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Know Your Version Before You Blame the Prompt

A vintage film projector on a dark stage, its beam of light full of floating dust.
Illustration generated with Adobe Firefly.

The problem

You added a parameter. Nothing changed. No error, no warning, just a result that ignored you. Nine times out of ten this is not the prompt. It is a parameter that does not exist in the version you are on.

Midjourney parameters come and go between versions, and the app does not tell you when one is silently dropped. Since July 2026 the default is V8.2. A lot of tutorials and copied prompts on the internet are still written for V6 or V7.

The version map

ParameterWorks inWhat happens elsewhere
--cref + --cw (Character Reference)V6.x onlyIgnored in V7 and V8
--oref + --ow (Omni Reference)V7 onlyIgnored in V8
Edit Model (--edit or "Attach to prompt")V8.1 and V8.2Not available below V8.1
--sref + --sw (Style Reference)All current versionsWorks everywhere
--style rawOlder versionsNow simply --raw
--q (quality)V7 and belowRemoved in V8
Multi-prompts with ::V7 and belowRemoved in V8
Turbo modeV7 and belowRemoved in V8
--hd and --sdV8.1 and upNot available below
--niji 7Separate modelNot a V8 flag, it switches to the Niji model

Steps

  1. Open the settings panel and read the version. Do this once per session. It takes three seconds and saves an hour.
  2. Before you paste any prompt from the internet, scan it for the dead flags. --cref, --oref, --q, ::, --style raw. If you see one, translate it before you run it.
  3. Translate to the V8 equivalent. --cref and --oref become the Edit Model with an attached reference. --style raw becomes --raw. Multi-prompt weights become plain prompt order (see Order a Prompt Like a Shot List).
  4. Only drop versions on purpose. --v 7 is still there if you need Omni Reference or Draft Mode. Otherwise stay on 8.2. Do not run old versions because a tutorial told you to.
  5. When something "did nothing", check version first, prompt second. Reverse the order you probably use today.

Worked example

A prompt copied from a 2025 thread:

portrait of a knight in rain, --cref https://... --cw 80 --style raw --q 2 --v 6.1

Translated for V8.2:

  • Remove --cref, --cw, --q, --style raw, --v 6.1.
  • Attach the knight reference through Attach to prompt.
  • Result: portrait of a knight in rain, 35mm still, overcast light, medium close-up --ar 4:5 --raw

Same intent, and this time the reference actually does something.

Your move

Try this today

Search your prompt history or notes for --cref, --oref or --q. Rewrite every one you find for V8.2 using the map above. Rerun your favourite. Keep the translated versions somewhere you will find them next time.

Stop waiting – start creating!

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