Placeholder Image Generator
Generate custom placeholder images with any size, colors and label, then download as PNG — entirely in your browser.
Pure browser JavaScript — draws on a canvas locally.
How to use this tool
- Set the width and height in pixels.
- Choose background and text colors and an optional label.
- Click Generate, then Download PNG.
Generate custom placeholder images with any size, colors and label, then download as PNG — entirely in your browser.
How it works
The Placeholder Image Generator creates simple, labeled PNG images of any specified dimensions for use in wireframes, mockups, and prototypes. Specify width and height, choose background and text colors, and optionally set a custom label. The image is generated and available for download immediately.
Placeholder images are used during development when real content images are not yet available. They fill image slots with a visually distinct block that shows the intended dimensions, making it easy to assess layout and spacing before final assets arrive.
The generator renders the image on an HTML canvas element in your browser — nothing is uploaded. This makes it faster than external placeholder services and means it works offline once the page has loaded.
You can use the downloaded PNG directly in HTML or as a background image in CSS. The label on the image shows its pixel dimensions by default, which is handy when checking that image slots are sized correctly in a layout.
Worked example
Generate a blog post hero image placeholder
- Set width to 1200 and height to 630 (standard Open Graph image size).
- Choose a light grey background and dark grey text.
- Set the label to Hero Image 1200x630.
- Click Generate.
- Download the PNG and use it as a stand-in in your blog template.
A 1200x630 grey placeholder PNG labeled with its dimensions, ready for use in a blog template.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using placeholder images in production — they are intended for development only and should be replaced with real assets before launch.
- Requesting very large canvas sizes (e.g. 10000x10000) which may exceed browser limits and fail to render.
- Choosing background and text colors that are too similar, making the dimension label hard to read on the placeholder.
Key terms
- Placeholder image
- A generic stand-in image used during design and development to represent a real image that has not yet been produced.
- Canvas element
- An HTML element that provides a pixel-based drawing surface, used here to render and export the placeholder image as a PNG.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need an internet service like placeholder.com?
- No — the image is drawn locally on a canvas, so it works offline and nothing is requested from a server.