How to Use Style Reference (sref)

Using style reference (sref) is the easiest way to create consistent styles in Midjourney.

How to Use srefs

1. Use parameter --sref  in your prompt to indicate you want to use a style reference code.

2. The sref parameter has to be followed by a number, for example --sref 2192

3. Add the sref code at the end of your prompt, like this:

your prompt --sref 2192

4. You can use any other Midjourney parameters with the sref code, for example, aspect ratio, stylize, chaos, etc.

a hacker --chaos 10 --ar 3:2 --sref 2192 --stylize 500

Important to know

The baseline sref code, one without any specific descriptors in the prompt and without other parameters generates a style that can, for the most part, be adjusted and molded.

For example, a baseline sref that is an illustration, can be adjusted so that it generated a photograph instead.

Some srefs are more malleable than others. The way to find out how far you can take an sref style is to put it through testing by running various prompts and parameters with the sref and observing the results.

Example,

If you add a color to your prompt, it may or may not 'take', based on how strong the sref's influence is.

Prompting with srefs

In general, you can use simpler prompts when you use an sref because the style reference does the heavy lifting for you.

With some srefs using just a one word or two can generate fantastic images.

With some srefs, no matter what you add to your prompt, it doesn't have an effect. The style is strong with these ones.

Style Weight (sw) parameter

Srefs can be combined with Style Weight --sw parameter, which goes from 0 to 1000.

Zero means no weight is given to the style reference (meaning, you might as well not use zero, when using --sref).

100 is the default and you do not have to add that into your prompt.

You can use lower than 100 value to add minimal influence from the style, or between 100 and 1000 to increase the intensity of the style.

For the majority of the time I'm super happy with the default style weight.

If you want to use --sw with your --sref you'd do it like this:

a hacker --ar 3:2 --sref 2192 --sw 50

a hacker --ar 3:2 --sref 2192 --sw 500

a hacker --ar 3:2 --sref 2192 --sw 1000

Finding sref codes

There are two ways to find sref codes.

1. Browse a visual sref index

Explore thousands of sref codes and pick your favorites.

Copy an sref code you like and paste it at the end of your Midjourney prompt.

2. Mine srefs

In Midjourney enter your prompt followed by --sref [whatever number you want between 0 and 4294967295]

You can enter any number or use --sref random

This generates a random sref code from the vast pool of srefs.

Once the image is generated you see the --sref code next to your images.

Note.
You cannot create an image and then find its sref code. It doesn't work to this direction.