Leonardo AI: Create and edit AI images for free

By Stefan Petri Last updated on November 14, 2026

Imagine you need a cover image for your blog or an illustration for a presentation within a few minutes. That is exactly what Leonardo AI is made for. In this guide, I will walk you step by step through signing up, the token logic, image generation, and the settings options. You will also learn which features are limited in the free version.

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Introduction

Leonardo AI is a web-based tool for creating and editing images using artificial intelligence. You enter a text description, the so-called prompt, and the AI delivers matching image suggestions. At first glance, the interface seems a bit cluttered, but once you know the most important areas, you will work very quickly. The platform also offers features for videos and for custom image models, which I will briefly cover in this guide.

Key Takeaways

• To use it, you need a free account. You can conveniently sign in with your Google account.
• The free version works with tokens. These are renewed about every 14 hours.
• The cost per image depends on complexity, quality, and the number of variants.
• With Remix, you can use existing images as a template for new variants.
• Format, style, and quality can be adjusted quickly.
• Upscaling, multiple simultaneous variants, and private mode are only available with a subscription.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Open the interface and sign in

Go to the Leonardo AI website. On the start page, you will find the Sign up and Sign in buttons at the bottom left. If you already have an account, click Sign in. You create a new account via Sign up. Signing in via Gmail is particularly easy, as you do not have to remember an additional password. After logging in, you land directly in the area where you can get started.

Then select your Google address and confirm the sign-in. Afterwards, you are immediately in the main area of the application.

Step 2: Understand the token system

Before you get started, look at your token display at the bottom of the area. In the free version, you get 150 tokens, which are automatically reset about every 14 hours. This means that you cannot collect tokens permanently, but instead receive your allowance anew on a regular basis. With this budget, you can create roughly five to ten images, depending on the effort involved.

Step 3: Estimate the cost per image

A single image usually costs about five tokens, but for more elaborate motifs or high quality it can be up to 40 tokens. So before generating, you should consider how detailed your motif needs to be. It is best to experiment with simple prompts first so that your allowance is not used up quickly.

Step 4: Browse existing images from the community

Scroll down in the main area. There you will see images that other users have already created with the platform. This is an excellent source of inspiration for getting to know styles and phrasing. You can use an image that you particularly like as a starting point via the Remix function. The AI then creates a similar variant in the same style.

Step 5: Enter your own prompt

If you would rather start from scratch, use the input field at the top of the area. There you describe what the image should show. The more precise your details about motif, environment, light, and mood, the better the result. A sentence like "A lighthouse at sunset on a rocky coast, warm light, soft clouds" delivers significantly better results than a single word.

Step 6: Set the image format

Next, you select the aspect ratio. 16:9 is suitable for landscape format, around 9:16 for portrait-format social media posts, and 4:3 for classic photos. The choice of format directly influences how the composition of the image is structured. So think in advance about where the image will be used later.

Step 7: Select Style and Preset

In the next step, you define the visual style. Various presets are available here, for example realistic, painterly, or graphic looks. Feel free to try out several, because the same prompt can deliver completely different results with different styles. If you are not sure, it is worth choosing a style that fits your idea.

Step 8: Choose Image or Video and Generate

Then you decide whether you want to create an image or a video. For this guide, we will stick with the image. A click on Generate starts the creation. The displayed token number shows you in advance what the process costs. In the example it was 40 tokens, which you should keep an eye on with every generation.

Step 9: Use the Editing Studio

After starting, you arrive in the actual editing studio. Here you determine how many variants should be generated. The more variants you choose, the more tokens are used. In the free version, usually only one suggestion is possible. The result then appears in the studio and can be reviewed directly.

Step 10: Review the Result and Check the Resolution

Click on the finished image to view it in full size. In the example, the image had a resolution of 1184 by 864 pixels. If you want a larger image, the interface offers an option for upscaling or a higher resolution. However, this function is only available to premium members and uses additional tokens.

Step 11: Recognize the Premium Limits

Some features are reserved for the subscription version. These include upscaling, multiple simultaneous variants, and private mode. In private mode, your images remain invisible to other users. In the free version, on the other hand, all created images are visible to the community. If privacy is important to you, you should keep this in mind before creating.

Step 12: Save with Remix and Quality Levels

A good trick for saving is the Remix function. You take over all the settings of an existing image and can then adjust them. In addition, the quality can be set. The Medium level costs twelve tokens in the example, the Small level only eight. The Large level is not available in the free version. For drafts and idea collections, the lower quality is usually completely sufficient.

Step 13: Change the Style Afterwards

You don't have to stick with the first version. If you don't like the look, simply select a different style, for example Stock Photo for a more realistic impression. The AI then generates a new version that can look significantly more sober and photographic. This way you can quickly test different directions without starting over completely.

Step 14: Download the Image

Once you have found a result you like, click on it and select the download option in the menu. In the example, the image was exported at 1384 by 1040 pixels. The view in the interface may look somewhat reduced, but the actual file has the original size. For further enlargement, there are free AI tools that are also suitable.

Step 15: Train Your Own Models

Finally, it is worth taking a look at custom models. You can upload your own images, such as drawings or photos that you created yourself. The platform recognizes your personal style from them and can generate new images in exactly this look. This is especially practical if you need a consistent visual language for projects or a brand.

Summary ??? Leonardo AI: Create and Edit AI Images for Free

Leonardo AI is a convenient tool for image creation. You sign up quickly, understand the token system, and choose the format, style, and quality according to your needs. With Remix, you save time and tokens, and you can find inspiration through the community. The free version is completely sufficient for occasional projects. However, for upscaling, private images, and multiple simultaneous variants, you need a subscription.

Trainer About Stefan Petri Together with his brother Matthias, Stefan Petri runs the popular specialist forum PSD-Tutorials.de and the e-learning platform TutKit.com, which focuses on the training and further education of digital professional skills. All courses by Stefan Petri →