Image Overview

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The xAI image APIs support image generation, image editing, multi-image editing, and image understanding workflows with Grok models.

Image Generation

Text to image

Generate new images from text prompts with Grok Imagine models.

Read docs

Image Editing

Image + prompt

Edit a source image with natural language while preserving relevant context.

Read docs

Multi-Image Editing

Up to 3 images

Combine multiple visual references in a single image edit.

Read docs

Image generation uses flat per-image pricing rather than token-based pricing like text models. Each generated image incurs a fixed fee regardless of prompt length. Image edits are billed for both the input image and the generated output image. For full pricing details on the grok-imagine-image model, see the model page.

Limitations

Maximum images per request: 10
URL expiration: Generated URLs are temporary
Content moderation: Images are subject to content policy review

Image Generation

Generate new images from text prompts with Grok Imagine models. Configure output count, aspect ratio, resolution, and response format for your use case.

View docs

import xai_sdk

client = xai_sdk.Client()

response = client.image.sample(
    prompt="A collage of London landmarks in a stenciled street‑art style",
    model="grok-imagine-image",
)

print(response.url)

curl -X POST https://api.x.ai/v1/images/generations \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $XAI_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "model": "grok-imagine-image",
    "prompt": "A collage of London landmarks in a stenciled street‑art style"
  }'

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.x.ai/v1",
    api_key="YOUR_API_KEY",
)

response = client.images.generate(
    model="grok-imagine-image",
    prompt="A collage of London landmarks in a stenciled street‑art style",
)

print(response.data[0].url)

import OpenAI from "openai";

const client = new OpenAI({
    apiKey: process.env.XAI_API_KEY,
    baseURL: 'https://api.x.ai/v1',
});

const response = await client.images.generate({
    model: "grok-imagine-image",
    prompt: "A collage of London landmarks in a stenciled street‑art style",
});

console.log(response.data[0].url);

import { xai } from "@ai-sdk/xai";
import { generateImage } from "ai";

const { image } = await generateImage({
    model: xai.image("grok-imagine-image"),
    prompt: "A collage of London landmarks in a stenciled street‑art style",
});

console.log(image.base64);

Image Editing

Edit a source image with natural language. Provide a public image URL or base64-encoded data URI, then describe the change you want Grok Imagine to apply.

View docs

import base64
import xai_sdk

client = xai_sdk.Client()

# Load image from file and encode as base64
with open("photo.png", "rb") as f:
    image_data = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode("utf-8")

response = client.image.sample(
    prompt="Render this as a pencil sketch with detailed shading",
    model="grok-imagine-image",
    image_url=f"data:image/png;base64,{image_data}",
)

print(response.url)

# Using a public URL as the source image
curl -X POST https://api.x.ai/v1/images/edits \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $XAI_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "model": "grok-imagine-image",
    "prompt": "Render this as a pencil sketch with detailed shading",
    "image": {
      "url": "https://docs.x.ai/assets/api-examples/images/style-realistic.png",
      "type": "image_url"
    }
  }'

import { xai } from "@ai-sdk/xai";
import { generateImage } from "ai";
import fs from "fs";

// Load image and encode as base64
const imageBuffer = fs.readFileSync("photo.png");
const base64Image = imageBuffer.toString("base64");

const { image } = await generateImage({
    model: xai.image("grok-imagine-image"),
    prompt: "Render this as a pencil sketch with detailed shading",
    providerOptions: {
        xai: {
            image: `data:image/png;base64,${base64Image}`,
        },
    },
});

console.log(image.base64);

Multi-Image Editing

Use up to three source images in a single edit. Multi-image editing is useful for combining subjects, transferring styles across references, and composing scenes from several visual inputs.

View docs

import xai_sdk

client = xai_sdk.Client()

response = client.image.sample(
    prompt="Show all subjects sitting together on the grass in a sunny park. Casual relaxed mood, natural daylight, warm tones. No additional people or animals.",
    model="grok-imagine-image",
    image_urls=[
        "https://docs.x.ai/assets/api-examples/images/image-merge/man.jpg",
        "https://docs.x.ai/assets/api-examples/images/image-merge/puppy.jpg",
        "https://docs.x.ai/assets/api-examples/images/image-merge/woman.jpg",
    ],
    aspect_ratio="3:2",
)

print(response.url)

curl -X POST https://api.x.ai/v1/images/edits \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $XAI_API_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "model": "grok-imagine-image",
    "prompt": "Show all subjects sitting together on the grass in a sunny park. Casual relaxed mood, natural daylight, warm tones. No additional people or animals.",
    "images": [
      { "type": "image_url", "url": "https://docs.x.ai/assets/api-examples/images/image-merge/man.jpg" },
      { "type": "image_url", "url": "https://docs.x.ai/assets/api-examples/images/image-merge/puppy.jpg" },
      { "type": "image_url", "url": "https://docs.x.ai/assets/api-examples/images/image-merge/woman.jpg" }
    ],
    "aspect_ratio": "3:2"
  }'

Image Understanding

Send images as input to Grok models and generate responses that use visual context. Use this for multimodal chat, visual question answering, screenshots, documents, and other image analysis tasks.

View docs

import os
from xai_sdk import Client
from xai_sdk.chat import user, image

client = Client(
    api_key=os.getenv("XAI_API_KEY"),
    management_api_key=os.getenv("XAI_MANAGEMENT_API_KEY"),
    timeout=3600,
)

image_url = "https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/web-first-images-release.png"
chat = client.chat.create(model="grok-4.3")
chat.append(
    user(
        "What's in this image?",
        image(image_url=image_url, detail="high"),
    )
)

response = chat.sample()
print(response)

# The response ID that can be used to continue the conversation later

print(response.id)

import { xai } from '@ai-sdk/xai';
import { generateText } from 'ai';

const { text, response } = await generateText({
    model: xai.responses('grok-4.3'),
    messages: [
        {
            role: 'user',
            content: [
                {
                    type: 'image',
                    image: new URL('https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/web-first-images-release.png'),
                },
                {
                    type: 'text',
                    text: "What's in this image?",
                },
            ],
        },
    ]
});

console.log(text);

// The response ID can be used to continue the conversation
console.log(response.id);

curl https://api.x.ai/v1/responses \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $XAI_API_KEY" \
  -m 3600 \
  -d '{
    "model": "grok-4.3",
    "input": [
      {
        "role": "user",
        "content": [
          {
            "type": "input_image",
            "image_url": "https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/web-first-images-release.png",
            "detail": "high"
          },
          {
            "type": "input_text",
            "text": "What'\''s in this image?"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }'

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Last updated: May 6, 2026

Model Capabilities

Image Overview

Image Generation

Image Editing

Multi-Image Editing

Pricing

Limitations

Image Generation

Image Editing

Multi-Image Editing

Image Understanding