OVERTIME · 2 MIN ONE SEARCH ICON UNLOCKS BETTER IMAGES
Midjourney's Hidden Search Feature Changes Everything
The short version
This short tip shows Midjourney's 'smart search' icon: click it on any image in your archive or the Explore page to surface visually similar results, whether matched by subject, keyword, lighting, or style. The creator says it beats typing a keyword into the search box and works well for quickly building a curation board of looks.
Key takeaways
- 01
Click the search icon on any image, in your Archive or on Explore, to instantly surface other images with a similar essence.
- 02
Smart search beats typing a keyword into the search box directly; the creator says results are noticeably better using the icon instead.
- 03
Similar results can match on subject, a keyword from your prompt, lighting, or style, not just one single factor.
- 04
Use smart search to shortcut discovering new camera angles, lighting, and composition ideas you wouldn't have thought to search for yourself.
- 05
Save favorites from your searches into your Likes tab to build a curation board of looks you want to revisit.
Receipts · said on the record
“This is a tip that I stumbled upon a while back and I'll be honest, it's too good not to share.”
“For whatever reason you don't get as good of results if you do it that way instead of using this trick.”
“I can shortcut that process entirely by just utilizing something like this and then just kind of creating a curation board.”
Questions this episode answers
How do you use Midjourney's hidden smart-search feature?
Click the search icon on any image in your Archive or on the Explore page, and Midjourney surfaces other images with a similar subject, keyword, lighting, or style.
Is Midjourney's smart search better than typing a keyword into the search box?
The creator says yes: typing a keyword directly into the search box gives noticeably worse results than clicking the search icon on an image you already like.
What can you do with the images you find using Midjourney's smart search?
You can save favorites to your Likes tab, building a curation board of lighting, camera angles, and compositions to revisit later.
Show notes
Midjourney's hidden search feature is underutilized and virtually unknown.
Learn how this overlooked feature can transform your creative process.
We'll show you how to use it effectively, with real examples of how it improves output quality and saves time. Essential for both newcomers and veterans.
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