Part 1 - Understanding Public vs. Private Image Generation in Midjourney

When I first started exploring AI image tools like Midjourney AI, I had one big assumption: anything I created was mine and mine alone. After all, if I was the one writing the Midjourney prompts and generating the images, they had to be private, right?

Wrong.

One of the most important things to understand before you dive into Midjourney for AI image generation is that, by default, everything you create is public.

Every prompt you type, every image Midjourney AI generates—it’s all visible in Midjourney’s online community feed. If you’re just experimenting and having fun, this might not seem like a big deal.

However, if you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or content creator looking to use AI-generated images for branding, digital marketing, or product designs, this lack of privacy could be a valid concern.

If you plan to create exclusive brand visuals, professional social media content, or custom AI artwork for your business, you’ll want to pay close attention to how Midjourney's privacy settings work inside the platform—and how to protect your creative assets while using AI for business branding effectively.

Let's dive deeper and take a closer look at the choices you have within Midjourney's platform for AI-generation privacy. 

Midjourney AI Image Privacy: What You Need to Know

Midjourney operates like a collaborative AI art studio—a creative space where users can generate, explore, and interact with AI-generated images from people all over the world.

This unique approach makes Midjourney both an incredible learning tool and a potential privacy concern, depending on how you plan to use it.

If you’re using Midjourney for personal projects, creative experimentation, or simply learning how AI-generated images work, then the public setting is an advantage rather than a limitation. It allows you to explore trending AI styles, refine your prompt-writing skills, and see how others create effective AI-generated art.

If, however, you’re using AI image technology for something more professional—such as branding, exclusive business content, product design, or social media marketing—this open visibility can present a potential privacy concern.

It’s important to note that even if your AI-generated images are created in Public Mode, you have full rights to use them for business, branding, content creation, marketing, and commercial purposes—just like any other Midjourney user.

Midjourney’s licensing terms allow businesses to legally use AI-generated images, even on the basic plan. The difference is that your creations are not exclusive to you. 

While you retain the right to use them, other users can also view, take inspiration from, or even iterate on similar ideas based on your prompts or images. This means that if you want total creative control over your visuals, you’ll need to upgrade to a private image generation plan.

Bottom Line: The nature of your business and your business's requirements will determine whether Midjourney’s default public mode is sufficient for your personal and professional needs, or if upgrading to a private AI image generation account is necessary.

Midjourney AI Plans and Privacy - Here's the breakdown: 

If you’re on the basic or standard plan, your creations are automatically added to the public gallery, meaning anyone can view them and even use your prompts or generated images for inspiration to create new AI images. 

If privacy is a priority for you, Midjourney offers an upgraded feature called Stealth Image Generation Mode, available only on Pro and Mega Plans.

Public Mode (Basic & Standard Plans) – Everything you generate is public. Other users can see your images, prompts, and creative process in the Midjourney community feed.

Stealth Mode (Pro & Mega Plans) – Your AI-generated images remain private, visible only to you. This is the best option for business owners, product designers, and brand creators who want to ensure exclusivity.

If exclusivity is a priority for you when using Midjourney AI for business branding, content creation, or confidential projects, upgrading to a Pro Plan for Stealth Mode should be considered. 

It allows you to safeguard your brand’s visuals, prevent idea theft, and maintain control over how your AI-generated content is used.

Bottom Line: Midjourney’s collaborative environment is an incredible resource for learning, inspiration, and prompt mastery—but if you’re using AI images for exclusive or trademarked business assets, upgrading to Stealth Mode is the best way to protect your creative work.

What AI Image Privacy Means for Your Online Business

If you’re just starting out and learning Midjourney AI, the Basic Plan with public mode is perfect—it keeps your costs low and allows you to learn and explore without committing to an expensive paid plan. In fact, even now that my business has grown, I still use the Basic Plan myself.

I have not personally upgraded to the Pro Plan for Stealth Image Generation Mode because I use Midjourney for branding ideas, design inspiration, and concept development—not for my final, polished business assets.

Here are the Pros and Cons for Midjourney's Public and Private settings: 

The Pros: Learning, Inspiration, and Idea Generation

One of the biggest advantages of Midjourney’s open and public gallery is that it allows users to draw inspiration from others.

Whether you’re exploring trending AI-generated images, refining your own Midjourney prompts, or learning what works best for AI-generated branding and marketing, the collaborative environment provides a wealth of creative ideas, insights, and practical education.

You can: 

Get creative learning lessons by seeing how expert-level Midjourney prompts are written and structured—which styles, compositions, and descriptions create the best results.
Discover new artistic ideas and brainstorm: Use AI image generation to experiment with branding styles, ad creatives, and product concepts before committing to a final design.
Get inspired by other AI-generated images: The public gallery allows you to discover fresh visual ideas and see how others in your niche are leveraging AI-generated content.

For entrepreneurs, small business owners, and digital marketers, this feature can be a goldmine for creative ideation—allowing you to see how others are using AI image technology to enhance their branding, website visuals, and online presence.

The Cons: The Privacy Problem for Business Trademarks & Product Creation

However, there’s a major downside to Midjourney’s public mode—everything you generate is visible to others. If you’re using AI-generated images for professional or business-related purposes, and they need to be exclusive for trademarked assets or product patent protection, this could become a valid concern.

You Can't: 

 Have Exclusive Ownership: Anyone can see, copy, or modify your AI-generated branding ideas before you even use them.
Prevent Potential Competition: If you create logo concepts, product mockups, or social media assets, others could take inspiration from your work.
 Prevent Loss of Control Over Unique Business Creations: If you need AI-generated visuals that are completely original and protected, public mode won’t give you the privacy you need.

The privacy decision is particularly applicable for entrepreneurs, product-based businesses, content creators, and online brands who are using Midjourney to create exclusive brand assets, marketing graphics, or product mockups.

The last thing you want on a trademarked asset is for someone to copy or iterate on your AI-generated visual before you've had a chance to implement it. 

However, if you are using Midjourney AI for ideas, drafts, inspiration, concept development, and blog posts rather than the final product or trademarked assets, then the Basic Plan will suit all your business needs! 

How to Check Your Privacy Settings in Midjourney AI

Before you start generating images, take a minute to review your Midjourney settings:

Log in to Midjourney.com (click HERE to login)
Click on your profile icon in the lower left corner.
 Navigate to Manage Subscriptions to see your current subscription plan.
Check your plan type: If you’re on a Basic or Standard Plan, everything is public. If you’re on the Pro Plan or Mega Plan, you can enable Stealth Image Generation Mode.
Upgrade if necessary: If privacy is important to you for your business, consider switching to the Pro Plan before generating key branding materials.

I have found that AI image generation is an incredibly powerful tool for online business branding, but it’s important to understand how it works before you dive in.

Now that you know how Midjourney handles privacy, you’re ready to explore the platform itself—let’s walk through how to navigate the Midjourney website and platform.

Pro Tip:  Start with the BASIC PLAN. It's the perfect way to dive into the world of Midjourney without breaking the bank. You can always upgrade later, but this plan gives you everything you need to get started and unleash your inner artist so that you can stand out online! 

Part 2 - Navigating the Midjourney Website: Your Creative Hub

When I took my first steps into AI-generated images, I expected a complicated interface with endless settings, confusing buttons, and a steep learning curve. But to my surprise, Midjourney made the process refreshingly simple.

Instead of wrestling with complex design software, I found myself typing a few words, pressing enter, and watching AI bring my ideas to life in seconds.

If you’re new to Midjourney, you’re in the right place.

Before we dive into creating your first AI-generated image, let’s walk through the Midjourney website so you know exactly where to go and what to do.

Accessing Midjourney AI: Midjourney has Moved Beyond Discord

If you’ve ever researched Midjourney before, you may have heard that it was originally accessed through Discord, a chat-based platform that, quite honestly, confused a lot of first-time users, because there was a tricky setup and connection process to get your Discord account and Midjourney account working together.

Now, while Discord is still an option, Midjourney has its own official website, making AI image generation more accessible and user-friendly than ever.

So, instead of typing commands into a crowded chatroom, you can create images directly through Midjourney’s intuitive web platform—no extra setup required.

Getting Started: Key Midjourney Features and Settings for First-Time Users

Once you log in to the Midjourney website, you’ll find a streamlined interface designed to make AI image generation easy. Here are the key areas you need to know:

The Homepage: Your Creative Dashboard

The first thing you’ll see when you log in is your personal dashboard. This is where you can Explore, Create, Edit, Personalize, Organize, Chat, and Access your account settings: 

Locate these tabs on the left sidebar of the dashboard:

Explore Midjourney's online community feed - view the public mode gallery of other designers creations for inspiration by Random, Hot, Top Day/Week/Month, and revisit your personal Likes from the gallery.

Use the Search to find images on a particular topic of interest in the upper right hand corner search bar.

Click on an image in the gallery to view the image full size and see the full image prompt. 

(The Explore page is the default page when Midjourney opens.)

Create new images and see your progress as the AI image generator works its magic and generates your innovative ideas—this is where your new images arrive!

 
Organize your past AI-generated images (using folders, profiles, and filters in the right-hand sidebar).

 
 Access your account settings and subscription details (from your profile icon in the lower left-hand corner).

Special Note: The Edit, Personalize, Chat, and Tasks tabs include more advanced features within Midjourney that you do not need to worry about as you work through this lesson to create and save your first AI image visuals.

Pro Tip:  Bookmark the Midjourney Page! You’ll be coming back here often as you experiment with different prompts, access images you've created for business projects, and look for ideas when you need a little creative inspiration!

The Image Generation Area: Where Your Ideas Come to Life

This is where you’ll spend most of your time. On the Midjourney homepage, you have a dedicated prompt box right on the website across the top center of the page.

How it works:

1. Type your prompt in the “What will you imagine?” field (we’ll cover prompt writing in the next section).
2. Hit Enter and let Midjourney process your request.
3. Wait a few seconds while AI brings your idea to life.
4. Review the four image variations Midjourney creates. (You will find your images on the Create page).

Once your images are finished, you can refine, edit, and upscale the images you like best. (More on this later in Part 4: Step 2)

The Gallery: Your Personal Image Library

Once you start generating images, they’ll automatically be saved to your personal gallery, on the Organize page This makes it easy to:

Revisit and download your past creations
Compare different image styles and iterations
 Organize your AI-generated visuals for future use using folders, filters, and view options. 

Remember: If you’re using the basic or standard plan, your images are automatically added to the Midjourney's online community feed (unless you upgrade to the Pro Plan with Stealth Image Generation Mode).

Now that you know your way around Midjourney’s website, it’s time for the fun part—writing your first AI prompt and generating your very first image.

Even if you’ve never written an AI image prompt before, don’t worry.

In the next section, I’ll walk you through simple, beginner-friendly techniques to craft prompts that produce stunning, high-quality visuals! Let’s go!

Part 3 - Crafting Your First AI Image Prompt: The Basics of AI Image Generation

I still remember the first time I sat down to generate an image with AI. My mind was buzzing with ideas, but the moment I saw the empty prompt box, I froze.

What do I even type? Was I supposed to give it a full description? Just a few words? Did it need special formatting?

If you’re feeling the same way, don’t worry—I’ve been there. The good news?

Writing prompts for AI image generation is way easier than you think.

And once you learn the basics, you’ll be able to craft amazing prompts that turn your ideas into stunning visuals with just a few words.

Let’s break it down step by step.

Picture-Perfect Prompts: Create AI Art with Midjourney

Crafting a great Midjourney prompt is a lot like composing the perfect photograph.

Just like a photographer carefully considers the subject of their image—whether it’s a person, product, or landscape—your AI prompt starts with a clear focal point that defines what you want to create.

The background or setting adds depth, context, and visual interest, just as describing elements like a misty forest, a cozy café, or a futuristic skyline helps Midjourney understand where your scene takes place.

The mood and style—whether dramatic, cinematic, dreamy, or vintage—is like selecting the right color grading and artistic approach to bring emotion into the image.

Lighting plays a huge role too—a warm sunset glow creates a very different feel than a moody, high-contrast noir effect.

Even image quality and resolution matter, just like a photographer chooses the right camera settings, lens type, or crisp high-definition details to enhance their work.

And finally, framing makes a difference—do you want a portrait-style close-up or a wide, landscape shot?

Every element you include in your prompt is like adjusting a camera’s settings, allowing you to capture exactly what you envision with AI.

The better you compose your "shot" with words, the more striking and polished your final image will be.

Pro Tip:  Think Like a Photographer When Writing Prompts!

If you want stunning, high-quality AI-generated images, approach your Midjourney prompts the same way a professional photographer composes a shot. Instead of just describing what’s in the image, think about how you want it to feel, the lighting, the framing, and the artistic style.

Ask yourself: Is this a bold, cinematic portrait or a soft, dreamy landscape? Do I want sharp, high-definition realism or an impressionist painting style?
Use photography terms like "shallow depth of field," "golden hour lighting," or "telephoto close-up" to enhance image quality.
Experiment! Just like a photographer takes multiple shots before capturing the perfect one, try different prompt variations until you get the best result.

By crafting your Midjourney prompts like a photographer, you’ll turn AI-generated images into professional-level business assets!

A Simple Formula for a Great AI Image Prompt

To help make it easier to understand, here’s a basic structure for crafting a picture-perfect Midjourney prompt: Use this checklist when you are writing your prompt.

 AI Image Prompt Checklist

Here’s what it looks like when you put it all together:

Example 1: An editorial style photograph of a modern home office, minimalist and cozy, bright lighting, cinematic feel, soft pastel colors, a steaming cup of coffee on the desk, large windows with a city view, --ar 16:9.

Example 2: A futuristic sports car, sleek and aerodynamic, glowing neon accents, city background, super-realistic photograph, 8k, HD, --ar 16:9.

Now you understand that the real power of AI image technology lies in how you communicate your vision to the AI. The more specific and intentional your prompts are, the better your results will be.

That’s why having a structured approach to prompt writing—like the checklist above—helps ensure you get images that align perfectly with your creative goals.

When you break down a Midjourney prompt into a main subject, a background, key details, and stylistic elements, you take full control over the creative process.

A detailed and well-crafted prompt is the key to generating professional-quality images that truly help you stand out online.

Now that you know how to write a picture-perfect Midjourney prompt, it’s time to put that knowledge into action.

In the next section, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process of generating your first AI image. You’ll learn how to input your first prompt, refine your results, and make small tweaks to get exactly what you want.

Pro Tip:  Use AI Text Tools to create Midjourney AI Prompts: If you feel stuck dreaming up art styles, lighting effects, backgrounds, or descriptions for your Midjourney prompts, use ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to help you. 

Just type the basic elements that you want for the image into one of the AI text tools, then copy and paste this prompt and add it after your basic element description:

“Generate a Midjourney prompt that includes a clear subject, rich descriptive details, a compelling location or setting, lighting effects, artistic style, camera details (if applicable), and an aspect ratio."
That’s helpful, but can you go deeper and give me specific examples?

The goal is to create a vivid and well-structured prompt that helps Midjourney produce the most accurate and aesthetically pleasing image possible.

If you haven’t yet learned the basics of AI Text Tools, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered! Check out my post Unlock Your Success with AI Text: Your First Steps where I walk you through the exact steps to successfully use ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude with confidence.  

Your First AI Image: Let's Create One Together

Now, let’s put this into action!

Step 1: Pull up Midjourney and find the prompt box.
Step 2: Copy and paste one of these beginner-friendly prompts:

A cozy reading nook, warm lighting, bookshelves filled with colorful books, a big comfy chair, soft blankets, cinematic photography.

An elegant tea party setup, vintage China teacups, pastel floral tablecloth, delicate desserts, bright and airy lighting, magazine-style photography.

A magnificent rustic farmhouse kitchen with a prominent range hood as a focal point, large windows, and dark walnut wood and forged metal accents, --ar 16:9

Step 3: Hit Enter and watch as Midjourney brings your description to life.

After a few seconds, Midjourney will provide you with four variations of your image on the Create page.

 Congratulations! You just created your very first AI image with Midjourney!

Now, take a look at the variations you created—do any of them match what you envisioned? If not, don’t worry!

In the next section, as you get more hands-on practice, we’ll go over how to refine your prompts and get even better results so you can create exactly what you need.

Let’s keep going!

Part 4 - AI for Entrepreneurs: Hands-On AI Image Exercises for Online Business

I still remember the thrill of watching my first AI-generated image appear on the screen. There was something almost magical about it—typing a simple prompt and, within seconds, seeing a fully formed visual come to life.

That’s the power of Midjourney AI.

Now, it’s your turn!

In this section, I’m showing you how to start with a basic prompt, how to evaluate your results, and then how to refine your prompt and make adjustments to create exactly what you want.

Seeing your ideas start to come to life? This is the fun part, and it’s incredibly rewarding.

Let’s get creative!

Step 1: Start with a Simple Prompt

The best way to begin is with a clear, straightforward prompt that describes a recognizable subject with some basic artistic direction.

Here are a few great beginner-friendly prompts you can use to test Midjourney’s capabilities:

A golden retriever sitting in a sunlit meadow

A steaming cup of coffee on a rustic wooden table

A futuristic city skyline at sunset

Copy and paste one of these prompts into the Midjourney prompt box and hit Enter—then watch as AI transforms your words into a stunning image!

Step 2: Review and Refine Your AI-Generated Images

Once Midjourney processes your request, you’ll see a grid of four image variations (on the Create page) based on your prompt. Take a moment to analyze them:

Do they match what you envisioned?
Are there details you love, or elements you don’t?
Is there one version that stands out as your favorite?

Click on the image you like the best. When you click on it, it will open in full screen on your dashboard.

Now in the lower right-hand corner, you will find multiple Creation Actions you can take to edit and modify the image.

First, before moving on, click the More Options to the right to reveal all the available refinement selections. Click all the unchecked items in the list to turn them on, and make all the editing options available from your Creation Actions list. 

At this point, you have a few options to edit and refine your image:

Vary an Image: This refinement allows you to create a similar image to the picture you have just created with your choice of Subtle or Strong variation. (You will get a new grid with four new variations of your image.)

Upscale an Image: This is a final image or final finish touch you can use after you have completed all your prior edits and refinements. If one of the images looks perfect, use Upscale to enhance its details and double its resolution for the highest resolution quality possible inside Midjourney. Choose from Subtle (to keep the image as close to the same as possible while improving the resolution) or Creative (to add additional detail and enhancements to the image while increasing the resolution) . This final edit step creates a higher quality and resolution size image that is ideal for sharing, saving, or printing.  

Remix: The perfect refinement when the original prompt didn't quite achieve the outcome you wanted. This edit creates either a Subtle or Strong variation of the original image; however, it reloads the prompt and the image back into the prompt box so that you can adjust the prompt before you start the Remix generation.

 
 Pan: One of the most valuable refinement tools! This edit allows you to actually extend additional content for the image in the direction you need. For example: Assume your subject lands dead center in the image; however, for a social media post you need to add a caption above or below the image. You can use the Up or Down arrow so that Midjourney increases the upper or lower space relative to your subject. You can also add more content to the Left or Right of an image. It is the perfect 'positioning' tool. 

 Zoom: Step back! This refinement allows you to zoom out on the camera lens and see more on all sides of the image.  Choose from 1.5x or 2x zoom.

 
More: You can Rerun the prompt and generate four new variations on the same prompt (you will get four new variations every time you run a prompt, even if it is the exact same prompt), or open the Editor where you can change the framing (size) parameter of the image by format numbers, erase or restore objects or elements you don’t want in the image, undo/redo or reset the image edits, control the erase/restore brush size, or scale the size of the image manually. 

Use: If the image isn’t quite right, select Image or Prompt or both, and the prompt will reload back into your input bar at the top of the screen allowing you to use the existing image as part of the prompt and inspiration for the new image, and to edit the wording of the prompt before resubmitting it. (The difference between Remix and Use is that remix gives you a subtle or strong variation of the image, but maintains the key elements of the image—think of it as an extension or refinement of the original image. The Use feature simply incorporates the image or prompt as part of a brand new prompt for a brand new image.)   

These methods to adjust and refine your image give you incredible creative control over the AI images you create.  

The more you practice and experiment with different types of prompts, and the editing features available, the more confidence you will develop in what techniques are required to produce exactly what you are looking for.  

To see the power of small refinements first-hand, let's take a closer look at how small adjustments can create a big impact! 

Pro Tip:  Don't Settle—Design Like a Pro: Think of Midjourney AI as your creative playground—the more you experiment, the better you’ll get at crafting high-quality, brand-worthy AI images for your business.

Don’t settle for the first image Midjourney generates—use the editing tools, refinements, and variations to push your creativity further. Try making subtle changes with the Vary tool, remixing a prompt for a new twist, or using Pan and Zoom to reframe your composition.

Want a more dramatic or cinematic look? Try adjusting the lighting, mood, or artistic style in your prompt.
Need more space for text on a social media post, blog image, or product mockup? Use Pan to extend the background where you need it.
Not quite happy with the details? Upscale and refine until the image matches your vision.

Every small adjustment teaches you more about AI image generation, sharpening your skills and giving you greater creative control over your brand’s visuals. Treat each Midjourney session like a hands-on workshop—experiment, refine, and evolve your AI art skills as you go!

Step 3: Experiment with Small Adjustments: Powerful AI Design

Midjourney’s strength lies in iteration and refinement. The more you experiment, the better your results will get!

Try adding more descriptive details to your prompt:

• Instead of "a sunlit meadow," try "a lush, rolling meadow illuminated by warm afternoon sunlight, dotted with vibrant blooms and tall grass swaying gently in the breeze."

Adjust the artistic style:

• Add words like "oil painting," "watercolor," "hyper-realistic," or "cinematic photography."

Play with lighting effects:

• Test phrases like "golden hour glow," "soft candlelight," or "dramatic moody lighting."

Try copying and pasting one of the simple prompts from above, then adjusting the wording to be more descriptive, more artistic, or to have specific lighting or photographic effects. 

Now, watch and see how Midjourney takes the more detailed and artistic prompt and turns it into an even more stunning AI image! In my experience, the results are often mind-blowing.  

This is just the beginning. Now that you’ve seen how easy and fun Midjourney is, it’s time to level up your skills.

In the next section, I’ll show you how to save, organize, and use your AI-generated images effectively so you can start using AI tools for branding and AI graphic design so that you can integrate them into your online business and create a powerful impact.

Pro Tip:  Use Midjourney AI for Your Online Business Visuals: Inside Midjourney, parameters are placed at the very end of the prompt.  If you provide Midjourney with the correct syntax in your prompt, you won’t have to use the Editor to adjust the sizing of your images. Bonus Tip: Creating images in the size you need, rather than editing to the size later as a second step, saves image credits—which means you get more images for your money! 

Here is the correct syntax to add to the end of your prompt:

Portrait framing: Add --ar 9:16  (that is dash, dash, no space ‘ar’, space 9 colon 16) Bonus Tip: Great for Instagram, Pinterest, and social media posts.

Landscape framing: Add --ar 16:9  (that is dash, dash, no space ‘ar’, space 16 colon 9) Bonus Tip: Great for YouTube video shots and full screen website pictures.

Extra wide Landscape: Add --ar 3:1  (that is dash, dash, no space ‘ar’, space 3 colon 1) Bonus Tip: This size is great for website header or footer pictures!

Part 5 - Build Your Brand with AI Image Technology: Saving, Downloading, and Using Your AI Images

Creating AI-generated images is just the beginning—how you save, organize, and use them is what truly brings your brand to life.

Every image you generate with Midjourney AI has the potential to be a powerful branding asset that strengthens your online presence, enhances your marketing, and visually communicates your message to your audience.

But to make the most of your AI-generated visuals, you need a strategic approach to saving, storing, and incorporating them into your business.

Think of this process as building your brand with AI image technology—every image you create, refine, and use becomes part of your visual identity.

Whether you’re crafting stunning website graphics, eye-catching social media content, compelling marketing materials, blog post images, or unique product visuals, your AI-generated images represent your brand’s personality, style, and professionalism.

But here’s the catch: Without an organized system, your best AI-generated images could get lost in a sea of digital clutter.

I’ll never forget the day I worked so hard to generate and refine the perfect prompt so I could create the ideal AI image for a project—only to lose it completely.

I had crafted a fabulous, high-quality visual that aligned perfectly with my brand, and I was excited to use it. But in my rush to create more, I forgot to save it properly. By the time I went back to find it, it was buried under dozens of new generations, and I couldn’t locate the exact version I loved.

That’s when I realized: AI image technology is a powerful tool, but only if you treat it like a valuable business asset.

Your AI-generated images are just as priceless as custom brand photography, and without a system to save, categorize, and repurpose them, you risk losing the visuals that could take your business to the next level.

That’s why learning to effectively organize your AI images isn’t just a good habit—it’s a business necessity.

In this section, we’ll cover everything you need to know about:

 Organizing and Saving images inside Midjourney AI, so you'll know right where to find them when you're ready. 

Downloading your AI-generated images for your online business.
Organizing your AI image library outside of Midjourney for easy access, so you always have the right visual at the right time.

Naming the files strategically, so you know what current or future purpose they will serve in your business. 

By the time you finish this section, you won’t just be saving images—you’ll be curating a library of AI-powered brand assets that will elevate your business, streamline your content creation, and help you stand out online.

Pro Tip:  Make Your Time Count: Instead of generating images one at a time, set aside time for a dedicated AI content creation session to generate multiple branded images in one go. Create a list of the visuals you need—social media graphics, product mockups, blog post images, or website banners—and craft your Midjourney prompts accordingly (using ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to accelerate your success).

By batching your AI-generated content, you’ll always have a library of ready-to-use visuals that save time and keep your brand looking polished!

Step 1: Organize Your AI Images Inside Midjourney

Before you even download your AI-generated images, it’s important to organize them within Midjourney to make them easy to find later.

If you’re generating a lot of visuals for different branding projects, products, or content ideas, Midjourney’s built-in tools can help you keep track of your best images, categorize them, and quickly locate what you need.

Here’s how to organize your images directly inside Midjourney’s platform using Favorites and the Organize Tab.

How to Favorite a Midjourney Image for Quick Access

Midjourney allows you to like any image you generate, making it easy to return to later without scrolling through your entire feed.

This is especially useful when you’re experimenting with prompts and want to keep track of your top choices.

Here are the steps: 

Step 1: Locate an image in your Midjourney gallery, from your Create page or Organize page that you want to save.

Step 2: Click on the image to expand it to full screen on your dashboard.

Step 3: Click on the heart () icon in the upper right-hand corner on the right sidebar. This adds it to your Liked collection.

Step 4: Access your Liked Images anytime by navigating to the Organize Tab in the left sidebar, clicking the dropdown on Filters in the right sidebar, then checking the Liked box under Rating. 

Pro Tip:  Pick Your Favorite AI Image: Each time you work on a project to create an image for your business, after you have completed adjustments, iterations, and edits—pick your favorite from the final four AI images and Like (Click on the heart icon) it! 

By taking this final step with each AI image design session, you will create an invaluable library of usable, brand-aligned visuals that you can easily access and repurpose for future projects. 

How to Use Midjourney's Organize Tab: Folders

Midjourney’s Organize Tab (located in the left sidebar) allows you to create folders, categorize images, and apply filters so you can manage your AI-generated visuals like a pro.

Here are the steps to Create Midjourney Folders for your AI Image Library: 

Step 1: Navigate to the Organize page on your Midjourney dashboard.

Step 2: Click the Folder icon in the upper right-hand corner. Then click on the New Folder Button and give it a name like "Branding Graphics," "Product Mockups," "Social Media Content," "Blog Images". (You can also step it up a notch and select New Folder Group. Give it a name like "Social Media Content", then create folders inside the group like YouTube, Pinterest, or Instagram.)

Step 3: Move images into the appropriate folder by dragging them and holding them over the new folder you created until the folder is highlighted. Then drop it into the folder. Alternatively, if you are viewing an image in full size, you can select the Folder icon above the creation actions panel in the lower right-hand corner and select the folder from the list. 

Why This Matters: Instead of endlessly scrolling through past generations or losing track of key visuals, you’ll have a well-organized AI image library at your fingertips—ready to support your business at any time.

Pro Tip:  Use Midjourney's Saved Searches: Did you go crazy in your first AI design session and create 100 images? It's okay, so did I!! After I tried my first AI image prompt, it was so exciting to see all my ideas come to life, I just couldn't stop. It's okay—I've got you covered!

Midjourney's Saved Searches feature will help you organize all those images lightening fast.  From the Organize page, select the dropdown by Saved Searches, and click add search. After you title your new search, click in the search terms box and type in keywords that match the topic or subject of the search. Then hit create saved search. This feature will allow Midjourney to automatically fill the folder with all the AI images that match the keyword search. It's a fast and incredibly easy way to consolidate all the images for each topic into one quick-access location for your business. 

How to Use Midjourney's Organize Tab: Filters

Another powerful way to organize your AI image library is by using Midjourney’s built-in filters.

Instead of endlessly scrolling through your past generations, you can sort images by rating, type, image size, Midjourney version, or other to quickly find exactly what you need.

Whether you're looking for branding images, social media graphics, or content images, applying filters helps streamline your workflow.

Simply head to your Organize Tab, select Filters, and choose from the available sorting options to locate your best AI-generated visuals in seconds. Use the options in the Filters section to narrow down your images to just the ones you want to see or check multiple boxes within a section to display images that match any of those selections.  

Here is a breakdown of the Midjourney Filters:

Option 1: Rating - Choose Liked for favorite  images, choose Unrated for all images that have not already been liked (this is helpful if you are looking for good images to use for content that you haven't already used in your Liked group), and choose Hidden for images you choose to hide on your Create page.

 
Option 2: Type - Choose Grids to show the initial four-image generation that Midjourney produced for each prompt and choose Upscale to display only the images you have upscaled (during your editing phase).

 
Option 3: Image Size - Choose Square to display images that are 1:1, choose Landscape to display horizontally framed images (like 16:9), and choose Portrait to display vertically framed images (like 9:16). 

Option 4: Version - Choose the Midjourney Version 1 to 6 to display images created within the various models available in the Midjourney platform. 

Option 5: Other - Choose Tiled to select images that were created using the Midjourney Tile parameter and choose Raw to select images that were created using the Raw parameter.  (Tiled and Raw are two of the more advanced parameter settings in Midjourney, they have not been covered in detail within this beginner's tutorial—so don't worry, you didn't miss anything in the lesson above. )

Why This Matters:  Using filters streamlines the way you manage your AI-generated content, making it effortless to find, access, and utilize your most valuable visuals—ensuring they’re always ready to enhance your brand and business whenever you need them! 

Pro Tip:  Make it Fast: Want to speed up your workflow and always have your best AI images at your fingertips? Combine Midjourney’s Filters with the Favorites feature to create a quick-access system for your most valuable visuals.

Each time you generate a high-quality Upscaled image that fits your brand, click the (Like) button to add it to your Favorites. Then, use the Filters tab to sort by Liked and Upscaled, so you instantly see only your top-tier, ready-to-use assets!

Step 2: Downloading and Saving your AI Images for Easy Access

I learned the importance of organizing my AI image library the hard way.

When I first started using AI image technology, I was so excited about creating visuals that I just saved everything to my downloads folder on my computer without a plan. At first, it didn’t seem like a big deal—I figured I’d remember which images I liked and could sort them later.

But as my collection grew, I found myself digging through endless files, renaming images after the fact, and even recreating designs I had already made but couldn’t find.

It was frustrating. That’s when I realized that treating AI-generated images like business assets meant creating a structured system from the start.

Now, every time I download an image, it goes into a pre-labeled folder, and I name my files strategically so I can find exactly what I need in seconds. It’s a simple habit that makes AI-powered branding and content creation effortless instead of chaotic! 

Pro Tip:  Save Smart with Fast Access: If you’re generating a high volume of images, consider using a cloud storage solution like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox so you can access them from any device. Bonus! Midjourney images have a relatively large file size, so saving to a cloud storage will save space on your hard drives.

Downloading Images from Midjourney

I still remember the first time I generated an AI image that was exactly what I had envisioned. It was the perfect blend of colors, composition, and mood—and I couldn’t wait to use it. I bet you feel the same! 

So, let's walk through the exact steps you need to take to move the fantastic AI images and visuals you have created from the Midjourney platform to your computer or cloud storage. 

Follow these simple steps to download and store your images correctly right from the start:

Select Your Best Image – After Midjourney generates a set of four variations, click on the one that best fits your vision to open it in full resolution. This ensures you’re working with the highest-quality version.

Download the Image – In the top right-hand corner of the Midjourney sidebar, click the download button. This saves the image directly to your device in its highest available resolution. (If you have Upscaled an image, make sure you are on the Upscaled version to download the largest, most detailed image size possible.)

Store It in the Right Folder – Navigate to the dedicated folder you created for your Midjourney images. Keeping separate folders for logos, social media, product concepts, website, or blog articles will help you quickly locate the right image when you need it.

Rename Your Image with Purpose – Instead of leaving it with a random file name, rename your image based on its purpose. For example, "Eagle_Logo" or "Website_Header" so you can instantly recognize how it fits into your business.

Save and Secure It – After saving your image, consider backing it up to cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or an external hard drive). This protects your AI-generated assets and ensures you can always retrieve them, even if something happens to your local or device files.

By following these steps, you’re not just downloading images—you’re building a professional AI-powered content library that will make supporting and growing your online business fast and easy!

Step 3: Bring Your AI-Generated Images to Life in Your Business

Now that you’ve built a library of stunning AI-generated images, it’s time to put them to work!

These visuals aren’t just pretty pictures—they’re powerful assets that can elevate your online presence, attract customers, and strengthen your marketing.

Whether you’re building a website, crafting social media content, or developing product concepts, AI-generated images can help you create a polished, professional brand even on the initial launch of your online business— without hiring a designer or breaking the bank!

Here are some of the best ways to maximize your AI visuals:

Personal Branding – Build a unique, recognizable brand with AI-created profile pictures, custom banners, logos, and digital assets. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, coach, course creator, or content creator, AI images help you craft a professional, standout visual identity that reinforces your brand message for maximum impact. 

Website & Blog Design – Use AI-generated images for hero banners, section dividers, background visuals, and feature images on your website and in blog posts. This creates a cohesive, high-end aesthetic that enhances your website’s professionalism right from the start.

Social Media Content – Transform your social media with eye-catching AI-generated graphics for Instagram posts, Pinterest pins, Facebook banners, or LinkedIn headers. AI images can help you create scroll-stopping content that engages your audience and makes your brand stand out online. 

Marketing Materials – Bring your brand to life in email newsletters, digital ads, promotional flyers, and sales pages. A well-chosen AI image can instantly boost engagement and add a polished, custom feel to your materials.

Product Concepts & Mockups – If you’re a product-based business, use AI-generated images to visualize new product ideas, packaging concepts, and promotional mockups before investing in production. This is a game-changer for e-commerce, handmade businesses, and digital product creators.

By integrating AI-generated visuals into your branding strategy, you’re not just using AI—you’re building a visually compelling brand that sets you apart.

Pro Tip:  Create a Signature Style for Your Business: AI-generated images are powerful, but consistency is key to making them work for your brand. Instead of using random styles, colors, and tones, develop a signature visual style that aligns with your brand identity.

Stick to a Cohesive Color Palette – Use color suggestions in your AI prompts to generate images with colors that match your brand’s aesthetic.
Choose a Consistent Art Style – Whether it’s realistic, watercolor, cinematic, minimalist, or vintage, keep your visuals uniform.
Incorporate Branded Elements – Add your logo, brand fonts, or overlays to AI-generated images for a professional touch.
Refine & Evolve – As your brand grows, experiment with new AI styles while maintaining a recognizable theme to keep your visuals fresh and engaging.

By maintaining a consistent visual identity, your AI-generated images will feel authentic, professional, and uniquely yours!

Need More Help Getting Your Business Started with AI? 

Check out the step-by-step course: 

AI for Business Development