Seedream Models: The Essentials

Last updated: July 14, 2026

Which Seedream to pick and how to direct it: in-image text, marker and sketch edits, references, sequences, and every parameter

asset_iz2mEaqcvhDQA9Z5TCmp3WMe_Model family to use_ Seedream 5.0 family_Prompt (use 16_9 banner preset, 1920×1080)__A clean editorial-style banner on a warm paper tabletop with soft directional sunlight and long so.png

Seedream is ByteDance's family of image models on Scenario. The 5.0 generation is reasoning-first: it thinks through a prompt before it renders, which shows up as reliable in-image text, coherent layouts, and strong subject consistency. Its real step forward is control. Instead of regenerating and hoping, you direct the model: mark the region to change, say what stays locked, and give each reference image a role. Two 5.0 models are live. Pro is the quality and editing tier, with the cleanest text, marker and sketch edits, and exact color matching. Lite is the speed tier, with more reference slots, 4K output, and sequence generation, a capability it shares with Seedream 4.5 and 4.0.

A bioluminescent leviathan passing a tiny submersible in the deep ocean

Seedream 5.0 Pro, from a single prompt. asset_wtxoFTzb6b9tRpZj1RjUYzXb

Which Model Should I Use?

Model	Strength	Best for
Seedream 5.0 Pro Quality	Cleanest in-image text, marker and sketch edits, exact hex colors, up to 10 references	Posters, packaging, key art, UI mockups, catalog and product editing where polish matters most
Seedream 5.0 Lite Speed + Sequences	Fast, up to 14 references, to 4K, and sequence generation	Storyboards and image sets, high reference counts, rapid iteration, large batches
Seedream 4.5	Prior generation, strong editing and subject preservation, sequence sets, 4K	Existing 4.5 workflows and edits
Seedream 4.0	Prior generation, up to 14 references and sequence output, 4K	Existing 4.0 workflows

For new work, start with a 5.0 model. Choose Pro when the design leans on legible text or precise edits: it debuted at #2 on Arena's community multi-image edit leaderboard (July 2026), up from #11 for Seedream 4.5. Choose Lite when you need a consistent set of images, many references, 4K, or faster turnaround. Seedream 4.5 and 4.0 remain available for pipelines already built on them, and they can be the more economical choice for high-volume workloads that do not lean on 5.0's text rendering.

How to Use the Model

How Seedream 5.0 Works

Write a prompt that describes the scene and the style, and quote any text you want rendered exactly as it should appear. Keep style directions (medium, palette, mood) outside the quotes. Set the output size, and for Lite optionally turn on sequence generation to get a related set of images in one run.

A key art poster for an indie deep-sea survival game. A lone diver in a battered brass helmet stands on the spine of a sunken whale, looking up at a distant surface glow. Bioluminescent jellyfish drift around her. Cold teal and amber palette, painterly digital illustration. At the top in a tall weathered serif, the title 'ABYSSAL'. Along the bottom in small clean sans caps, the tagline 'THE PRESSURE REMEMBERS'.

Deep-sea game key art reading ABYSSAL with the tagline THE PRESSURE REMEMBERS

Only the quoted words render as text; the style words steer the look. Seedream 5.0 Pro.

Text Rendering in Images

This is the reason to reach for Seedream 5.0 Pro. It holds spelling and layout across full campaigns, product labels, handwritten annotations, and dense infographics. Name each text block and its role (title, subhead, price, label) and quote the exact words. For infographics, list the facts and name each element (a flavor wheel, comparison bars, labeled photos); Pro assembles the layout. Text renders natively in more than ten languages, including Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Arabic: write the actual characters and the model follows each script's rules, down to right-to-left Arabic and Spanish accents.

Character consistency study: the same woman across eight annotated moments of one week

One image, eight moments, one character: the layout and every handwritten annotation held together

VoltRush energy drink campaign across billboard, product, social, web and stage formats

A full campaign in one generation, the copy consistent across billboard, social, web, and stage

Editing and Reference Images

Attach reference images (up to 10 on Pro, up to 14 on Lite) and the model can keep a subject consistent, drop a product into a new scene, or restyle a photo. Say plainly what to preserve, and give each reference a role by number: "Using the material from Image 1 and the color swatch from Image 2, modify the sofa in Image 3." One instruction can fuse several references into one composed shot: a bundle image from separate product photos, or a model dressed from different garment references, each element at the right perspective and lighting. These examples started from a character sheet, a product still, and a photo.

Character kept consistent in a new scene

Product placed into a lifestyle scene

Three reference photos, a coffee bag, a mug, and a honey jar, beside the fused result: one morning table scene composed from all three, correct scale, shadow, and reflections

Three separate product photos, fused into one scene with correct scale and lighting

Six reference images, a positioning photo and five individual portraits, beside the fused group photo outside a cafe with everyone's face and clothing preserved

Five separate portraits, fused into one group photo from a single positioning reference

Ten reference images, a positioning photo and nine individual portraits spanning four decades of clothing style, beside the fused family reunion photo on a porch

Nine portraits and one positioning photo, Pro's full 10-image reference limit, fused into one reunion spanning four decades of style

An empty crystal glass with ice cubes next to a neon bar sign, beside the filled result where the pink and blue neon light visibly bends through the ice and whiskey

The neon sign's color visibly bends through the ice and liquid, not just glowing behind the glass

Marker-Based Editing (Pro)

Seedream 5.0 Pro understands markings drawn on a reference image. Circle an object, add an arrow, sketch a shape, or drop a coordinate mark, then tell the model what to do in the marked area. It edits exactly there and blends the result into the scene. Ask for the markings to be removed in the same prompt. This is a Pro-only capability, and the most precise way to direct a local edit without masks.

In the area marked with the red circle, replace the vending machine with a retro arcade cabinet. Its glowing marquee reads 'STARFALL' and its screen shows a colorful space shooter in attract mode. Keep everything else in the scene exactly the same. Remove the red circle and arrow markings from the final image. Match the station's cool fluorescent lighting.

Subway platform reference image with a red circle and arrow marking the vending machine

The marked reference: a red circle and arrow drawn directly on the image

Same subway platform with the vending machine replaced by a STARFALL arcade cabinet and the markings removed

The result: only the circled area changed, markings gone, lighting matched. asset_TUEmguSzNZVcXguqfyS2asX5

Markers stack. Draw several boxes or arrows in different colors, give each one its own instruction, and Pro applies every edit in one pass:

Red box: change the side logo to a gradient of coral pink fading into orange. Green box: replace the white laces with navy blue flat laces. Yellow box: add a small 'NEW ARRIVAL' tag in bold yellow with a subtle drop shadow. Remove all box markings from the final image.

A car marked with eight different colored boxes over the hood, door, bumper, mirror, roof, rear door, wheel, and headlight, beside the result with a green hood, racing stripe, gloss bumper, carbon mirror, roof rack, ELECTRIC decal, bronze wheels, and tinted headlight

Eight colored markers, eight instructions, six landing cleanly in a single pass

An empty living room corner with four colored boxes marking the wall, sofa, side table, and floor, beside the styled result with an art print, a blanket, a vase, and a basket added exactly where each region was marked

Four marked regions, four different items, styled in one pass

Sketches and exact values work the same way. Draw a stick figure to redirect a pose, or doodle a shape and describe it, and Pro renders it photoreal. Name a hex code ("dark green #3E4A2E, brushed metal finish") and the marked region matches it while structure, stitching, and reflections stay put.

A stick-figure pose sketch and a canvas messenger bag product reference, beside the resulting photoreal woman walking in the sketched pose while wearing the exact bag

A rough pose sketch and a separate product reference, fused into one photoreal result

One white sneaker alongside green, orange, and navy recolored versions, structure and lighting held identical

One sneaker, matched to three exact hex codes: #3E4A2E, #DB973E, #1F3A5F

Sequence Generation (Lite, 4.5, and 4.0)

Seedream 5.0 Lite, 4.5, and 4.0 can all return a set of related images in one run. Turn on sequentialImageGeneration and set maxImages, and the model produces story steps, variations, or turnarounds that share a character, palette, and style. Pro is the only Seedream model without sequence generation; it returns one image per run.

Generate a sequence of 4 cinematic storyboard frames of a boss encounter. Frame 1: wide establishing shot, a lone knight in weathered teal-and-brass armor wades into a flooded gothic cathedral, shafts of light through broken stained glass. Frame 2: low tracking shot behind the knight as a colossal serpent made of living stained glass rises from the black water, glowing from within. Frame 3: close on the knight's face beside her raised glowing blade, the serpent's kaleidoscope light washing over her. Frame 4: the serpent strikes and light floods the nave as the knight lunges forward, glass shards suspended mid-air. Keep the same knight, the same serpent design, the same teal, amber and stained-glass palette, and the same painterly cinematic concept-art style across all four frames.

Four storyboard frames of a knight facing a stained-glass serpent in a flooded cathedral, consistent across angles

Four frames from one Seedream 5.0 Lite run: same knight, same serpent, same palette, four camera angles.

Parameters

The 5.0 models share a small, focused set of controls. A few dials are not available on Pro.

`prompt`

Required. Up to 3500 characters on Pro, 2048 on Lite. ByteDance recommends staying under roughly 600 words: very long prompts scatter the model's attention and details start to drop. Describe the scene and the style, and quote any text you want rendered exactly. For dense layouts, name each text block and its role.

`referenceImages`

Optional. Up to 10 on Pro, up to 14 on Lite. Use them to keep a character or product consistent, place a product in a new context, or restyle an image. State plainly what to preserve.

`width` and `height`

Output dimensions in pixels. Pro runs 672 to 3136 per side; Lite runs higher, up to 4K. Both offer a ladder of ready-made presets across common ratios (21:9, 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 2:3, 9:16). Picking a preset is the reliable path.

On Pro, the maximum is a total pixel budget, not just a per-side limit. A 2K square (about 2048 by 2048) is the practical ceiling. A custom size whose area exceeds that fails with a pixel-count error even when each side is under 3136, so 1728 by 2432 is rejected. When in doubt, pick a preset. Lite reaches full 4K.

`sequentialImageGeneration` and `maxImages` (not available on Pro)

Set sequentialImageGeneration to auto and the model may return a set of related images (story steps, variations, turnarounds) up to maxImages. Total images (input plus generated) cannot exceed 15. Leave it off for a single image. Available on Lite, 4.5, and 4.0; Pro always returns a single image.

Use Cases

Games: key art and cover posters (Pro), plus character turnarounds and storyboard sets (sequence mode).
Marketing and advertising: hero ads, packaging, and posters with real copy baked in; one key visual recomposed per format and localized per market.
Publishing and editorial: book covers, album art, and magazine covers with mastheads and cover lines.
Education: infographics and labeled diagrams where every callout must be spelled correctly.
E-commerce: colorway and material variants from one master photo matched to exact hex codes, background swaps from marketplace white to lifestyle scenes, and bundle shots fused from separate product photos.
Storyboards and comics: consistent multi-panel sequences from a single sequence run on Lite, 4.5, or 4.0.
Video pipelines: Seedream stills make strong start frames for Seedance video models.

Tips for Better Results

Quote the exact text you want. Words in quotes render as written, as in the coffee bag and the "ABYSSAL" poster.
Keep style words outside the quotes. Terms like "painterly" steer the look and do not appear as text.
Name each text block and its role. Calling out "title", "banner", or "footer" gives the model a layout to follow, as in the tournament poster.
Write non-Latin text directly. Quoting the actual characters produces legible Japanese or Chinese signage.
Lock identity with a reference image. To reuse a character or product, pass it in referenceImages and state what to keep constant.
Give each reference a role. Number them in the prompt: "the material from Image 1, the color from Image 2."
Mark the edit instead of describing the location. On Pro, circling the object directly on the reference image is more reliable than describing where it sits, as in the arcade cabinet example.
Use sequence mode for sets. When you need matching frames or variations on Lite, 4.5, or 4.0, turn on sequence generation rather than prompting one image at a time.
Pick a preset size. Presets keep you inside the pixel budget and give predictable framing; use custom width and height only for an exact ratio.

Known Limitations

Pro uses a total pixel budget. Custom sizes beyond a 2K preset fail even when each side is under 3136 (details under Parameters). Lite reaches 4K.
Pro does not offer sequence generation. It returns a single image per run; Lite, 4.5, and 4.0 all support sequence sets.
Text is strong, not flawless. Only the text you name and quote is reliable, small background signage can come out as pseudo-text, and even headline copy carries an occasional typo. Proofread anything customer-facing.
Reference image constraints. Inputs accept common formats up to 30 MB each, with aspect ratios between 1:16 and 16:1.
No seed or batch-count control. There is no seed parameter, so exact reproduction is not guaranteed; save an output you like and reuse it as a reference.
Occasional queue delays. A job can sit before it starts under load. If one stalls, resubmit it.

Showcase

A few more single-prompt generations from Seedream 5.0 Pro.

Fitness app home screen mockup with step count, calories, floors and action buttons

A full mobile app screen: labels, numbers, and layout all correct

Harbor Lights Fest riso-style music festival poster with four band names and footer details

A dense festival poster: band names, days, and ticket line all clean

NIGHTPRESS craft beer can with an intricate fox-illustrated label and complete label copy

Packaging with full label copy: name, style, ABV, volume, IBU, allergens, all clean

Adventurer character with teal hair shown standing, running and waving in a consistent style

Character sheet: three poses, one consistent character, from a single prompt

Seedream 5.0 Lite: Precision Power in a High-Speed Package: the speed tier in depth.
Seedance Models - The Essentials: turn Seedream stills into video.
Introducing Seedream 5.0 Pro: ByteDance's launch post.
Seedream 5.0 Pro for product and ad creative: ByteDance's playbook of worked marker, color-code, and fusion edits.