---
title: Generate an image or a video
type: how-to
section: ai-studio
summary: Turn on Image in a thread to get pictures instead of text, or open Media in the sidebar to generate images and videos with size and quality controls.
applies_to:
  clients: [web]
sources:
  - evolve-front-end/app/[lng]/studio/components/Chat/ChatInput.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/app/[lng]/studio/(pages)/media/page.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/app/[lng]/studio/(pages)/video/**
  - evolve-front-end/app/[lng]/(fullscreen)/studio/(pages)/media/**
  - evolve-front-end/app/i18n/locales/en/powerflow.json
verified:
  at: 2026-09-04
  env: code
  by: content-lane-ai-studio
ttl_days: 45
related: [ai-studio/start-a-conversation, ai-studio/attach-files-to-a-message]
---

Turn on **Image** next to the message box to get pictures instead of text in a thread. For size, quality and video, open **Media** in the AI Studio sidebar.

## Images inside a thread

1. Select **Image** next to the message box. Its description reads **Generate images instead of text replies**.
2. Describe the picture you want and send the message.
3. Turn **Image** off to go back to text replies.

Turning **Image** on switches the thread to an image model and back again when you turn it off. The setting belongs to the thread you are in and starts off in a new one.

Attachments and image generation do not mix. Sending with both gives **Remove attachments before sending an image generation request.**

## Images and videos on the Media page

Select **Media** in the sidebar. The page is headed **Bring an idea to life** and has one control, **Media mode**, with **Image** and **Video**. Image is the mode it opens on.

In **Image** mode:

1. Type your description into **Describe the image you want to generate**.
2. Choose a **Model**, a **Quality** of **Auto**, **High**, **Medium** or **Low**, and an **Aspect ratio** of **1:1**, **3:2** or **2:3**.
3. Select the submit button.

In **Video** mode:

1. Type your description into **Describe the video you want to generate**.
2. Optionally select **Add photo** to start from a picture, from your camera, from a URL, or from your files. The picture must be 10 MB or smaller.
3. Choose a **Model**, a **Duration**, a **Resolution** of **720p** or **1080p**, and an **Aspect ratio** of **16:9** or **9:16**.
4. Select the submit button.

Video generation runs on servers outside Evolve. The page states where: **Video generation runs on xAI or Google servers in the United States.**

## Recents

Finished pictures and videos appear under **Recents** below the composer. Open one to see it full screen, where you can **Download** it, **Delete** it, or **Reuse** the prompt.

**Recents** is held in your browser for the current session only. Download anything you want to keep. It is not a permanent library, and it does not show images you generated inside a thread.

## If it did not work

- **Image mode is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.**: no image model is available to your Account right now.
- A tile reads **Image generation failed** or **Video generation failed**: open it and select **Rerun**.
- **Image must be 10 MB or smaller.**: use a smaller starting picture.
- A picture from an earlier session is gone from **Recents**: it is kept for the browser session only.