resources/images/methods/edit/index.md 2026-09-08 01:58 UTC to 2026-09-09 16:02 UTC

Create image edit

post /images/edits

Creates an edited or extended image given one or more source images and a prompt. This endpoint supports GPT Image models and dall-e-2.

Body Parameters

• images: array of object { file_id, image_url }

  Input image references to edit. For GPT image models, you can provide up to 16 images.

  • file_id: optional string

    The File API ID of an uploaded image to use as input.

  • image_url: optional string

    A fully qualified URL or base64-encoded data URL.

• prompt: string

  A text description of the desired image edit.

• background: optional "transparent" or "opaque" or "auto" or null

  Set the background of the generated image output. 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.

  • "transparent"

  • "opaque"

  • "auto"

• input_fidelity: optional "high" or "low" or null

  Controls fidelity to the original input image(s).

  • "high"

  • "low"

• mask: optional object { file_id, image_url }

  Reference an input image by either URL or uploaded file ID. Provide exactly one of image_url or file_id.

  • file_id: optional string

    The File API ID of an uploaded image to use as input.

  • image_url: optional string

    A fully qualified URL or base64-encoded data URL.

• model: optional string or "gpt-image-1.5" or "gpt-image-2" or "gpt-image-2-2026-04-21" or 7 more or null

  The GPT image model to use for image editing, including gpt-image-2, its dated snapshot 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.

  • string

  • "gpt-image-1.5" or "gpt-image-2" or "gpt-image-2-2026-04-21" or 7 more

    The GPT image model to use for image editing, including gpt-image-2, its dated snapshot 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.

    • "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"

    • "gpt-image-1"

    • "gpt-image-1-mini"

    • "chatgpt-image-latest"

• moderation: optional "low" or "auto" or null

  Moderation level for GPT image models.

  • "low"

  • "auto"

• n: optional number or null

  The number of edited images to generate.

• output_compression: optional number or null

  Compression level for jpeg or webp output.

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

  Output image format. Supported for GPT image models.

  • "png"

  • "jpeg"

  • "webp"

• partial_images: optional number or null

  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 3 more or null

  Output quality for GPT image models. The GPT image models support low, medium, and high. gpt-image-2.5-sunburst and gpt-image-2.5-flare, including their 2026-09-08 snapshots, also support xhigh and max. Defaults to auto.

  • "low"

  • "medium"

  • "high"

  • "xhigh"

  • "max"

  • "auto"

• size: optional string or "auto" or "1024x1024" or "1536x1024" or "1024x1536" or null

  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.

  • string

  • "auto" or "1024x1024" or "1536x1024" or "1024x1536"

    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.

    • "auto"

    • "1024x1024"

    • "1536x1024"

    • "1024x1536"

• stream: optional boolean or null

  Stream partial image results as events.

• user: optional string

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

Returns

• ImagesResponse 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.

    • "transparent"

    • "opaque"

  • data: optional array of Image

    The list of generated images.

    • b64_json: optional string

      The base64-encoded JSON of the generated image. Returned by default for the GPT image models, and only present if response_format is set to b64_json for dall-e-2 and dall-e-3.

    • revised_prompt: optional string

      For dall-e-3 only, the revised prompt that was used to generate the image.

    • url: optional string

      When using dall-e-2 or dall-e-3, the URL of the generated image if response_format is set to url (default value). Unsupported for the GPT image models.

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

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

    • "png"

    • "webp"

    • "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.

    • "low"

    • "medium"

    • "high"

    • "xhigh"

    • "max"

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

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

    • string

    • "1024x1024" or "1024x1536" or "1536x1024"

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

      • "1024x1024"

      • "1024x1536"

      • "1536x1024"

  • 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.

    • input_tokens: number

      The number of tokens (images and text) in the input prompt.

    • input_tokens_details: object { image_tokens, text_tokens }

      The input tokens detailed information for the image generation.

      • image_tokens: number

        The number of image tokens in the input prompt.

      • text_tokens: number

        The number of text tokens in the input prompt.

    • output_tokens: number

      The number of output tokens generated by the model.

    • total_tokens: number

      The total number of tokens (images and text) used for the image generation.

    • output_tokens_details: optional object { image_tokens, text_tokens }

      The output token details for the image generation.

      • image_tokens: number

        The number of image output tokens generated by the model.

      • text_tokens: number

        The number of text output tokens generated by the model.

Example

curl https://api.openai.com/v1/images/edits \
    -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \
    -d '{
          "images": [
            {
              "image_url": "https://example.com/source-image.png"
            }
          ],
          "prompt": "Add a watercolor effect to this image",
          "model": "gpt-image-1.5",
          "quality": "high",
          "size": "1024x1024"
        }'

Response

{
  "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
    }
  }
}

Edit image

curl -s -D >(grep -i x-request-id >&2) \
  -o >(jq -r '.data[0].b64_json' | base64 --decode > gift-basket.png) \
  -X POST "https://api.openai.com/v1/images/edits" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \
  -F "model=gpt-image-1.5" \
  -F "image[]=@body-lotion.png" \
  -F "image[]=@bath-bomb.png" \
  -F "image[]=@incense-kit.png" \
  -F "image[]=@soap.png" \
  -F 'prompt=Create a lovely gift basket with these four items in it'

Streaming

curl -s -N -X POST "https://api.openai.com/v1/images/edits" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \
  -F "model=gpt-image-1.5" \
  -F "image[]=@body-lotion.png" \
  -F "image[]=@bath-bomb.png" \
  -F "image[]=@incense-kit.png" \
  -F "image[]=@soap.png" \
  -F 'prompt=Create a lovely gift basket with these four items in it' \
  -F "stream=true"

Response

event: image_edit.partial_image
data: {"type":"image_edit.partial_image","b64_json":"...","partial_image_index":0}

event: image_edit.completed
data: {"type":"image_edit.completed","b64_json":"...","usage":{"total_tokens":100,"input_tokens":50,"output_tokens":50,"input_tokens_details":{"text_tokens":10,"image_tokens":40}}}