Lorem Picsum URL Builder
`picsum.photos` returns a random photo from Unsplash at the dimensions you ask for. This builder produces the URL you actually want: width × height, optional grayscale and blur, and either a random photo per request, a stable photo per seed string (great for storybook fixtures), or a specific image ID. Outputs the URL plus ready-to-paste Markdown and HTML snippets, with a live preview.
Preview
<img src="https://picsum.photos/800/600" width="800" height="600" alt="placeholder">
picsum.photos serves Unsplash photos as placeholders. Free for prototyping; check Unsplash's license for production use.
How to use
- Set width and height (click 'square' to copy width to height).
- Optionally turn on grayscale or blur (0–10).
- Add a seed if you want the same photo to come back on each page load.
- Or pin a specific photo by entering its image ID (find IDs on picsum.photos/images).
- Copy the URL, Markdown, or HTML snippet.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between seed and image ID?
- A **seed** is any string you choose — `picsum.photos/seed/alice/800/600` returns the same image every time for `alice` but a different one for `bob`. **Image ID** pins a specific photo from picsum's catalog (e.g. `id/237` is the famous dog). Use seeds when you want stable but arbitrary; use IDs when you want a specific photo.
- Should I use this in production?
- Picsum is great for prototypes, design mocks, Figma fills, and Storybook. For production, host your own placeholder or use a CDN — third-party image hosts can rate-limit, change images, or go down. Picsum images are also Unsplash-licensed, which has commercial restrictions for some use cases.
- Why is my image cached/the same every reload?
- Without a seed, browsers may cache the URL even though picsum picks randomly. Add a cache-buster query (e.g. `&rand=123`) or use a seed and accept the determinism. Reverse: if you want a stable image, always use a seed.
- What aspect ratios work?
- Any whole numbers — `1600/900`, `1200/630` (Open Graph), `400/400` (avatars), `2000/300` (banners). Picsum crops/resizes from the source photo, so very extreme ratios may look awkwardly cropped.
Related tools
Lorem Ipsum Generator
Generate placeholder text by paragraphs, sentences, or words.
Random User Profile Generator
Generate a fully fake person — name, email, phone, address, date of birth, company — for placeholder content, mockups, or test data.
Image → ASCII Art
Convert any image to ASCII art with adjustable width, character set, and inversion — all in your browser.
Image Pixelate
Drop an image and pixelate it to any block size — block-perfect output you can use to censor a screenshot or build retro art.
Image Vignette Generator
Add a soft radial vignette to any photo — adjustable amount, softness, radius, oval / circle / rectangle shape, dark or light, any color. 100% in your browser, no upload.
Tilt-Shift / Miniature Effect
Fake a miniature-diorama look on any photo — sharp focus band plus blurred top and bottom, with optional saturation boost, all in the browser.