Dummy Image URL Generator — Free Placeholder Image Links for Mockups
Build dummy image URLs in seconds. Pick a placeholder service, set the size, colors, and label text, then copy a ready-to-use link for your wireframes, mockups, and prototypes — no signup, no watermark.
Honest note: this tool is a 100% client-side URL builder — it does not host images. It constructs hotlinkable URLs for free third-party placeholder services, so the live preview below loads from the selected service (which also proves your link works as-is).
How to generate a dummy image URL
- Pick a placeholder service. placehold.co is the simplest; fakeimg.pl adds bonus fonts and a retina parameter; dummyimg.in uses clean query parameters; picsum.photos serves real photos instead of colored boxes.
- Set your dimensions. Type any width and height in pixels, or click one of the 16 presets covering hero banners, social cards, avatars, ad units, and device screens.
- Style it. Choose background and text colors, add a custom label (or leave it empty to show the dimensions automatically), and pick a format such as PNG, JPG, or WebP.
- Copy and paste. Copy the URL, the ready-made
<img>tag, the CSS background snippet, or the Markdown image — then paste it straight into your HTML, stylesheet, or design tool.
Dummy image URL patterns (reference)
Prefer hand-writing links? Each service follows a predictable pattern — {W} and {H} are width and height in pixels, colors are hex without #:
| Service | URL pattern | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| placehold.co | https://placehold.co/{W}x{H}/{BG}/{FG}.png?text=Label |
Dimensions 1–4000px. Omit colors for the default gray. Formats: png, jpg, jpeg, webp, gif. |
| fakeimg.pl | https://fakeimg.pl/{W}x{H}/{BG}/{FG}/?text=Label&font=lobster&retina=1 |
Bonus fonts: lobster, bebas, museo, noto (Asian scripts). retina=1 doubles the pixels. Always serves PNG. |
| dummyimg.in | https://www.dummyimg.in/placeholder?width={W}&height={H}&bg_color={BG}&text_color={FG}&text=Label&format=png |
Query-parameter style. Width/height 10–3000. Text up to 240 characters. Formats: png, jpeg, jpg, webp, gif, bmp. |
| picsum.photos | https://picsum.photos/seed/{seed}/{W}/{H}.jpg?grayscale&blur=2 |
Random real photos. A fixed seed returns the same photo every load. grayscale and blur=1–10 are optional. |
Frequently asked questions
What is a dummy image URL?
A dummy image URL is a link that returns a generated placeholder image at the exact size, colors, and text you specify. Developers and designers use them in wireframes, mockups, and prototypes so they can build and test layouts before the final assets exist. Instead of creating image files yourself, you paste the URL into an <img> tag or a CSS background and the placeholder appears.
Does this tool host the images?
No — and we state this plainly so there is no confusion. This page is a URL builder: it constructs image links for free third-party placeholder services (placehold.co, fakeimg.pl, dummyimg.in, and picsum.photos). The images are served by those services, not by nrtechstudio.com. We do not host, store, or proxy any image, and if one of those services is down, its URLs will not load.
Is this tool free? Do I need an account?
Yes, it is free, and you do not need an account, API key, or signup. All four supported services offer free hotlinkable URLs without login. The generated links carry no watermark added by us — what you see in the preview is exactly what the service returns.
Which placeholder service should I choose?
It depends on your needs. placehold.co has the simplest readable URL pattern and is great for quick mockups. fakeimg.pl offers bonus fonts (lobster, bebas, museo, and noto for Asian scripts) plus a documented retina=1 parameter. dummyimg.in uses clean query parameters and supports formats from PNG to BMP. picsum.photos serves real photos instead of colored boxes — use a fixed seed when you need the same photo on every page load.
What does the 2x retina option do?
It makes the placeholder twice as large in pixels so it stays sharp on high-density (retina/HiDPI) displays while you keep the CSS size at your intended dimensions. For fakeimg.pl the builder adds the retina=1 parameter the service documents; for the other services it doubles the width and height in the URL, capped at each service's maximum dimension.
Can I use these dummy images in client presentations or commercial work?
For mockups and prototypes, yes — that is exactly what placeholder services are for. Clearly labeled placeholders with visible dimensions make it obvious to clients that real assets will replace them. Each service has its own terms, and photos from picsum.photos come from their original photographers, so check the service's terms before using a placeholder in anything public or paid.
Why does the preview load from an external website?
The live preview is a regular <img> tag pointing at the URL you just built, so your browser fetches the image directly from the placeholder service — which also proves the link works as-is when you paste it into your own project. The tool page itself runs 100% in your browser: no image data ever passes through our server.
How do I add custom text and colors?
Type any label into the custom text field and pick background and text colors — the URL updates live and special characters are URL-encoded automatically. Leave the text empty and each service shows its own default label, usually the image dimensions. The reference table below the tool lists each service's raw URL pattern, so you can also hand-write links without this page.
Related developer tools
Related links validated against the live tool catalog (tools-catalog.txt) at build time.
Free tool by NRTechStudio