SDXL-Lightning

image

by ByteDance · Updated October 1, 2025

SDXL-Lightning is ByteDance's progressive distillation of Stable Diffusion XL, achieving high-quality image generation in just 2-8 inference steps — up to 10x faster than standard SDXL. It maintains strong visual quality while dramatically reducing compute requirements, making it ideal for real-time and interactive applications.

Best For

Real-time generationRapid prototypingInteractive appsBatch generationLow-latency workflows

Prompting Tips

1Use 4-step mode for the best quality-speed balance
22-step mode is extremely fast but slightly lower quality
38-step mode approaches standard SDXL quality
4Prompting is identical to SDXL — weighted syntax and negative prompts work
5Use CFG scale 1-2 for distilled modes (lower than standard SDXL)
6Combine with LoRAs from the SDXL ecosystem for custom styles

Syntax & Constraints

Same weighted prompt syntax as SDXL: (element:weight). Negative prompt supported. Key difference: use low CFG scale (1-2) and only 2-8 steps. Compatible with SDXL LoRAs and ControlNet.

Example Prompts

◆ Logo Design

Abstract phoenix logo

minimalist logo design, sleek abstract phoenix bird rising, gradient from red-orange to gold, flat vector style, clean lines, professional branding, white background Negative: text, blurry, low quality, photorealistic, 3d

minimalistphoenixgradient

👤 Portrait Photography

Cinematic rooftop portrait

(masterpiece, best quality:1.2), cinematic portrait, young man with curly hair, warm golden hour light, urban rooftop background, bokeh city lights, natural skin texture, 85mm lens, f/1.8 Negative: (worst quality, low quality:1.4), deformed, bad anatomy

cinematicgolden-hoururban

🏔 Landscape & Scenery

Desert night landscape

(masterpiece:1.2), vast desert landscape at blue hour, dramatic rock formations, clear starry sky with milky way, warm and cool color contrast, fine art landscape photography, wide angle Negative: (low quality:1.4), blurry, overexposed

desertnightstars