Lorem Picsum

About Lorem Picsum

Lorem Picsum is an image placeholder service that generates random or specific images by constructing a URL with a desired width and height. Images can be requested by numeric ID, by seed (for a consistent result across repeated requests), and returned as JPG or WebP files. Grayscale and blur effects can be applied via URL query parameters, with blur intensity adjustable on a scale of 1 to 10.

The service also exposes a JSON API: a `/v2/list` endpoint returns paginated lists of available images (with page and limit parameters, and pagination info in the Link header), and `/info` endpoints return metadata for a specific image or seed, including author, dimensions, source URL, and download URL. Each image's ID can be found via the Picsum-ID response header or the image's EXIF User Comment field.

The underlying images are sourced from Unsplash, and the service is delivered via Fastly. It is intended for developers who need placeholder images for design mockups, prototypes, or testing.

Key features

• Generate placeholder images by specifying width and height in the URL
• Fetch a specific image by ID or a consistent random image via a seed
• Apply grayscale or adjustable blur effects via query parameters
• List available images with pagination via the /v2/list endpoint
• Retrieve image metadata (author, dimensions, source) via /info endpoints
• Request images in JPG or WebP format

Frequently asked questions