Beginner
How to use negative prompts on Midjourney
Quick Answer
Negative prompts in Midjourney use the --no parameter to exclude unwanted elements from your generated images. Simply add --no followed by the elements you want to avoid at the end of your main prompt. This helps refine your results by telling the AI what not to include in the final image.
Prerequisites
- Active Midjourney subscription
- Discord account setup
- Basic familiarity with Midjourney commands
- Understanding of prompt basics
1
Open Discord and access Midjourney
Launch Discord and navigate to your Midjourney server or open a direct message with the Midjourney bot. Make sure you're in a channel where you can send commands, such as #general or any of the newbies channels.
Tip
Use DMs with the Midjourney bot for private image generation if you have an active subscription.
2
Start with your main prompt
Begin typing your image description as you normally would. For example:
Don't press Enter yet - you'll add the negative prompt parameters next.
/imagine prompt: beautiful landscape with mountains and treesDon't press Enter yet - you'll add the negative prompt parameters next.
3
Add the --no parameter
At the end of your main prompt, add a space followed by
--no and then specify what you want to exclude. For example: /imagine prompt: beautiful landscape with mountains and trees --no people, buildings, carsTip
Separate multiple negative elements with commas for better clarity.
4
Choose effective negative prompt terms
Use specific, descriptive terms for what you want to avoid. Common effective negative prompts include:
- Objects: people, text, watermark, signature
- Qualities: blurry, low quality, distorted, cropped
- Styles: cartoon, anime, realistic (depending on desired outcome)
- Colors: red, blue, dark, bright
Tip
Be specific rather than vague - 'blurry face' works better than just 'bad'.
5
Combine with other parameters
You can use
The order of parameters doesn't affect the result.
--no alongside other Midjourney parameters. Place it anywhere among your parameters: /imagine prompt: portrait of a woman --no makeup, jewelry --ar 3:4 --v 6The order of parameters doesn't affect the result.
Tip
Keep your negative prompts concise - too many can sometimes conflict with your main prompt.
6
Submit and review results
Press Enter to submit your prompt. Midjourney will process your request and generate four image variations that avoid the elements you specified in the
--no parameter.7
Refine with iterations
If unwanted elements still appear, upscale your preferred image using U1, U2, U3, or U4 buttons, then use the Vary (Strong) or Vary (Subtle) options with additional negative prompts:
--no [previous terms], [new unwanted elements]Tip
Add new negative terms based on what you see in the results to progressively refine your output.
Troubleshooting
Negative prompts seem to be ignored
Ensure you're using the correct syntax with
--no (two dashes) and that your terms are specific. Try using stronger, more descriptive negative terms or reduce the number of conflicting elements in your main prompt.Getting opposite results than expected
Sometimes negative prompts can create unexpected emphasis. Try rephrasing your main prompt instead of relying heavily on negatives, or use fewer negative terms to avoid confusion.
Images still contain unwanted elements
Be more specific with your negative terms. Instead of
--no people, try --no humans, faces, person, crowd. Also ensure your main prompt doesn't strongly contradict your negative prompts.Command not working in Discord
Verify you're using the correct format:
/imagine prompt: [description] --no [unwanted elements]. Make sure there are no extra spaces around the dashes and that you're in a valid Midjourney channel or DM.Ready to get started with Midjourney?
Put this tutorial into practice. Visit Midjourney and follow the steps above.
Visit Midjourney →