How to Use Lorem Ipsum for Design & Development
Master the art of using placeholder text effectively in your design mockups and development projects
What is Lorem Ipsum?
Lorem Ipsum is placeholder text used in the graphic design, printing, and publishing industries to fill space in layouts before final content is available. It's been the industry standard dummy text since the 1500s and continues to be widely used in modern web and app development.
The text is derived from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum" (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. It's been scrambled and modified to be nonsensical, making it perfect for design purposes without distracting from the visual layout.
Why Use Lorem Ipsum?
Show realistic text layouts without waiting for final copy. Clients can focus on design, not content.
Fill templates and themes with text to demonstrate typography and spacing.
Present design concepts without being distracted by incomplete or placeholder content.
Test font choices, sizes, and line spacing with realistic-looking text.
Visualize page layouts and content hierarchy before writing begins.
Fill brochures, magazines, and books during the design phase.
How to Use Our Lorem Ipsum Generator
Using our free Lorem Ipsum generator tool is simple:
- Choose Format: Select paragraphs, sentences, or words from the dropdown
- Set Count: Enter how many paragraphs, sentences, or words you need (1-100)
- Start with "Lorem ipsum": Check the box to begin with the classic opening phrase
- Generate: Click "Generate Text" to create placeholder text instantly
- Copy: Use the one-click copy button to paste into your project
When to Use Lorem Ipsum
✓ Good Use Cases:
When NOT to Use Lorem Ipsum
⚠️ Avoid Lorem Ipsum When:
- • User Testing: Real content helps test comprehension and usability
- • SEO Testing: Search engines can't index placeholder text
- • Content Strategy: Lorem ipsum doesn't show how real content affects design
- • Accessibility Testing: Screen readers need real content to evaluate properly
- • Final Client Presentations: Clients may mistake placeholder for final copy
- • Production Launches: Never launch with Lorem ipsum still in place!
Best Practices
Follow these guidelines for effective use of placeholder text:
- Match Content Length: Use realistic word counts that match expected final content
- Vary Paragraph Lengths: Mix short and long paragraphs to look more natural
- Include Headings: Show hierarchy with placeholder headings at different levels
- Add Lists and Quotes: Include varied content types to test full design
- Mark as Placeholder: Make it obvious that text is temporary (add "Lorem Ipsum" prominently)
- Replace Before Launch: Always replace with real content before going live
- Consider Alternatives: Sometimes real sample content works better than Lorem ipsum
Lorem Ipsum Alternatives
While Lorem ipsum is standard, consider these alternatives depending on your project:
Real Sample Content
Use actual content from similar projects. Shows realistic length and tone.
Best for: Client presentations, user testing
Industry-Specific Dummy Text
Create placeholder text relevant to your industry (medical, legal, tech).
Best for: Specialized designs, technical docs
Lorem Ipsum Variations
Bacon Ipsum, Hipster Ipsum, Office Ipsum add humor to internal mockups.
Best for: Fun internal presentations
Content Brief Summaries
Brief descriptions of intended content instead of filler text.
Best for: Content-first design approach
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Too Little Text: Short placeholder doesn't show how real content will flow
- Same Length Everywhere: Vary text length to be realistic
- Forgetting to Replace: Always replace Lorem ipsum before launch
- Ignoring Content Structure: Use headings, lists, and varied elements
- Testing with Placeholder Only: Test with real content before finalizing design
The Classic Lorem Ipsum Text
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."
Conclusion
Lorem Ipsum remains the gold standard for placeholder text in design and development. It's been used for over 500 years because it works - providing realistic-looking text without the distraction of meaningful content.
Use it wisely during design phases, but always remember to replace it with real content before launch. When used properly, Lorem ipsum helps you focus on visual design without getting bogged down in content creation.
Try our free Lorem Ipsum generator to create placeholder text instantly for your next project.