Placeholder Image Generator

What this tool does

Placeholder Image Generator creates simple labelled boxes for mocking up layouts before real images are ready, with common presets such as Full HD, OG social images and square posts. It renders live in the browser and exports a PNG download, a copyable data URL for pasting straight into HTML, or equivalent SVG markup.

Early in a design or a build, the real photos, product shots or illustrations usually are not ready yet, but the layout still needs something in that empty box so proportions and spacing can be judged. Public placeholder services solve this but require a live internet connection and send a request to a third party every time the page loads.

This generator draws the same kind of labelled box entirely on a canvas in your browser: pick a width and height, a background and text colour, and optional custom text, and the label defaults to the pixel dimensions themselves, which is the detail most people actually want while laying out a grid. The result can be downloaded as a PNG, copied as a self-contained data URL for pasting directly into an <img src="..."> during prototyping, or copied as equivalent SVG markup for crisp scaling at any size.

How to use Placeholder Image Generator

1. Pick a common Preset such as Full HD, the 1200 × 630 OG image size, or a square post, or set a Custom size.
2. Adjust Width and Height directly if you need an exact, uncommon size.
3. Choose a Background colour and Text colour that suit your mockup.
4. Optionally type Custom text; leave it empty to show the pixel dimensions automatically.
5. Switch Font size to Manual if the automatic scaling is not what you want for a particular layout.
6. Download the PNG, copy the data URL for inline HTML, or copy the SVG markup for a scalable version.

Tips for better results

• A data URL avoids an extra network request and is handy for embedding directly in a static HTML prototype or email template.
• SVG markup stays crisp at any size and is small in file size, which makes it a better fit than PNG for responsive mockups.
• Keeping the default text, the pixel size, helps everyone on a team instantly see whether an image slot is the right dimensions.
• Use a background and text colour close to your real design system so the mockup gives an honest sense of contrast and mood.

Common use cases

• Filling empty image slots in a wireframe, prototype or static site build before real assets arrive.
• Creating a quick stand-in for an Open Graph or social share image while testing a page layout.
• Generating a labelled box to document exactly what pixel dimensions a component expects.
• Producing consistent-looking dummy images for a slide deck or demo without external services.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Setting an extremely large custom size for a tiny thumbnail slot; match the pixel dimensions you actually need to judge the layout correctly.
• Forgetting that the data URL output grows with image size, so very large PNG placeholders make for a bulky inline data URL.
• Relying on the placeholder’s exact colours as final design decisions rather than swapping to real brand colours before shipping.