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Create image

$ openai images generate
POST/images/generations

Creates an image given a prompt using a GPT Image model. Learn more.

ParametersExpand Collapse
--prompt: string

A text description of the desired image(s). The maximum length is 32000 characters.

--background: optional "transparent" or "opaque" or "auto"

Allows to set transparency for the background of the generated image(s). Must be one of transparent, opaque, or auto (default value). When auto is used, the model will automatically determine the best background for the image.

gpt-image-2.5-sunburst and gpt-image-2.5-flare, including their 2026-09-08 snapshots, support opaque and transparent backgrounds. Transparent backgrounds are available for supported GPT Image models. For gpt-image-2 and gpt-image-2-2026-04-21, this support is in preview. When using transparent, set the output format to png or webp.

--model: optional string or ImageModel

The GPT image model to use for image generation. Specify a model explicitly. Supported models include gpt-image-1, gpt-image-1-mini, gpt-image-1.5, gpt-image-2, gpt-image-2-2026-04-21, gpt-image-2.5-sunburst, gpt-image-2.5-sunburst-2026-09-08, gpt-image-2.5-flare, gpt-image-2.5-flare-2026-09-08, and chatgpt-image-latest.

--moderation: optional "low" or "auto"

Control the content-moderation level for images generated by the GPT image models. Must be either low for less restrictive filtering or auto (default value).

--n: optional number

The number of images to generate. Must be between 1 and 10.

--output-compression: optional number

The compression level (0-100%) for the generated images. This parameter is only supported for the GPT image models with the webp or jpeg output formats, and defaults to 100.

--output-format: optional "png" or "jpeg" or "webp"

The format in which the generated images are returned. This parameter is only supported for the GPT image models. Must be one of png, jpeg, or webp.

--partial-images: optional number

The number of partial images to generate. This parameter is used for streaming responses that return partial images. Value must be between 0 and 3. When set to 0, the response will be a single image sent in one streaming event.

Note that the final image may be sent before the full number of partial images are generated if the full image is generated more quickly.

--quality: optional "low" or "medium" or "high" or 5 more

The quality of the image that will be generated.

  • auto (default value) will automatically select the best quality for the given model.
  • high, medium and low are supported for the GPT image models.
  • gpt-image-2.5-sunburst and gpt-image-2.5-flare, including their 2026-09-08 snapshots, also support xhigh and max.
Deprecated--response-format: optional "url" or "b64_json"

Legacy response format parameter for retired image models. Unsupported for GPT image models, which always return base64-encoded images.

--size: optional string or "auto" or "1024x1024" or "1536x1024" or 5 more

The size of the generated images. For gpt-image-2, gpt-image-2-2026-04-21, gpt-image-2.5-sunburst, gpt-image-2.5-sunburst-2026-09-08, gpt-image-2.5-flare, and gpt-image-2.5-flare-2026-09-08, arbitrary resolutions are supported as WIDTHxHEIGHT strings, for example 1536x864. Width and height must both be divisible by 16 and the requested aspect ratio must be between 1:3 and 3:1. Resolutions above 2560x1440 are experimental, and the maximum supported resolution is 3840x2160. The requested size must also satisfy the model’s current pixel and edge limits. The standard sizes 1024x1024, 1536x1024, and 1024x1536 are supported by the GPT image models; auto is supported for models that allow automatic sizing.

Deprecated--style: optional "vivid" or "natural"

Legacy style parameter for retired image models. Unsupported for GPT image models; describe the desired style in the prompt instead.

--user: optional string

A unique identifier representing your end-user, which can help OpenAI to monitor and detect abuse. Learn more.

ReturnsExpand Collapse
images_response: object { created, background, data, 4 more }

The response from the image generation endpoint.

created: number

The Unix timestamp (in seconds) of when the image was created.

background: optional "transparent" or "opaque"

The background parameter used for the image generation. Either transparent or opaque.

data: optional array of Image { b64_json, revised_prompt, url }

The list of generated images.

output_format: optional "png" or "webp" or "jpeg"

The output format of the image generation. Either png, webp, or jpeg.

quality: optional "low" or "medium" or "high" or 2 more

The quality of the image generated. One of low, medium, high, xhigh, or max.

size: optional string or "1024x1024" or "1024x1536" or "1536x1024"

The image dimensions as a WIDTHxHEIGHT string, for example 1536x864.

usage: optional object { input_tokens, input_tokens_details, output_tokens, 2 more }

For gpt-image-1 only, the token usage information for the image generation.

Create image

openai images generate \
  --api-key 'My API Key' \
  --prompt 'A cute baby sea otter'
{
  "created": 0,
  "background": "transparent",
  "data": [
    {
      "b64_json": "b64_json",
      "revised_prompt": "revised_prompt",
      "url": "https://example.com"
    }
  ],
  "output_format": "png",
  "quality": "low",
  "size": "1024x1024",
  "usage": {
    "input_tokens": 0,
    "input_tokens_details": {
      "image_tokens": 0,
      "text_tokens": 0
    },
    "output_tokens": 0,
    "total_tokens": 0,
    "output_tokens_details": {
      "image_tokens": 0,
      "text_tokens": 0
    }
  }
}
Returns Examples
{
  "created": 0,
  "background": "transparent",
  "data": [
    {
      "b64_json": "b64_json",
      "revised_prompt": "revised_prompt",
      "url": "https://example.com"
    }
  ],
  "output_format": "png",
  "quality": "low",
  "size": "1024x1024",
  "usage": {
    "input_tokens": 0,
    "input_tokens_details": {
      "image_tokens": 0,
      "text_tokens": 0
    },
    "output_tokens": 0,
    "total_tokens": 0,
    "output_tokens_details": {
      "image_tokens": 0,
      "text_tokens": 0
    }
  }
}