What is a Midjourney sref code?

A sref code is a number that points at a style inside Midjourney's own style space, for example --sref 1016489012. Anyone can use the same number to get the same look. Codes are discovered, shared and curated by the community; SREF.ai indexes the ones worth knowing with a preview, tags and a palette.

How do I use a sref code?

Write your prompt, then add --sref followed by the code, for example: a lighthouse at dusk --sref 1016489012. Add --sw with a number from 0 to 1000 to control how strongly the style applies; 100 is the default and SREF.ai's example prompts use 800.

Does --sref change the subject of my image?

No. --sref transfers look, not content. Your prompt text controls the subject; use --cref or omni reference for characters and objects.

Do sref codes work the same in every Midjourney version?

Not always. Midjourney has changed its style reference algorithm between versions, so a code can render differently in a newer model. The --sv parameter selects the style reference version; check a style's preview and version before relying on it.

Guide · Midjourney style references

What `--sref` is, and how to use a style reference code.

Q: What does --sref do in Midjourney?

--sref (style reference) makes Midjourney borrow the aesthetic of a reference, such as its colours, medium, texture and lighting, while your prompt still decides the subject and composition. The reference is an image URL or a numeric style code.

--sref (style reference) tells Midjourney to borrow the look of a reference, meaning its colours, medium, texture and lighting, while your prompt still decides the subject and composition. The reference can be an image URL or a numeric style code. SREF.ai is a curated index of those codes, each with a preview, tags, a palette and a copy-ready command.

Using a code

Write the prompt as usual, then append the parameter:

a lighthouse at dusk, long exposure --sref 1016489012 --sw 800

--sref 1016489012 applies the style. Browse codes by look on SREF.ai: cinematic, dreamy, retro, minimal, photography, illustration, painting, 3D and more.
--sw (style weight) runs from 0 to 1000. 100 is Midjourney's default; SREF.ai's example prompts use 800 so the style reads clearly. Lower it when the style overpowers the subject.
--sref random picks a random style; the result shows which code it used, so you can keep it.

What a code is

A style code is a number that addresses a point in Midjourney's style space. The same number gives the same look to everyone, which is why codes are shared. Nobody owns one. Codes are found by trying --sref random, by referencing images and reading the code Midjourney reports, and by remixing existing codes. SREF.ai curates the ones worth knowing and records what each looks like: its mood, medium and colour tags, its dominant palette, and a subject line describing the preview.

What it does not do

--sref transfers look, not content. It will not put the reference's subject, character or layout into your image. For a recurring character or object, Midjourney's character and omni reference parameters are the tools; for a personal taste profile, --p. They combine with --sref.

Versions

Midjourney has changed its style reference algorithm between model versions, so a code can render differently in a newer model than in the preview that made it famous. --sv selects the style reference version when you need the older behaviour. Every SREF.ai style page shows the preview and, for remixes, the exact prompt and model version that produced it.

Questions

Can I use several codes at once?: Yes. List them after --sref and weight them with ::. See combining sref codes.
Can I use my own image instead of a code?: Yes. Any public image URL works as a style reference. See from an image to a style reference.
Where do the codes on SREF.ai come from?: From the community and from the owner's own remixing. Each style credits its author and links the source where there is one.