# V8.1 Alpha

By Steven Van · 2026-04-14

Thanks for testing our V8.0 model over the last month! Today we're releasing our next version of V8 - V8.1 What’s new in V8.1?

Midjourney has released **V8.1**, the next alpha update to its V8 model, following a month of testing on V8.0. The new version aims for an aesthetic closer to V7, with moodboards and style references now more stable.

- HD mode is 3x faster and 3x cheaper, and is now the default for V8.1.

- Standard resolution is 50% faster and 25% cheaper, with full-quality standard renders as fast as V7 draft mode.

- A new "Run as HD" button reruns any standard-resolution job in HD.

- Image prompts and image weights, previously removed, are back.

- A new Prompt Shortener kicks in automatically when a prompt goes over the length limit.

- Describe has been updated to produce longer, more detailed prompts matching V8's prompting style.

V8.1 is available only on alpha.midjourney.com. Midjourney says V8.0 will likely be decommissioned a few weeks after V8.1 has been out, and that anyone who finds V8.0 doing something better should report it in the alpha's #ideas-and-features channel. Full details are in the [announcement](<https://updates.midjourney.com/v8-1-alpha/>).

[![](<https://storage.ghost.io/c/95/61/95616ddb-b827-4269-ad22-ff4a6b368a1f/content/images/2026/04/V8.1bannerv2.jpg>)](<https://updates.midjourney.com/v8-1-alpha/>)

![Midjourney](<https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=midjourney.com&sz=128>)

Midjourney

AI image generation tool that creates stunning artwork, illustrations, and photorealistic images from text prompts.

[View Midjourney →](<https://creatorstoolbox.com/tools/midjourney>)

Sources

[Original source](<https://updates.midjourney.com/v8-1-alpha/>)

[Read V8.1 Alpha on Creators Toolbox](<https://creatorstoolbox.com/blog/midjourney-v8-1-alpha>)

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Canonical source: https://creatorstoolbox.com/blog/midjourney-v8-1-alpha