Seedream 5.5: realistic images and precise edits up to 3K

ByteDance's newest Seedream model generates from a prompt and edits from up to 10 reference images. Change only what you name, keep the rest of the frame, and export with a transparent background when you need a cutout.

seedream 5.5

What is Seedream 5.5?

Seedream 5.5 is ByteDance's newest Seedream image model, available in the Artlist AI Toolkit. It handles text-to-image and editing from up to 10 reference images in one model, at 1.5K, 2K or 3K. Edits change what the prompt names and keep the rest of the frame, and transparent PNG output makes it the Seedream pick for cutouts.

seedream 5-5

What you can make with Seedream 5.5

Seedream 5.0 Pro stopped at 2K with a solid background. Seedream 5.5 adds a 3K tier and transparent output.

  • Cutouts ready to composite

    Choose Transparent and get a PNG with no background: a product, a character or a prop you can drop straight onto a layout, a thumbnail or a video frame.

  • Edits that leave the rest alone

    Swap a jacket, change a label or replace a backdrop. Seedream 5.5 changes what your prompt names and keeps the rest of the frame intact, even over repeated edits.

  • One image from up to 10 references

    Combine a product, a setting and a saved character in a single frame. Seedream 5.5 takes up to 10 reference images per request, in JPG, PNG, WEBP or GIF.

  • Text you can read, in more than English

    Put a headline on a poster or a name on a label. In-image text comes out readable in many languages, so localized versions can start from the same prompt.

  • Realistic images up to 3K

    Generate at 1.5K, 2K or 3K, up to 3840×2160 at 16:9: large enough for a full-screen hero or a UHD video frame, not only a feed post.

How to prompt Seedream 5.5

Seedream 5.5 has no mask or brush. Every edit is steered by the prompt, so the more specific you are, the cleaner the result.

  • Say what stays and what changes

    For edits, name both sides: "keep the face and light, swap only the jacket". Naming the region to change is what keeps the rest of the frame untouched.

  • Give each reference a job

    Tag each image with @ and say what it brings: the product from one, the setting from another. Saved characters can be tagged the same way.

  • Quote the text and place it

    Put the words in quotes and describe the type: "the label reads 'COLD BREW' in white condensed sans". Check small type and non-Latin scripts before you ship.

  • Describe only the subject for cutouts

    Pick Transparent and describe the subject on its own, not a busy scene. The less there is around it, the cleaner the PNG.

  • Work around the limits

    There are eight preset aspect ratios, so render wider and crop for panoramas and thin banners. More than 10 references? Merge them into a collage first.

Seedream 5.5 vs Seedream 5.0 Pro

Seedream 5.5
Seedream 5.0 Pro
Best for
Cutouts, composites and precise edits up to 3K
Reference-driven series at up to 2K with a solid background
Quality tiers
1.5K, 2K (default), 3K
1K, 1.5K, 2K
Max resolution
3K, up to 3840×2160 at 16:9
2K
Transparent background
Background options
Auto, Transparent or Opaque
Opaque only
Text-to-image
Image editing
Reference images
1 to 10 per request
Up to 10
Images per run
1 to 4
Up to 4
Aspect ratios
16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 2:3, 3:4, 4:3, 3:2, 21:9
1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 16:9, 9:16, 3:2, 2:3, 21:9
Pick it when
You need a transparent PNG or a 3K file
2K with a solid background is enough

Frequently asked questions

Seedream 5.5 is ByteDance's newest Seedream image model. It combines text-to-image generation and prompt-based editing from up to 10 reference images in one model, with three quality tiers up to 3K and an optional transparent background. On Artlist it runs inside the AI Toolkit alongside the other AI image generator models.

Seedream 5.5 adds two things: a 3K quality tier and transparent backgrounds. Seedream 5.0 Pro tops out at 2K and only outputs opaque images. Both generate from text and edit from up to 10 references, so pick Seedream 5.5 for cutouts and anything that gets composited.

Yes. The background setting has three options: Auto, Transparent and Opaque. Transparent returns a PNG with no background, ready to composite onto a layout or a video frame, and Opaque forces a solid background. For the cleanest cutout, describe only the subject and leave the scene out of the prompt.

Seedream 5.5 has three quality tiers: 1.5K, 2K (the default) and 3K, which reaches 3840×2160 at 16:9. It offers eight aspect ratios: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 2:3, 3:4, 4:3, 3:2 and 21:9. Each run produces 1 to 4 images. Panoramas and thin banners are not presets, so render wider and crop.

Upload 1 to 10 reference images (JPG, PNG, WEBP or GIF, up to 30 MB each) and describe the change. There is no mask or brush: this is prompt-led image-to-image editing, so name the region you want changed and what should stay, for example "keep the face and light, swap only the jacket". The edit holds up over repeated passes.

Yes. Seedream 5.5 renders readable in-image text in many languages, not only English. Put the exact words in quotes and say where they go and how they look. Text is strong but not flawless, so check small type and non-Latin scripts before you publish.

Open the Artlist AI Toolkit, choose image and select Seedream 5.5 from the model list. For text-to-image, write a prompt; for edits, add up to 10 reference images and tag them with @. Pick a quality tier, an aspect ratio and a background setting, then generate 1 to 4 images per run.

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