What is lorem ipsum?
Lorem ipsum is scrambled Latin text that designers and developers use as a placeholder. It fills a layout with realistic-looking text, so people judge the design itself instead of reading the words. The text comes from a work by Cicero written in 45 BC and has been used by printers since the 1500s.
How to generate placeholder text
- Enter how much text you need.
- Choose paragraphs, sentences or words.
- Pick plain text, or HTML to wrap each paragraph in
<p>tags. - Click Generate, then Copy.
Where to use lorem ipsum
- Website and app mockups in Figma, Canva or Photoshop
- WordPress theme and page builder demos
- Print layouts such as brochures, flyers and menus
- Testing fonts, line height and text wrapping
Replace it before you publish
Search engines see lorem ipsum as low-quality content, so never leave it on a live page. Replace it with real, helpful text before launch. When you write your final copy, check its length with the word counter and preview your page title with the SERP preview tool.
The classic lorem ipsum passage
Most placeholder text begins with “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit”, a scrambled line adapted from Cicero’s De finibus bonorum et malorum (On the Ends of Good and Evil), written in 45 BC. Typesetters used it in the 1500s, it spread with Letraset transfer sheets in the 1960s, and desktop publishing software made it universal.
Why designers use placeholder text
- Focus on layout: meaningless text stops reviewers from getting distracted by the words.
- Realistic shape: Latin-like words have a natural mix of short and long words, like real text.
- Speed: you can build and test templates before the real copy is written.
Plain text or HTML?
Choose plain text for design tools such as Figma, Canva, Photoshop and InDesign. Choose HTML to get each paragraph wrapped in <p> tags, ready for a web page, WordPress’s code editor or an email template.
How much placeholder text do you need?
- A hero heading: 3–8 words
- A card or feature description: 1–2 sentences
- A blog post mockup: 4–6 paragraphs
- A full article template: 10+ paragraphs
Alternatives to lorem ipsum
Some teams prefer realistic draft copy, because it reveals problems early, such as headings that are too long for mobile screens. Whichever you use, replace it before launch: placeholder text on a live page looks unfinished and is poor-quality content for search engines. When you write the real copy, check its length with the word counter.
Frequently asked questions
What does lorem ipsum mean?
It is a shortened, altered passage from Cicero's "De finibus bonorum et malorum". It is deliberately meaningless so readers focus on the design.
Can I use lorem ipsum on a live website?
Only while building it. Placeholder text looks unfinished to visitors and is treated as thin content by search engines.
How much text can I generate?
Up to 100 paragraphs, sentences or words at a time.
Is the text different each time?
Yes. Sentences are randomly generated from the classic lorem ipsum vocabulary each time you click Generate.