If you’ve encountered the frustrating « the image could not be uploaded, please try again » error message while working with Midjourney, you’re not alone. This common issue affects thousands of users attempting to upload images for reference, remixing, or image prompting.
Whether you’re a seasoned Midjourney user or just getting started, understanding why this error occurs and how to fix it can save you valuable time and frustration. You may also want to learn how to adjust image weight in Midjourney for better control over your renders. »
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the root causes of this upload error, provide step-by-step troubleshooting solutions, and share best practices to prevent it from happening again. By the end of this article, you’ll have all the tools you need to Midjourney Text-to-Image successfully upload images to Midjourney every time.
How Image Uploads Work in Midjourney (via Discord & Web)
Before diving into the error itself, it’s essential to understand how Midjourney handles image uploads. Midjourney operates primarily through two platforms: Discord and the web interface. Both methods have specific requirements that, when not met, can trigger upload errors.
When using Discord, you can upload images in two ways: by dragging and dropping a file directly into the chat, or by providing a publicly accessible URL. The drag-and-drop method uploads your image to Discord’s servers, which then generates a temporary URL that Midjourney can access.
The URL method requires you to provide a direct link to an image hosted elsewhere on the internet. The official Midjourney documentation explains that images must be in supported formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF, or WebP), accessible via a public URL, and the URL must end with a proper image extension.
The web interface follows similar principles but with a slightly different user experience. Regardless of which platform you use, the system expects images to be within reasonable size limits, typically under 25MB.
Understanding these fundamental requirements is crucial because most upload errors stem from violations of one or more of these basic rules. Midjourney’s image upload system is designed to work seamlessly when these conditions are met, but even small deviations can trigger the dreaded error message.
What Does « The Image Could Not Be Uploaded, Please Try Again » Mean?
This error message is Midjourney’s generic way of telling you that something went wrong during the image upload process. Unlike more specific error messages such as « invalid link » or « could not validate link, » this particular message doesn’t provide much detail about what actually failed.
Users across Reddit communities like r/midjourney have reported encountering this error in various scenarios. One user described attempting to upload an image multiple times, only to receive the same message repeatedly. Another noted that the error appeared suddenly after successfully uploading images for weeks without issue.
What makes this error particularly challenging is its vague nature. It could indicate anything from a temporary server hiccup to a fundamental problem with your image or URL. The message essentially means that Midjourney’s system attempted to retrieve or process your image but failed at some point in the pipeline.
The error is most frequently encountered when users attempt to use image prompting features, particularly when trying to blend multiple images or use an external image as a style reference. Some users report seeing the error intermittently, where the same image and URL work fine one moment but fail the next.
Common Causes & How to Diagnose Them
Understanding the various causes of this error is the first step toward resolving it. Let’s explore the most common culprits and how to identify which one is affecting you.
URL Not Publicly Accessible
The most frequent cause of upload errors is attempting to use a non-public or restricted URL. Midjourney’s servers need to access your image directly, which means the URL must be publicly available without any authentication requirements.
Private Google Drive links, password-protected pages, or images behind login walls will always fail.
To diagnose this issue, simply copy your image URL and paste it into an incognito browser window. If you can’t view the image without logging in or if you receive an access denied message, that’s your problem.
The solution is to either make the link public or upload the image to a public hosting service.
Format or Extension Not Recognized
Midjourney supports JPEG, PNG, GIF, and WebP formats. If your image is in an unsupported format like TIFF, BMP, or SVG, the upload will fail.
Additionally, even if your image is in a supported format, the URL must end with the proper file extension (.jpg, .png, .gif, or .webp).
Some image hosting services generate URLs without file extensions or with additional parameters after the extension. For example, a URL ending in ?size=large might confuse Midjourney’s system.
Check your URL carefully—if it doesn’t clearly end with a supported image extension, try finding an alternative link or re-hosting the image.
Blob URLs and Internal Discord Links
One particularly tricky issue involves « blob: » URLs or internal Discord attachment links that have expired. When you drag and drop an image into Discord, it temporarily creates a local blob URL before uploading.
If you try to use this blob URL in a Midjourney prompt, it will always fail because these URLs only exist in your local browser session.
Similarly, Discord attachment URLs can expire or become invalid after a certain period. If you’re using an old Discord image link from days or weeks ago, it might no longer be accessible.
Always use fresh uploads or permanent hosting solutions for your images.
Image Size and Quality Limitations
While less common, exceeding Midjourney’s size limits can also trigger upload errors. Images larger than 25MB may be rejected, as well as images with extremely high resolutions that might strain the processing system.
Additionally, corrupted image files or images with unusual color profiles might fail validation.
Temporary Server Issues
Sometimes the problem isn’t on your end at all. Midjourney’s servers occasionally experience high load, maintenance periods, or temporary outages that can cause upload failures.
You can check the Midjourney status page or the official Discord server’s #status channel for real-time updates. Discord itself might also be experiencing issues that affect file uploads.
These situations typically resolve themselves within minutes to hours.
Discord Workflow Errors
A surprisingly common cause, reported by multiple Reddit users, involves the Discord upload workflow itself. When you drag and drop an image into Discord, you must press Enter or click Send to complete the upload.
Simply dragging the image into the message box without sending it won’t create a valid URL that Midjourney can access. This seemingly obvious step is frequently overlooked, especially by users working quickly.
Quick Reference: Causes & Solutions Cheat Sheet
| Error Cause | How to Identify | Quick Solution |
|---|---|---|
| 🔒 Non-public URL | Can’t view in incognito browser | Make link public or use Imgur/imgbb |
| 📄 Wrong format/no extension | URL doesn’t end in .jpg/.png/.gif/.webp | Re-host on proper image hosting service |
| 🔗 Blob or expired Discord link | URL contains « blob: » or is very old | Re-upload image and copy fresh link |
| 📏 Image too large | File size exceeds 25MB | Compress with TinyPNG or Squoosh |
| ⚠️ Server issues | All images fail suddenly | Check status.midjourney.com and wait |
| ⏎ Didn’t press Enter | Dragged image but didn’t send | Send the message to complete upload |
Step-by-Step Fixes and Troubleshooting
Now that we’ve identified the common causes, let’s walk through systematic solutions for each one.
Solution 1: Verify URL Accessibility
Open a new incognito or private browser window and paste your image URL into the address bar. Can you see the image immediately without logging into any service? If not, you need to change your sharing settings.
For Google Drive, right-click the image, select « Share, » and change the permissions to « Anyone with the link can view. » For Dropbox, ensure you’re using a direct link that ends in ?raw=1 or ?dl=1.
If you’re hosting images on your own website, verify that there are no .htaccess rules or security settings blocking external access. The URL should be completely public and require zero authentication.
Solution 2: Check and Fix File Extensions
Examine your URL carefully. Does it end with .jpg, .png, .gif, or .webp? If not, you have several options.
First, try adding the extension manually to the URL (though this rarely works if the server isn’t configured properly). Second, re-host the image on a service that provides clean URLs with extensions.
Services like Imgur, imgbb, or PostImages are specifically designed for image hosting and always generate proper URLs with extensions. Upload your image to one of these platforms, then use the direct link they provide.
Solution 3: Avoid Blob URLs and Refresh Discord Links
If you see « blob: » anywhere in your URL, stop immediately—this will never work. Instead, complete the full Discord upload process: drag your image, press Enter to send it, wait for the upload to complete, then right-click the uploaded image and select « Copy Link » or « Open in Browser » to get the proper Discord CDN URL.
For old Discord links that might have expired, simply re-upload the image. Discord CDN URLs typically remain valid for a long time, but if you’re working with a link from months ago, refreshing it is your safest bet.
Solution 4: Optimize Image Size and Format
If your image is particularly large, try compressing it before uploading. Tools like TinyPNG, CompressJPEG, or Squoosh can reduce file sizes significantly without noticeable quality loss.
Aim to keep images under 10MB for optimal reliability, even though the technical limit is higher.
Convert unsupported formats to JPEG or PNG using free tools like GIMP, Photoshop, or online converters. When saving, ensure you’re using standard RGB color mode rather than CMYK or other specialized color spaces.
Solution 5: Wait and Retry for Server Issues
If you’ve verified that your URL is correct, your format is supported, and everything should work, but you’re still getting errors, the issue might be temporary.
Wait 5-10 minutes and try again. Check Midjourney’s official status page or the Discord server announcements for any known outages.
You can also try switching between the Discord interface and the web interface. Sometimes one platform experiences issues while the other works fine.
Solution 6: Complete the Discord Upload Process
This bears repeating because it’s such a common mistake: after dragging an image into Discord, you must press Enter or click the Send button. The image won’t be uploaded until you complete this action.
Once sent, wait for the blue upload progress bar to complete, then you can copy the link from the uploaded image.
Some users report that clicking directly on the uploaded image in Discord, then copying the URL from the browser address bar, provides the most reliable link format.
Important Note: If you’re using the Midjourney editor or remix features and encountering this error specifically when trying to modify an existing generation, this might be related to a known bug where the editor fails to process uploaded images properly. In these cases, try using the standard /imagine command with your image URL instead of the editor interface.
Edge Cases, Troubleshooting Tips & Alternatives
Even after trying all the standard solutions, some users encounter persistent upload errors. Here are advanced troubleshooting techniques for those stubborn cases.
Alternative Hosting Solutions
If your current image hosting isn’t working reliably, consider switching to one of these tested and reliable platforms:
Imgur (free, no account required for temporary uploads), imgbb (simple interface, direct links), Dropbox (add ?raw=1 to the end of share links), or Google Photos (ensure album is set to public). Each of these services has proven track records with Midjourney.
For professional users who need guaranteed uptime, consider using a CDN service like Cloudinary or AWS S3 with public bucket access. While these services require more setup, they offer maximum reliability and speed.
Cache and Connection Issues
Sometimes the problem lies in your local setup. Try these steps:
- Clear your browser cache and cookies
- Restart Discord completely (not just closing the window—fully quit the application)
- Restart your router or switch networks (try mobile data if you’re on WiFi)
- Disable VPN or proxy services temporarily
One user on Reddit reported that switching from their home WiFi to a mobile hotspot immediately resolved persistent upload errors, suggesting that some network configurations might interfere with Midjourney’s image retrieval process.
Known Editor Bugs
The Midjourney editor feature, while powerful, has known issues with image uploads. Multiple users on Reddit have reported that the editor consistently fails to upload images with generic error messages, while the same images work perfectly through standard commands.
If you’re experiencing this, abandon the editor interface and use the classic /imagine command with your image URL instead.
URL Parameter Stripping
Some image URLs contain tracking parameters or session tokens that might confuse Midjourney. For example: https://example.com/image.jpg?session=abc123&user=456.
Try removing everything after the file extension, so it becomes simply https://example.com/image.jpg. This doesn’t always work depending on how the server is configured, but it’s worth attempting.
Multiple Image Upload Strategies
When blending multiple images or using several references, upload them one at a time to identify which specific image is causing problems. This isolates the issue and prevents you from wasting time troubleshooting the wrong image.
Once you’ve identified the problematic image, apply the solutions specifically to that file.
| Common Scenario | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Works in browser, fails in Midjourney | Missing file extension | Re-host on Imgur with proper extension |
| Worked yesterday, fails today | Expired Discord link | Re-upload image to Discord |
| Fails immediately, no processing time | Invalid URL format | Check for blob: or private links |
| Random success/failure | Server load issues | Wait 10 minutes and retry |
| Editor specific failure | Known editor bug | Use /imagine command instead |
FAQ: Related Questions About Image Upload Errors
What image formats does Midjourney support?
Midjourney officially supports JPEG, PNG, GIF, and WebP formats. The system does not support TIFF, BMP, SVG, or other specialized formats. If your image is in an unsupported format, convert it to JPEG or PNG before uploading. You can find more details in the official Midjourney documentation.
Can I use private image links or Instagram links?
No. Midjourney requires publicly accessible URLs without authentication. Instagram links don’t work because they require login to view images. Similarly, private Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud links will fail. You must make links fully public or use dedicated image hosting services.
Why do I get « invalid link » instead of « could not be uploaded »?
These are slightly different errors. « Invalid link » typically means the URL format itself is malformed or doesn’t point to a valid resource. « Could not be uploaded » usually indicates the URL is formatted correctly, but Midjourney couldn’t retrieve or process the image. Both require checking URL accessibility and format.
What should I do if the Midjourney servers are down?
Check the official Midjourney status page or the Discord server for announcements in the #status channel. You can also check third-party status monitoring sites. During outages, your only option is to wait for service restoration. Save your prompts and try again once service is restored.
Does the Midjourney version affect upload behavior?
Yes, different versions of Midjourney (v5, v6, v7) may handle images slightly differently, though the basic requirements remain consistent. Newer versions generally have improved error handling and might provide more specific error messages.
If you’re experiencing issues with one version, try specifying a different version in your prompt using --v 6 or similar parameters.
Can I upload images directly from my phone?
Absolutely. Both Discord mobile and the Midjourney web interface support mobile uploads. The same rules apply: ensure your image is in a supported format and that any URLs you use are publicly accessible.
Some users find that uploading through Discord mobile, then copying the link, works more reliably than using browser-based methods on phones.
Conclusion & Best Practices to Avoid This Error
Successfully uploading images to Midjourney doesn’t have to be a frustrating experience. By understanding the system’s requirements and following best practices, you can avoid most upload errors entirely.
Key takeaways from this guide:
- Always use publicly accessible URLs with proper file extensions
- Complete the full Discord upload process by pressing Enter after dragging files
- Verify your URLs in an incognito browser before using them with Midjourney
- Keep images in supported formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP) and under 25MB
- Consider reliable hosting services like Imgur or imgbb for consistent results
Do’s and Don’ts for successful uploads:
Do test your URLs in a private browser window before using them. Do use established image hosting services with proven Midjourney compatibility. Do wait for the full upload process to complete in Discord. Do keep images in standard formats with reasonable file sizes. Do update to the latest version of Discord and refresh your Midjourney session periodically.
Don’t use private or authentication-required links. Don’t rely on blob: URLs or temporary browser-generated links. Don’t use URLs without proper file extensions. Don’t forget to press Enter after dragging images into Discord. Don’t assume the error is always Midjourney’s fault—check your setup first.
The image upload process in Midjourney is generally reliable when you follow these guidelines. Most errors can be resolved within minutes once you identify the root cause.
If you continue experiencing issues after trying all the solutions in this guide, consider reaching out to the Midjourney support team through their official Discord server or posting in community forums like r/midjourney with specific details about your situation.
As Midjourney continues to evolve, image handling may improve with better error messages and more forgiving URL parsing. Stay updated with the official documentation and community discussions to learn about new features and changes to the upload system.
With the knowledge from this guide, you’re now equipped to handle virtually any image upload challenge that comes your way.