Placeholder.com – The Free Image Placeholder Service Favoured By Designers

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What Is Placeholder.com?

Placeholder.com generates custom placeholder images on the fly, like these examples:-


   

How To Use Our Placeholders

Just specify the image size after our URL (https://via.placeholder.com/) and you’ll get a placeholder image. So the image URL should look this:-

https://via.placeholder.com/150

You can use the images in your HTML or CSS, like this:

<a href="https://placeholder.com"><img src="https://via.placeholder.com/150"></a>

(Be sure to check out our HTML & CSS tutorials at HTML.com, our sister site, if you’re rusty)

There are a few simple rules before you use them.

How To Set Image Size

Specify the width first, then height. Height is optional: if no height is specified, your placeholder image will be a square. So this example…

https://via.placeholder.com/150

…generates a 150 pixel square dummy image:-

Square placeholder image 300px

NB: Size must be the first folder specified in the URL

How To Set Image Formats

Image format is optional – the default is a .GIF. You can use the following image file extensions…

  • .GIF
  • .JPG
  • .JPEG
  • .PNG

Adding an image file extension will render the image in the correct format. JPG & JPEG are identical. The image extension can go at the end of any option in the URL, like this:-

  • https://via.placeholder.com/300.png/09f/fff
  • https://via.placeholder.com/300/09f.png/fff
  • https://via.placeholder.com/300/09f/fff.png


How To Set Custom Text

You can specify text for your image by using a query string at the very end of the URL.

So this URL…

https://via.placeholder.com/728x90.png?text=Visit+WhoIsHostingThis.com+Buyers+Guide

…produces this 728×90 sized image (ie, leaderboard ad dimensions):-

WhoIsHostingThis.com Placeholder Image

Text is optional. The default is the image dimensions in pixels. You can use A-Z characters, upper or lowercase, numbers, and most symbols. Spaces are specified with a plus sign (+). For example…

https://via.placeholder.com/468x60?text=Visit+Blogging.com+Now

…will produces this placeholder banner ad plus the text (complete with spaces):-

Placeholder Image with text sample

(PS. Looking for dummy text? We now have lorem ipsum & more placeholder text to download).

How To Set Background & Text Color

By default, text is black and the background grey.

Colors are represented as hex codes after the dummy image dimensions. For example, #FF0000 is red. Colors must follow the dimensions. So this image URL…

https://via.placeholder.com/150/0000FF/808080 ?Text=Digital.com
https://via.placeholder.com/150/FF0000/FFFFFF?Text=Down.com
https://via.placeholder.com/150/FFFF00/000000?Text=WebsiteBuilders.com
https://via.placeholder.com/150/000000/FFFFFF/?text=IPaddress.net

…produces images in the shape of 125×125 button ad:-

         

The first color is always the background color, and the second color is the text color.

Popular Hex Color Codes

  • White – FFFFFF
  • Black – 000000
  • Red – FF0000
  • Blue – 0000FF
  • Yellow – FFFFFF
  • Green – 008000

New! WEBP Support

In January 2019, we added support for Google’s new WEBP image format.

New! HTTPS Support

SSL is a big deal for any webmaster in 2018. Your placeholder images will work with or without HTTPS…

http://via.placeholder.com/300
https://via.placeholder.com/300

…called from HTTP or HTTPS domains.

NEW! Placeholder Logos, Text & Banners Ads

Any Questions?

We’ve got answers. Please see our frequently asked questions page.