How to Use Midjourney: A Beginner's Guide for 2026

Midjourney can feel intimidating at first, but you can create great images within minutes. This guide walks you through your first generation, step by step.

Step 1: Sign up and choose a plan

Create an account on the Midjourney web app and pick the Basic plan ($10/month). There's no free tier, but Basic is plenty for learning.

Step 2: Write your first prompt

Start with a clear subject and a style, for example: "a cozy reading nook by a rainy window, warm lighting, illustration." Specificity beats length.

Step 3: Refine the result

Use variations to explore options, then upscale the one you like. Add parameters for aspect ratio and style strength as you get comfortable.

Step 4: Export and use your image

Download the upscaled image. Check the commercial-use terms for your plan before using it in client or commercial work.

Next steps

Once you're comfortable, read our full Midjourney review and compare it with other best AI image generators.