscape

/imagine prompt: mountain landscape at sunrise, misty valleys, dramatic clouds, cinematic composition, 8k --ar 16:9

Fantasy

/imagine prompt: ancient dragon sleeping on a pile of gold, fantasy art, dramatic lighting, highly detailed, concept art --ar 16:9

Product

/imagine prompt: luxury watch on marble surface, studio lighting, product photography, reflections, 8k, highly detailed --ar 1:1

Architecture

/imagine prompt: modern minimalist house in the forest, large windows, sunset lighting, architectural photography --ar 16:9

Tips for Better Results

  1. Be specific — describe exactly what you want
  2. Use style keywords — “cinematic”, “8k”, “highly detailed”
  3. Iterate — generate multiple times, refine your prompt
  4. Study other prompts — look at what others are creating
  5. Use parameters — --ar, --s, --c make a big difference
  6. Save good prompts — keep a document of prompts that work well

Midjourney vs Other Tools

Midjourney strengths:

  • Most artistic, beautiful results
  • Best for creative, editorial, concept art
  • Strong community and inspiration

Midjourney weaknesses:

  • No free tier
  • Discord interface is confusing for beginners
  • Less control over exact details than some competitors

Alternatives:

  • DALL-E 3 (via ChatGPT) — easier to use, better prompt understanding
  • Flux — better photorealism
  • Stable Diffusion — more control, free

Pricing Breakdown

| Plan | Price | Fast Hours | Relaxed | Best For | |---|---|---|---| | Basic | $10/mo | 3.3 hrs | ❌ | Learning, casual use | | Standard | $30/mo | 15 hrs | ✅ Unlimited | Regular creators | | Pro | $60/mo | 30 hrs | ✅ Unlimited | Professionals |

Fast mode: Generates in ~60 seconds
Relaxed mode: Generates in 5-10 minutes (unlimited on Standard/Pro)

Recommendation: Start with Basic, upgrade to Standard if you use it daily.

Next Steps

  1. Practice daily — the more you use it, the better you get
  2. Study the community — see what prompts others use
  3. Experiment — try different styles and parameters
  4. Save your favorites — organize your best work
  5. Join the community — ask questions in Discord

Bottom Line

Midjourney has a learning curve, but it’s worth it. The results are stunning, and once you understand the basics, you can create professional-quality art in minutes.

Start with:

  • Basic plan ($10/month)
  • Simple prompts in #newbies channels
  • Experiment with style keywords
  • Iterate and refine

You’ll be creating amazing AI art within a week.

Start with Midjourney →