What is a placeholder image?
A placeholder image is a simple, correctly sized graphic that stands in for real photography while a design is being built. It reserves the exact space a picture will occupy and labels its dimensions, so you can judge a layout – cropping, aspect ratio, overflow – long before the final asset exists. It is the visual counterpart to dummy text.
What you can customise
- Any size – set width and height up to 4000 px with sliders or exact numbers.
- Background – a colour of your choice, neutral grey, or a transparent background (PNG only).
- Text – show the dimensions automatically or type your own label; text colour can auto-adjust for contrast.
- Format – export as PNG (sharp, supports transparency) or JPG (smaller for photos).
Common sizes to try
Handy starting points: 1200 × 630 for social/Open Graph images, 1920 × 1080 for hero banners, 800 × 600 for content images, and square 1080 × 1080 for feeds. Type any values you need – the file is named placeholder-widthxheight automatically.
How to use it
- Set the width and height.
- Choose a background (colour, grey or transparent) and optional custom text.
- Pick PNG or JPG.
- Click Download image – it is generated locally with the HTML canvas and saved straight to your device.
Designing a full screen? Frame your placeholder in the device mockup generator, and check colour legibility with the contrast tool.
FAQ
Which formats and sizes can I download?
PNG or JPG in any width and height up to 4000 pixels. PNG also supports a transparent background. The file name is set automatically to placeholder-widthxheight.
Can I make a transparent placeholder?
Yes – tick “Transparent background”. Transparency is only available for PNG, not JPG.
Is my image uploaded anywhere?
No. The image is drawn locally in your browser with the HTML canvas and downloaded directly. Nothing is sent to a server.