How to Fix Midjourney Cropped Images & Cut Off Subjects

Why Midjourney Crops Your Images

Midjourney defaults to a 1:1 square aspect ratio. When forcing complex subjects, tall objects, or full-body figures into this square space, the model frequently crops out heads, feet, or side elements. This issue also occurs when changing aspect ratios without adjusting your prompt's framing language. Because Midjourney generates images based on training patterns, a prompt like "a tall man standing" in a default square frame almost always results in cut-off boots or a cropped head.

To resolve framing and cropping issues, follow these five troubleshooting steps.

1. Add Camera Framing Keywords to Your Prompt

If you do not specify camera distance, Midjourney defaults to a close-up or medium-close shot. To force the model to pull the camera back and capture the entire subject, use specific photographic and cinematic terminology at the beginning of your prompt.

• Recommended terms: Use phrases like "full-body portrait," "wide-angle shot," "shot from a distance," "long shot," or "establishing shot."
• Terms to avoid: Avoid vague words like "photorealistic" or "highly detailed" directly next to your subject. These can inadvertently cause the model to zoom in on textures, cropping out the larger context.
• Example modification: Instead of a firefighter standing in front of a fire truck, write wide-angle full-body shot of a firefighter standing in front of a fire truck --ar 16:9.

2. Match the Aspect Ratio Parameter to Your Subject

Using the wrong aspect ratio forces Midjourney to crop subjects to fit the canvas. Ensure your --ar parameter matches the natural orientation of your subject.

• For tall subjects: Standing people, towers, trees, or vertical structures should use vertical aspect ratios like --ar 2:3 or --ar 9:16.
• For wide subjects: Landscapes, groups of people, vehicles, or horizon shots should use horizontal aspect ratios like --ar 3:2 or --ar 16:9.
• How to apply: Add space, then --ar [width]:[height] to the very end of your prompt (for example, --ar 16:9). Do not use decimals or non-standard ratios.

3. Use the Zoom Out Tool on Generated Images

If you have already generated an image you like but the top of the head or sides are cut off, do not discard it. Use Midjourney's built-in upscale and zoom features to expand the frame.

1. Upscale the cropped image by clicking U1, U2, U3, or U4 on Discord, or by clicking the image inside the Web UI.
2. Select Zoom Out 2x or Zoom Out 1.5x from the options beneath the upscaled image.
3. Midjourney will expand the canvas in all directions, keeping your original image intact in the center while generating matching background elements around it.
4. Alternatively, click Custom Zoom to adjust the --zoom parameter manually (between 1.0 and 2.0) and modify your text prompt to specify what should fill the newly created border space.

4. Expand the Canvas with the Pan Feature

If your image is perfect but only cropped on one specific edge (such as a cut-off hat at the top or clipped hands at the bottom), the Pan feature is more precise than Zoom.

1. Upscale your target image using the U buttons.
2. Click the Arrow buttons (Left, Right, Up, or Down) located beneath the upscaled image.
3. Midjourney will extend the canvas in that chosen direction, generating new content to complete the cropped subject.
4. Note that panning changes the final aspect ratio of your image. Panning up makes your image taller, while panning right makes it wider.

5. Use Vary (Region) to Inpaint Cropped Borders

If a limb or accessory is clipped right at the border, you can use Midjourney's inpainting tool, Vary (Region), to force a redraw of that specific section.

1. Upscale the image.
2. Click Vary (Region) (or Inpaint on the web interface).
3. Use the brush or lasso selection tool to highlight the cropped edge along with a small portion of the empty background adjacent to it.
4. In the text prompt box, specify what should fill the selected space (e.g., "top of a vintage fedora hat" or "leather boots resting on grass").
5. Submit the job. Midjourney will regenerate only the selected cropped area to complete your subject cleanly.

When to Escalate

If the Zoom, Pan, or Vary (Region) buttons do not appear beneath your upscaled images, or if clicking them yields an "Interaction Failed" error, the Midjourney bot is likely experiencing a database desync or a temporary service outage. Check the official #status channel in the Midjourney Discord server for platform-wide issues. If these features fail consistently across multiple independent sessions and different images, report the bug in the #member-support channel or contact billing support through your Midjourney account dashboard.