Making images in midjourney is fun, but it uses a lot of graphics processing units (GPU). This is why you need to check your fast time often to make sure you do not run out suddenly.
In this article, you will discover the simple and easy ways you can keep an eye on your fast time remaining; so, you can manage it effectively.
What does fast time mean?
In midjourney, fast time refers to the amount of fast GPU time you have for the month as per your subscription plan.
The bot spend about one minute of GPU time to create one image grid.
Your fast time is also used for other tasks. For example, when you upscale images, click the variations button, or use the describe command.
While your unused monthly fast GPU time cannot roll over, it does reset at the end of your monthly billing period.
Each subscription plan offers a varying duration of GPU time.
All midjourney subscription plans except the basis allow you to use relax mode; which does not consume your fast hours.
Once you run out of fast time, midjourney allows you to buy more for $4 per hour.
The extra fast hour you buy doesn’t expire. But you need to have an active subscription to be able to use it.
Also, midjourney offers a unique opportunity for users who rate images to earn extra hours.
Ways to check your fast time remaining in midjourney
There are two easy methods that you can use to see how many fast hours you have left in midjourney. You can use the /info command in Discord. The other option is to visit the midjourney website.
Use /info to check the fast time
To check your fast time remaining, you should:
- Login to Discord.
- Go to the midjourney server or your private server with the midjourney bot.
- Click on the message bar
- Type /info
- Click enter
By using the ‘/info’ command, it will display all your account information alongside queued and active running jobs.
Use midjourney website to check your fast time
To use this method, you should;
- Visit www.midjourney.com/app
- Login with your account details.
- Click on “manage sub”.
Note: this might take some time to load and you might be asked to verify your connection.
How to get the most out of your Midjourney fast time
If you have bought one of the subscription plans, you will probably be looking for ways to get the most out of your limited GPU minutes.
By default, each midjourney request uses a portion of your allocated GPU minutes. However, there are ways to reduce the amount of time you use.
One easy method is by using parameters.
These are part of the advanced tools in Midjourney that allow users to set things like aspect ratios, speed, render quality, and styling.
To help you save your fast hours, we will be focusing on one specific parameter; which is ‘Quality’.
Most people do not know that quality is the most significant drain on your allocated GPU time in midjourney. So, anyone who wants to save as much time as possible must learn to master this parameter.
Adjusting the quality parameter allows you to reduce your GPU usage by up to 4 times, which is a lot.
To do this,
- Go to your message bar in your server or the newbies channel in midjourney official server.
- Type the /image prompt: and add your text
- At the end of your prompt, you should add ‐‐q .5 or ‐‐q .25
- Then click enter.
By doing this, midjourney will create your images with less quality. Not all of them will be great, but this method still gives good results.
Another method you can use to save your fast hours in midjourney is by downloading your images from www.mjsplitter.com
To use this free tool, all you have to do is:
- Create an image in midjourney
- Copy the grid image link from Discord or you can download the image.
- Paste the link or upload the grid image to mjsplitter.com
- Click split image.
- Once the tool is done, you can then download the images your want separately.
With mjsplitter.com, you won’t have to use the upscale buttons, which will save your fast hours.
But the best part is that, the images are saved in JPEG format; which is a smaller file size that is perfect for web and other digital uses.
Conclusion
Midjourney runs on GPU minutes and every user is allocated a set amount of time for their subscription tier.
To make sure you don’t run out of fast time, you should check your monthly allocation regularly. You can do this by using /info or visiting the midjourney website.
It is possible to buy extra time but it is expensive so the best way to avoid this is to fine-tune your work process.