Placeholder Image Generator
Generate custom placeholder images instantly — no uploads, no server, no sign-up.
Updated
What is the Placeholder Image Generator?
Need a stand-in image while you build a layout? Placeholder Image Generator creates pixel-perfect dummy images in seconds — entirely in your browser. No server, no sign-up, no uploads. Just set your dimensions, pick a style, and download.
Unlike URL-based services like placeholder.com or placehold.co, this tool works 100% offline and gives you far more control: six background styles (solid, gradient, checkerboard, dots, diagonal stripes, and grid), full color pickers for background, text, and borders, a border-radius slider for rounded corners, and instant export to SVG, PNG, JPEG, or WebP.
Every generated image includes a centered dimension label by default — or any custom text you choose — so teammates can see at a glance what space an asset is supposed to fill. Results are available immediately as a live preview, a one-click download, a copy-ready data URI, and ready-to-paste HTML and CSS snippets.
Whether you're designing wireframes, building React components, testing CMS layouts, or populating a Storybook, this tool covers every placeholder use case without leaving your tab.
How it works
1. Set Your Dimensions
Enter a custom width and height in pixels (1–9999 each), or click any preset from the four categories — Common (square, 16:9, 4:3), Social (OG image, Twitter card, Instagram post, story), Web (leaderboard, hero, card, thumbnail), and Icons (favicon, app icon, touch icon). The live aspect ratio updates instantly beneath the inputs.
2. Choose a Background Style
Six styles are available:
| Style | Description |
|---|---|
| Solid | Single flat color |
| Gradient | Diagonal linear gradient between two colors |
| Checker | Classic checkerboard pattern |
| Dots | Evenly-spaced dot grid |
| Diagonal | Hatched diagonal stripe pattern |
| Grid | Fine graph-paper grid lines |
Pattern accent colors are derived automatically from your background for consistent contrast — no manual tuning needed.
3. Customize Appearance
- Background color and label color — full hex color pickers with live sync
- Gradient end color — appears when Gradient style is selected
- Label text — leave blank to auto-display
width×height, or type any string up to 80 characters - Font — System UI, Monospace, Serif, or Arial
- Font size — drag the slider (0 = auto-fit to canvas)
- Border radius — 0–50% of the shorter dimension for rounded corners
- Border — toggle on to add a configurable border color
4. Preview
The live preview renders your image on a transparent checkerboard background so you can clearly see borders and rounded corners. Three stats tiles show exact dimensions, reduced aspect ratio (e.g. 16:9), and SVG file size in KB.
5. Export
Choose your format — SVG (vector, infinitely scalable), PNG (lossless raster), JPEG (compressed, white-filled), or WebP (modern compressed). Click Download to save the file. For large raster exports above 16 megapixels, a warning is shown as canvas rendering can be slow.
6. Copy Code Snippets
Three ready-to-use code snippets are generated automatically:
- HTML — a complete
<img>tag with inlinesrc,width,height, andloading="lazy" - CSS — a
background-imageblock using the data URI, ready to paste into a stylesheet - Data URI — the raw
data:image/svg+xmlstring for embedding anywhere
Examples
Hero banner placeholder
A wide banner placeholder for a website hero section with custom label text.
Open Graph preview image
A social media OG image placeholder at the standard 1200×630 size.
Product thumbnail grid
Small square thumbnail for an e-commerce product card during development.
App icon placeholder
A 512×512 app icon placeholder for mobile app wireframes.
Favicon stub
A minimal 32×32 favicon placeholder for browser tab testing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a placeholder image and why do I need one?
What is a placeholder image and why do I need one?
A placeholder image is a temporary stand-in graphic used during design and development before real assets are available. They show the correct dimensions and position in a layout so you can build and test components without waiting on a designer or a CMS. They're essential for wireframing, Storybook stories, API mocking, and rapid prototyping.
Does this tool require an internet connection or account?
Does this tool require an internet connection or account?
No. The entire generator runs inside your browser using the Web APIs built into every modern browser (SVG, Canvas, Blob). Nothing is sent to a server. You can use it fully offline once the page is loaded, and no sign-up is required.
What image formats can I download?
What image formats can I download?
You can export as SVG (scalable vector, ideal for any resolution), PNG (lossless raster, supports transparency), JPEG (compressed raster, white background), or WebP (modern compressed format with broad browser support). SVG is recommended when the image will be used in code; PNG is best for design tools.
What is the maximum image size I can generate?
What is the maximum image size I can generate?
You can set any width or height from 1 to 9999 pixels. For SVG exports there is no practical limit. For raster exports (PNG, JPEG, WebP), the browser's Canvas API is used, which can slow down or fail for very large canvases — a warning appears for images exceeding 16 megapixels.
How is this different from placeholder.com or placehold.co?
How is this different from placeholder.com or placehold.co?
URL-based services require a live internet connection and a working server. This tool is entirely client-side — it works offline, generates images instantly with no network round-trip, and offers far more customization: six background styles including gradients and patterns, border radius control, a border toggle, custom fonts, adjustable font size, and four export formats, none of which URL-based services support.
What does the data URI snippet do?
What does the data URI snippet do?
A data URI encodes the entire image as a base64 or percent-encoded string directly inside a URL. Pasting it as an src attribute or background-image value means the image loads with zero additional HTTP requests — useful for email templates, standalone HTML files, and inline styles in component libraries.
Can I use the generated images in commercial projects?
Can I use the generated images in commercial projects?
Yes. All images are generated entirely on your device from your inputs. There is no licensing, attribution requirement, or usage restriction of any kind.
Why does the label text look different in the exported PNG compared to the preview?
Why does the label text look different in the exported PNG compared to the preview?
The preview renders the SVG directly in the browser, which uses whatever fonts are installed on your system. When exporting to PNG/JPEG/WebP, the SVG is rasterized via an
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