Random photo
Use a width and height in pixels, or one number for a square. For example, /640 makes a 640 × 640 photo. The random image generator chooses a photo on each request. Use the URL in an image tag or open it in a browser.
Lorem Picsum:Random Image Generator
Real photos, at any size.
Type a size, get a photograph. A random image generator with 10,000 CC0 photos for layouts and prototypes.
id 179363399 · 800 × 600 · JPG · CC0The contact sheet
Every random image in the Picsum collection is a real CC0 photograph. Browse the Lorem Picsum contact sheet by category or tag, then send any photo to the random image generator above to crop it at the size you need.
Showing 9 of 10,000 · every photo CC0, credited to its authorBrowse all photos
API
Paste a URL.
Ship the layout.
The Picsum image API needs no key and no sign-in. Put the width and height in the path for a random image, then add a tag, seed or effect as a plain parameter.
Paste the API docs, including every image category, into Cursor, Claude Code or any AI IDE.
<!-- random photo, 800 × 600 -->
<img src="https://picsum.org/800/600"
width="800" height="600" />
<!-- same photo every time -->
<img src="https://picsum.org/seed/studio/800/600.webp" />Full URL reference and workflow notes
Random photo by tag
Use tag for a subject and category to narrow the selection. Send the same filters to /v2/list to see the matching photos.
The same photo with a seed
Add a seed when a mockup needs to look the same when you reopen it. The same seed selects the same source even if you change the requested dimensions. The seed doubles as a subject word: /seed/cat picks a stable cat photo, and a seed that matches no tag falls back to a stable pick from the original collection. Add category to narrow the pool further. Use /seed/{seed}/info to read the photo a seed selects.
Grayscale and blur
Grayscale is useful when you want to judge contrast without color. Blur takes an integer from 1 to 10 and works well behind text or while you are testing a loading skeleton. You can combine both effects. The changes are included in the downloaded image and in the photo served by the copied link.
WebP format
JPEG is the default. Add .webp when you need to test a WebP pipeline or give your prototype a smaller file. The format is explicit in the URL, so the same link serves the same format in a browser, a build tool, or a test runner. Switch formats without changing your seed or crop.
Test the layout at its actual size
Try 640 × 640 for a square tile, 1200 × 800 for a wide content block, or 600 × 800 for a portrait. The random image generator centers the crop and fills the requested dimensions. Set width and height in your HTML so the browser can reserve space while the photo loads.
Keep mockups and tests repeatable
Use a random URL to test how a layout handles different subjects. Copy image link gives you the photo ID, size, format, and effects from the preview. Use it to share a design review, reproduce a visual bug, or stabilize a screenshot test. Write alt text that fits how the photo is used.
Browse the collection by tag or photo ID
Photo records include the ID, dimensions, category, tags, credits, and download URL. The list defaults to 30 results per page. Use the Link header to browse and Picsum-Total to get the full match count. Open /id/{id}/info for one record.
Built for the details
Lorem Picsum is a random image generator with the controls a design review actually needs.
Grayscale & blur
Apply grayscale and blur to any Picsum photo to judge contrast, test loading skeletons and put text on top.
Repeatable seeds
A Picsum seed returns the same random image every time, across design reviews and screenshot tests.
JPEG or WebP
Switch the random image to WebP with one extension. The crop is centered and exact.
Use cases
Where Picsum fits
Anywhere a layout, a demo or a test needs a real photo at an exact size.
Wireframes & prototypes
Fill cards, heroes and galleries with believable photos instead of grey boxes, so reviewers judge the layout and not the missing content.
Design systems & Storybook
Use a seed URL so every component story shows the same image after each rebuild, and visual diffs stay clean.
Screenshot & visual tests
Repeatable seeds, exact dimensions and no key to manage make Picsum a stable fixture for Playwright and Chromatic runs.
Docs, demos & tutorials
Paste a one-line URL into a README, a CodePen or a course lesson. CC0 photos mean you can publish the example anywhere.
Templates & themes
Ship starter kits, CMS themes and email templates with live demo images that load at the exact size the layout needs.
AI agents & coding tools
Let Claude Code, ChatGPT or Cursor build a page with real photos: copy the API docs as Markdown or connect over MCP.
Common questions
What is Picsum?
Picsum is a placeholder photo service. Lorem Picsum pairs a random image generator with real CC0 photographs, so designers and developers can fill layouts with believable pictures instead of grey boxes. Choose a width and height, copy the link, and every Picsum URL returns a cropped photo at exactly that size.
How does the Lorem Picsum random image generator work?
Enter a width and height, pick a category if you like, and the random image generator chooses a matching photo from the Lorem Picsum collection. Each random image is cropped from the original, so it fills your dimensions without stretching. Add a seed to repeat a result or a tag to narrow the subject.
When should I use a random image instead of stock photos?
A random image is ideal for prototypes, wireframes, empty states and screenshot tests because nothing needs licensing or hand picking. Picsum photos are CC0, so you can ship a mockup, a demo or an open source example without chasing permissions.
What does this random image generator do?
It selects a photograph from the Lorem Picsum collection and serves it at the pixel dimensions you choose. The real photos work as placeholders in wireframes, prototypes, demos, and test fixtures.
Will a random image URL always return the same picture?
An unseeded URL can choose a different photo on a new request. Repeated random requests may occasionally select the same photo. The Shuffle photo button excludes the current photo when choosing another. Use a seed to make a choice repeatable within the collection, or copy an ID-based URL if you need to pin a specific photo.
Can I reuse the photos in a commercial project?
The placeholder photos in this collection are designated CC0. Each photo links to its source and identifies the creator, so you can check the original record and give credit if you wish.
What if a custom size or effect is temporarily unavailable?
The API supports widths and heights from 1 to 2000 pixels. The four presets are ready in JPEG and WebP. The four presets are free and need no sign-in. A custom size, grayscale or blur costs 1 credit per photo and size, charged once to your account when you generate it signed in on this site, through the MCP server, or with an API key. Without one, the request returns the nearest preset. If processing is temporarily unavailable, choose a preset with grayscale and blur turned off.
Can I use a placeholder link directly in HTML?
Yes. Put the image URL in the src attribute of an img element and give it width, height, and alt attributes appropriate to the page. An ID link is convenient when you have selected a specific image. For final published work, downloading the image lets you manage hosting and caching with the rest of your assets.
Is Lorem Picsum related to the original Picsum Photos project?
This is an independently operated service inspired by the open-source Picsum Photos project. The URL patterns follow its common conventions for dimensions, seeds, and IDs. This site has its own photo collection and its own IDs.
Sources: photos are released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 dedication; the placeholder-image idea follows the Lorem ipsum tradition of dummy text. Maintained by the Lorem Picsum team. Last updated .