Quality

Quality (--quality / --q)

--quality

Controls how much rendering time and detail a generation gets — it changes detail and GPU cost, not the output resolution.

Syntax
--quality <0.25 | 0.5 | 1> (or --q ...)
Values
0.25, 0.5, 1
Default
1

What it does

The --quality parameter (shorthand --q) sets how long Midjourney spends rendering, which affects the level of detail and how many GPU minutes the job costs. Lower values are faster and cheaper with less detail; the default of 1 is the balanced setting.

A common misconception is that quality changes resolution — it does not. It changes how much detail is worked into the image at the same output size, so higher is not automatically better for every style; some looks are cleaner at lower quality.

Examples

a quick concept sketch --q 0.5

Faster, cheaper draft with less fine detail.

a detailed illustration --q 1

Full default detail level.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming --quality changes resolution — it changes detail and GPU cost.
  • Always using the highest value when some styles look better lower.
  • Forgetting higher quality consumes more of your GPU minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the most common questions.

Related parameters

Keep the parameters behind every Midjourney image

Numonic pulls your Midjourney exports into a searchable catalog with the prompt, parameters, and Job ID intact — so the exact settings behind a look you loved are one search away, not lost in a folder.