Midjourney tutorial: how to change the aspect ratio of an image
The aspect ratio of an image is the width-to-height ratio of that image. It is commonly expressed as two numbers separated by a semicolon.
For example, a 1:1 aspect ratio indicates that an image has an equal height and width, making it perfectly square. On the other hand, an aspect ratio of 2:1 means that the image's width is double its height.
Midjourney default aspect ratio
By default, Midjourney creates images using an aspect ratio of 1:1, providing users with square assets. You can change this default value using the --aspect (or --ar) parameter.
Setting the aspect ratio in Midjourney using the aspect parameter
Take this prompt as an example:
/imagine prompt: London, in the style of miniature faking
Create your prompt library with Imagifly →This will likely produce images similar to those below. Note that all images have the same height and width.
However, if you're aiming for images where the width is 1.5 times the height, simply append the 3:2 aspect ratio to your prompt like so:
/imagine prompt: London, in the style of miniature faking, --ar 3:2
Create your prompt library with Imagifly →
Always use whole numbers for the aspect ratio (e.g., 3:2 instead of 1.5:1).
For more info on the aspect parameter, check the Midjourney documentation.
Changing the aspect ratio in Midjourney
If you have already created an image in Midjourney and wish to change its aspect ratio, you have two options.
Option 1. Zoom out feature
You can use the zoom out feature found on every upscaled image.
To upscale an image, select one of the options from U1 to U4 corresponding to your chosen image. Midjourney will generate an upscaled version of the original one.
Below the upscaled image, you'll see a 'Custom Zoom' option. Clicking on it reveals a panel where you can define your desired aspect ratio. Here's how:
- Set the zoom value to 1 using: --zoom 1
- Use your preferred aspect ratio, for instance: --ar 3:2
Below, you'll find a side-by-side comparison of a square image (on the left) and its 3:2 aspect ratio version (on the right), achieved using the 'Custom Zoom' option.
Option 2. Pan option
The Pan option lets you extend an image in any direction without altering its original content. To access the Pan buttons, upscale the image using the U buttons.
Beneath the upscaled version, you'll find four directional arrows (top/bottom/left/right). These allow you to pan the image. For instance, selecting the left arrow extends the image leftward.
In our example, we'll adjust a 1:1 aspect ratio image to 3:2 by panning leftward.
For greater aspect ratios like 5:2, you can pan the image in multiple directions, say, both left and right, and then crop the result to achieve the desired ratio.
Below, the image on the left is square, while the one on the right has been adjusted to a 3:2 aspect ratio using the Pan feature.
Mastering Midjourney prompt parameters
To learn more about Midjourney parameters, check out our related articles on the subject:
- How to use the chaos parameter
- How to use the seed parameter
- Negative prompts with the --no parameter and prompt weighing
If you want to step-up your game with AI generative tools, consider sticking around. You'll find plenty of tutorials and an app to manage all your prompts.
Imagifly - create your prompt library
The Imagifly app is the perfect place to store your prompt library:
- Create a free account
- Create and save prompts
- Add a cover image that quickly reminds you of the content you can create with a prompt
