How to use Ideogram 4.5
- One change per turn, and name what must not change.
- Give each reference image one job and say what that job is.
- Draft on a low quality level, then rerun the final prompt on high.
- Use a mask when the edit has to stay inside a hard boundary.
Two ways of editing
Ideogram 4.5 exposes two edit workflows, described in the API as precise edit and generate and edit.
- Precise edit needs a source image. It changes the area you describe, keeps the rest, and returns an image at the source's dimensions. Use it for a targeted change to a finished image.
- Generate and edit is reference-driven: it can create a new image or rework one using up to 4 references, at native 2K.
A multi-turn edit, step by step
- Start from a clean source image
Upload the photo or design you want to change. Files up to 25 MB and aspect ratios from 1:6 to 6:1 are accepted on Morphic's implementation; other hosts may differ. - Write the first edit
Describe one change, for example “Change the sneakers to sand suede, keep the laces white.” Then state what stays: floor, lighting, background, logo. - Add references if needed
Attach up to 4 images (3 with a mask). Use clean, well-lit references and tell the model what each one is for: “the green velvet sofa from the reference image.” - Review, then edit the result again
Take the output as the new source and make the next change. Because untouched pixels are preserved in precise mode, the image should not soften or shift color as the chain grows. - Finish on high quality
Explore on very low or low, fix a seed so comparisons are fair, then rerun the prompts that worked on high for the final image.
Using a mask
A mask draws a hard line around the edit. In the API convention used by fal, Replicate and each::labs, black pixels are edited and white pixels are kept. The mask must have the same dimensions as the source and contain both black and white; gray values are rounded to the nearer of the two. Masked edits always return at the source size and accept up to 3 references instead of 4.
Mask conventions differ between tools, so check which color means “edit” before you reuse a mask made elsewhere.
Editing very large photos: crop-and-stitch
Instead of downscaling a large photo to fit the model, you can cut out the region you want to change, edit that crop, and paste it back. Ideogram says 4.5 preserves the edges of the edited crop so it stitches back seamlessly; its example uses a 4,016 × 6,016 pixel (24.2 MP) photo, aimed at close-ups and large-format print.
Changing text inside an image
Name the exact old and new wording and ask for the same lettering: “Change the headline to OPEN AIR CONCERTS, same lettering.” The same approach works for translation, where the model keeps layout and styling while replacing the copy. More examples are on the prompts page.
FAQ
Why did my edit change things I did not mention?
List what must stay unchanged in the prompt, and use precise edit mode or a mask. Launch coverage also recommends testing a whole edit chain rather than a single edit, since drift only shows up over several rounds.
Can I get several versions of one edit?
Yes. API hosts let one request return up to 8 images.
Does it edit the reference images?
No. Only the source image is edited; references only guide the result.
Unofficial, independent guide. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Ideogram, Inc. “Ideogram” is a trademark of its owner. For the official product go to ideogram.ai.