--chaos (0–100) controls how different the four candidate images Midjourney generates are from each other. It is the parameter for the exploration phase.
What --chaos does
Every Midjourney generation returns 4 candidate images. With --chaos 0, all four are near-identical variations on the same composition. With --chaos 100, they can be wildly different interpretations of your prompt.
5 reference values
| --c value | Spread across 4 images | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 0 (default) | Near-identical | Stable, reproducible work |
| 10–25 | Composition variation | Same direction, different framing |
| 50 | Distinct interpretations | Direction exploration |
| 75–100 | Wildly different | Brainstorming, unexpected angles |
Standard exploration workflow
- Round 1: --c 50–75 with a loose prompt to find a direction
- Pick the strongest candidate, note its prompt and seed
- Round 2: --c 0 with the same seed to refine
- Final: --c 0 with chosen --s to lock the result
Pro tip: "High --chaos during exploration, low --chaos during convergence" is the standard professional workflow.
Quick comparison
--c 0Stable
cyberpunk samurai standing in neon rain, cinematic --ar 16:9 --v 6 --c 0
Four near-identical variations.
--c 50Exploration
cyberpunk samurai standing in neon rain, cinematic --ar 16:9 --v 6 --c 50
Four distinctly framed variations.
--c 100Brainstorm
cyberpunk samurai standing in neon rain, cinematic --ar 16:9 --v 6 --c 100
Four candidates in completely different visual languages.