Step-by-Step Fix
1. Verify Your Image URL Is Direct
The most common cause of "error loading image" is providing a webpage URL instead of a direct image URL:
- Paste your URL into your browser address bar and press Enter
- If it shows a webpage around the image, the URL is wrong — you need the URL of the image file itself
- The correct URL ends in
.jpg,.png,.gif, or.webp - To get the direct URL: right-click an image on a webpage and select Copy Image Address or Copy Image Link
2. Upload the Image Directly to Discord
The most reliable method for reference images:
- Drag and drop your image file into any Discord message box (including the Midjourney bot channel)
- Send the image as a message
- Right-click the uploaded image in Discord and select Copy Link
- Paste that
cdn.discordapp.comURL into your/imagineprompt
Discord CDN URLs are always publicly accessible and never require authentication, making them the most reliable image source for Midjourney.
3. Check That the Image Source Is Publicly Accessible
Test that your image URL works without logging in:
- Open a private/incognito browser window
- Paste your image URL in the address bar
- If the browser shows a login screen or access denied message, Midjourney cannot access the image either
- Move the image to a public hosting service like imgur.com, cloudinary.com, or your own web server
4. Reduce Image File Size
Very large image files can cause timeout errors during loading:
- Keep reference images under 25MB
- Resize images larger than 2048x2048 pixels before using them as references
- Convert BMP or TIFF files to JPEG or PNG before uploading
5. Try an Alternative Image Host
If your current image host is blocking Midjourney's download requests:
- Upload the image to imgur.com (reliable, public, widely supported)
- Or upload to cloudinary.com (free tier available, stable URLs)
- Or use the Discord upload method in step 2
6. Refresh for Generated Image Loading Errors
If the error appears when trying to view a generated image (not a reference image):
- Refresh the page or restart Discord
- Wait 2 to 5 minutes — temporary CDN delivery issues usually clear quickly
- Check your web gallery at midjourney.com for the image — it may load there even when failing in Discord
Why This Happens
When you include an image URL in a Midjourney prompt, Midjourney's servers attempt to download that image before generation begins. If the download fails for any reason — blocked by the source host, expired link, requires authentication, oversized file, or network timeout — the error loading image message appears. This is entirely separate from Midjourney's image generation capability; the platform cannot generate images using references it cannot access.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a webpage URL instead of a direct image URL — the most common cause of this error; always right-click an image and copy the image address, not the page address
- Using URLs from services that block scraping — platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, Shutterstock, and Google Images block third-party downloads; images from these sites will always fail
- Using temporary URLs that expire — cloud storage temporary links (Google Drive, Dropbox shared links, iCloud) often expire or require sign-in; use permanent public URLs
- Skipping the Discord upload step — uploading to Discord first takes 30 extra seconds but eliminates the vast majority of image loading errors
- Not testing the URL in a private browser window — always verify your image URL is accessible without any login before using it in a Midjourney prompt
Additional FAQ
Q: Can I use Google Photos or Dropbox image links as Midjourney reference images?
Google Photos and Dropbox shared links are not compatible with Midjourney as reference image sources. These services require authentication or redirect to a landing page rather than serving a direct image file. When you paste a Google Photos or Dropbox link into a Midjourney prompt, the system cannot download the image and returns an error loading image error. The fix is to download the image from Google Photos or Dropbox first, then upload it directly to Discord and use the resulting cdn.discordapp.com URL in your Midjourney prompt.
Q: How large can a Midjourney reference image be before it causes a loading error?
Midjourney recommends keeping reference images under 25MB and within the 512x512 to 2048x2048 pixel range for reliable loading. Files above 25MB frequently cause timeout errors during the download phase. Very small images under 200 pixels on either side may load without error but provide insufficient reference data for the model to interpret meaningfully. If your reference image is very large, resize it to 1024x1024 or smaller before uploading it to Discord for use in your prompt.
Q: Does the "error loading image" message mean Midjourney used any Fast GPU hours?
No. The "error loading image" error occurs before the image generation process begins. Midjourney must successfully load your reference image before it can start generating. If the reference image fails to load, the generation job is rejected at the input validation stage and no GPU hours are consumed. You can correct your image URL and retry without any concern about being charged for the failed attempt.
Related Issues
- Midjourney Error Failed to Download Image
- Midjourney Creation Failed Internal Server Error
- Midjourney Error
- Midjourney Not Generating Images
Additional FAQ
Q: How do I know if the problem is on my end or the platform's side? Check the platform's official status page first — most services maintain a public status page that shows current incidents and outages. If no incident is posted and the problem only affects your account (not reported widely on Reddit or Twitter), it is likely a local issue. Testing in incognito mode and on a different network also helps isolate whether the problem is browser-specific, network-specific, or account-specific.
Q: Why do hard refresh and regular refresh fix different problems? A regular refresh (F5) reloads the page using cached resources — it does not clear JavaScript bundles, service worker state, or session cookies. A hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R) bypasses the cache and fetches all resources fresh from the server. Regular refresh fixes transient network hiccups; hard refresh fixes stale cached code. Neither clears cookies or session tokens — for that, you need to clear site data explicitly from browser settings.
Related Articles
- Midjourney not generating images
- Midjourney login not working
- Midjourney payment failed
- Midjourney rate limit exceeded
Additional FAQ
Q: How do I know if the problem is on my end or the platform's side? Check the platform's official status page first — most services maintain a public status page that shows current incidents and outages. If no incident is posted and the problem only affects your account (not reported widely on Reddit or Twitter), it is likely a local issue. Testing in incognito mode and on a different network also helps isolate whether the problem is browser-specific, network-specific, or account-specific.
Related Articles
- Midjourney not generating images
- Midjourney login not working
- Midjourney payment failed
- Midjourney rate limit exceeded
Additional FAQ
Q: How do I know if the problem is on my end or the platform's side? Check the platform's official status page first — most services maintain a public status page that shows current incidents and outages. If no incident is posted and the problem only affects your account (not reported widely on Reddit or Twitter), it is likely a local issue. Testing in incognito mode and on a different network also helps isolate whether the problem is browser-specific, network-specific, or account-specific.