Lorem ipsum generator
Placeholder text by the word, sentence or paragraph, in classic Latin or in English that reads like real copy, which is what you want when you are testing a layout someone will actually read.
- Exact counts: ask for 50 words and get 50, not "about 50"
- Sentence lengths vary the way real writing does, so line breaks fall naturally
- An English mode, for mockups where Latin makes people ask about the Latin
- Generated here, instantly, with no request to anywhere
Why placeholder text at all
Because real copy in a mockup gets read, and once it is read the conversation is about the words. Placeholder text keeps the discussion on the layout, which is the thing you are actually showing, and it stops draft copy escaping into a screenshot and then into production.
It also stress-tests the design honestly. Text set in a real distribution of word and sentence lengths breaks a layout in the places real text will break it.
Latin, and where it came from
The classic text is mangled Cicero, De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum, written in 45 BC, cut up by a printer in the 1500s to make a type specimen. "Lorem ipsum" is the tail of dolorem ipsum, "pain itself", with the first syllable lost at a page break.
It has lasted because it looks like language without being one: the letter frequencies and word lengths are close enough to English that type set in it reads at the right texture, and far enough that nobody tries to read it.
When to use English instead
When the mockup is going in front of people who are not designers. Latin in a client presentation reliably produces a question about the Latin, and answering it costs you the five minutes you were going to spend on the layout.
English placeholder also catches problems Latin hides. Latin has few short words and no contractions, so it sets more evenly than English does, a column that looks clean in Lorem ipsum can rag badly once real copy arrives.
Getting the amount right
Ask for the unit you are actually constrained by. A card component needs a word count. A blog layout needs paragraphs. A meta description needs characters, and 155 is the number.
Counts here are exact rather than approximate: fifty words means fifty. Generators that round to the nearest sentence make it impossible to test a limit, which is usually the reason you wanted a specific number.
Questions
Is anything sent to a server?
No. The text is generated in this tab, which is why it is instant.
What does "lorem ipsum" mean?
It is mangled Latin from Cicero, 45 BC. "Lorem" is the tail of "dolorem" (pain) with the first syllable lost at a page break centuries ago.
Should I use Latin or English?
Latin to keep attention on the layout. English when non-designers will see it, or when you need the ragging of real English.
Do I get exactly the number I ask for?
Yes. Fifty words means fifty, not "about fifty rounded to a sentence".
Does it always start with "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet"?
By convention the classic opening is available, because people expect to recognise it. Later paragraphs vary.
Is it safe to ship?
No. Placeholder text in production is one of the most common embarrassing bugs. Search for "lorem" before you deploy.