Seedream 5.0 is ByteDance Seed's image generation model with deep visual reasoning and real-time web search. The released variant, Seedream 5.0 Lite, ships with native editing and improved subject consistency.
ByteDance's chain-of-thought image model with native editing
Seedream 5.0 is ByteDance Seed's image generation model. The Lite variant launched on 2026-02-13. Two architectural shifts separate Seedream 5.0 from earlier image models: chain-of-thought visual reasoning, where the model thinks before rendering, and real-time search, which pulls fresh information from the web during generation. A Seedream 5.0 prompt also handles native image editing β local edits, subject replacement, lighting changes, focus adjustments β without leaving the model.
Seedream 5.0 thinks step-by-step before rendering β better composition for long, structured prompts.
A Seedream 5.0 generation can pull live information from the web β useful for current events, products, and trends.
Subject replacement, local edits, lighting and focus changes β Seedream 5.0 handles them with vague instructions.
Pass a single reference image and Seedream 5.0 applies the visual style to your prompt β preserving palette, mood, and texture.
Seedream 5.0 holds a subject's identity across scenes more reliably than the 4.5 generation.
Seedream 5.0 renders letters, numbers, time, and colors inside images β useful for posters, dashboards, and labels.
Seedream 5.0 reads the prompt, plans the composition, then renders.
Earlier image models rushed straight to pixels β long structured prompts often broke down. Seedream 5.0 introduces chain-of-thought visual reasoning: the model walks through subject, layout, lighting, and constraints before committing the image. The result is fewer guess-and-reroll cycles on complex briefs.
A Seedream 5.0 prompt can stay current β the model checks the web during the render.
Training data freezes at a date. Seedream 5.0 Lite added optional real-time search, so a generation can reflect this week's product launch, today's headlines, or a live trend instead of last year's training corpus. Toggleable per prompt.
Subject replace, local edits, lighting, focus β Seedream 5.0 takes plain instructions.
Mask a region, describe the change β Seedream 5.0 fills it while preserving the rest of the frame. Replace a subject, relight the scene, shift focus. No external editor pass; the model handles edit and generate in one pipeline.
Pass one image β Seedream 5.0 reads palette, mood, and texture from it.
Drop a single style reference β a film still, a painting, a brand mood board. Seedream 5.0 applies the look to your subject without copying composition. Useful for editorial spreads, brand campaigns, and matching art direction across a series.
Seedream 5.0 holds identity across scenes and renders letters, numbers, and time correctly.
Generate a character once, then drop them into a different scene β Seedream 5.0 keeps the face and wardrobe close. The same render handles legible text inside images: signage, labels, dashboards, time displays. Two pain points of older image models, solved in one model.
Eight outputs β each caption is a reusable Seedream 5.0 prompt
Verified specs from each vendor's official page β no third-party numbers.
| Capability | Seedream 5.0 | Nano Banana Pro | GPT Image 2 | Imagen 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max resolution | Not officially specified | Up to 4K (1K/2K/4K native) | Up to 3840Γ2160 | Up to 2K (2048Γ2048, Ultra) |
| Reference images | Single reference for style transfer | Up to 14 | Mask-based edits only | Not officially specified |
| Live web grounding | Real-time search (source unspecified) | Google Search | Not documented | Not documented |
| Native image editing | Subject replace, lighting, focus | Region edits | Mask-based inpaint/outpaint | Not documented |
| Text rendering | Letters, numbers, time, colors | Multilingual incl. CJK | Latin + CJK | Improved (specifics not stated) |
| Release date | 2026-02-13 (ByteDance Seed) | 2025 (Google DeepMind) | 2026-04-21 (OpenAI) | 2026-02-17 (Google DeepMind) |
Four habits that separate usable output from reroll noise
Name subject, scene, style, lighting, and aspect in one Seedream 5.0 prompt. Chain-of-thought reasoning rewards specificity.
For current events, products, or trends, enable real-time search on the Seedream 5.0 prompt β otherwise leave it off for repeatable renders.
Drop a single style reference for Seedream 5.0 to read palette, mood, and texture. The model will not copy composition, only the look.
If 90% is right, ask Seedream 5.0 to edit the 10% β replace a subject, relight, shift focus. Cheaper than a full reroll.
Each image model has its own strengths β realism, speed, style, cost
What users actually ask before their first Seedream 5.0 render
Free. No credit card. Reasoning image model with live search and native editing. Try Seedream 5.0 on ZorqAI above.
