
Seedream 4.0 AI Image Generator
Create posters, portraits and illustrations from a prompt, or edit your photos with up to 10 reference images. Include your own text and choose a resolution up to 4K.
Model
Product posterCreate a premium skincare poster for a midnight-blue serum bottle on a cool gray pedestal. Add the exact headline "NIGHT REPAIR", the subtitle "RESTORE YOUR GLOW" and a small "30 ML" label. Use crisp editorial typography, silver highlights, soft studio shadows and a clean luxury layout.
Exploded product diagram
Nine-panel comic
Line art
Nine-pose portrait grid
Capabilities
Create from a prompt. Edit from a photo.
Make a poster with a headline, restyle a portrait or combine several photos into one scene. Describe what you need and refine the result.
Clear text in your images
Posters, menus, labels and infographics with your own wording. Put the exact text in quotes and say where it goes.
Improved text rendering

Up to 10 reference images
Use your photos to guide the people, products and style in a new image. Tell Seedream 4.0 which details to keep from each one.
Reference-guided consistency
Use reference images to help preserve a face, outfit or product while changing the scene, pose or style.
1K, 2K or 4K output
Choose 1K for drafts, or generate at 2K or 4K when you need a larger image. Every aspect ratio is available at every resolution.
5 credits per image
Use cases
What will you make with Seedream 4.0?
Ideas for portraits, illustrations, interiors and more.

Professional headshots
Turn a casual photo into a formal, centered headshot while keeping the person’s identity.

Studio portraits
Give an everyday photo a studio look with a black backdrop, soft lighting and a relaxed waist-up pose.

Animated character styles
Turn a portrait into a friendly 3D character with recognizable facial features.

Interior edits
Add a painting, change the furniture or try new colors in a photo of your room.

Storybook illustrations
Thin sketchy outlines and flat pastel colors, in the style of a children’s picture book.

Manga and comic styles
Convert a photo into a manga panel with clean lines and screen-tone shading.
How it works
How to use Seedream 4.0
Three steps from idea to a downloadable image.
- 01
Describe or upload
Write what you want, or drop up to 10 reference images and describe the change.
- 02
Choose an aspect ratio and resolution
Choose an aspect ratio, select 1K, 2K or 4K, then pick how many images to generate. Use the same seed, prompt and settings to create a similar result.
- 03
Generate and refine
Download an image you like, or choose Use as reference to edit it further.
Prompt gallery
Seedream 4.0 prompts to get you started
Pick an example, change the details and add your own photo if the prompt calls for one. Browsing and copying prompts is free; generating images uses credits.

Portrait
Esports portrait
Dress the person in the uploaded photo in a plain black esports jersey. Use high-contrast studio lighting with blue and violet rim lights, a dark background and a confident waist-up pose.

Portrait
Editorial studio portrait
Turn the uploaded photo into an editorial studio portrait: waist-up framing, soft directional lighting, a neutral dark backdrop, natural skin texture and a relaxed expression.

Enhance
Photo detail enhancement
Restore the uploaded faded family photo: remove scratches, dust and crease marks; recover natural facial detail; correct the faded contrast; and add restrained, historically plausible color. Keep every person, pose, expression and object unchanged. Do not over-smooth faces or invent details.

Grid
Four-panel photo booth
Create a 2×2 photo booth grid from the uploaded portrait, with a different exaggerated expression and pose in each frame. Keep the same person, hairstyle and outfit, with a plain light backdrop.

Render
Line art to photo
Use the uploaded line drawing as an exact structural guide and turn it into a photorealistic interior. Preserve the layout, proportions, perspective and object positions; add realistic wood, stone and fabric materials with soft daylight and natural shadows. Do not crop, mirror or add new objects.

Transform
Cosplay maker
Use image 1 for the person’s identity and body shape, image 2 for the costume and image 3 for the prop. Create a polished cosplay portrait that combines all three references with coherent scale, lighting and perspective. Keep the person’s face recognizable and do not redesign the costume or prop.
Compare
Seedream 4.0 and other image models
Every model has a sweet spot. Compare what each one does best, how many references it takes, its resolution and its price at a glance.
| Model | Best for | Reference images | Resolution | Credits per image | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seedream 4.0This page | Consistent image sets up to 4K | Up to 10 | 1K · 2K · 4K | 5 | |
| GPT Image 2.5 | Product photos and quick photo edits | Up to 16 | 1K · 2K · 4K | 6–16 | |
| Nano Banana Pro | Posters, diagrams and readable text | Up to 8 | 1K · 2K · 4K | 15–30 | |
| Nano Banana 2 | Posters and portraits with many references | Up to 14 | 1K · 2K · 4K | 6–18 | |
| Seedream 5 Pro | Infographics and multilingual text | Up to 10 | 1K · 2K | 14–28 |
Seedream 4.0 FAQ
Need additional help? Contact us at [email protected]
Seedream 4.0 is ByteDance’s image generation and editing model. On Image Fx, you can create images from text or upload up to 10 reference photos to guide an edit, then choose 1K, 2K or 4K output.
You’ll need a paid plan or purchased credits to use Seedream 4.0 on Image Fx. Sign in to generate images at 5 credits each. Free credits alone do not unlock this model. You can browse and copy the prompt examples on this page for free.
Each image costs 5 credits at 1K, 2K or 4K. The price is the same for text-to-image and editing, no matter how many reference images you add. You can generate up to six images per run, and the button shows the total before you confirm.
Yes. Seedream 4.0 is designed for text-heavy images such as posters, labels, diagrams and infographics. Put the exact wording in quotation marks, say where it should appear, and check spelling and layout before publishing.
Up to 10 JPG, PNG or WEBP images, up to 30 MB each. Add a photo and describe the edit, or combine several references and tell Seedream 4.0 which details to keep from each one.
That is one of its strengths. Use the same reference photo and describe what should stay the same, such as the face, outfit or product, then change the scene, pose or style. Check the result against your original before using it.
Choose one of eight fixed ratios: square 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, 2:3, wide 16:9 and 21:9, or tall 9:16. Every ratio is available at 1K, 2K and 4K. There is no Auto option, so pick the ratio closest to your reference image.
Seedream 4.0 costs a flat 5 credits per image and goes up to 4K. Seedream 5.0 Pro is ByteDance’s newer model, with 1K and 2K output at a higher price. Newer doesn’t mean better for every image. Try the same prompt in both and compare the results for your project.
Name the subject, setting, style and composition. For text in the image, put the exact words in quotes. With a reference photo, say what should stay the same and what should change. Refine in a second run instead of packing everything into one prompt.
Generation time varies with resolution and batch size. If checking pauses, choose Check again or open My images; checking an existing result does not cost more credits. When an image is confirmed as failed, its credits are returned automatically. If you’re unsure whether generation started, check My images before submitting again.
Ready to try Seedream 4.0?Start with an idea or a photo.
Choose a prompt above or describe the image you have in mind. Add a reference photo to guide the result.