Lorem ipsum: how much placeholder text you need, and how to paste it as HTML

Open the lorem ipsum generator, pick Paragraphs, Sentences or Words, set how many, and press Copy. Choose HTML under Format to get each paragraph wrapped in a <p> tag for a web page or a template.

Steps

1. Under Generate, choose the unit: Paragraphs, Sentences or Words.
2. Under How many, tap a preset or use the number box and the minus and plus buttons:
   • Paragraphs: 1, 3, 5 or 10, up to 50
   • Sentences: 3, 5, 10 or 20, up to 200
   • Words: 25, 50, 100 or 250, up to 5,000
3. Under First words, keep Lorem ipsum… to open with the classic "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit", or choose Random.
4. Under Format, choose Plain text or HTML.
5. Press Copy (or Copy HTML). Press New text for a different version with the same settings.

The line under the text shows the paragraph, word and character count, so you can match a length without counting.

How much placeholder text to use

The aim is to fill a layout the way real copy will, so pick the unit that matches the space:

When the final copy has a known length, generate by Words to that length. A product description planned at 80 words looks very different from a 300-word one, and the layout should show that.

Plain text or HTML

Plain text gives paragraphs separated by blank lines. Use it in design tools, word processors and anywhere that does not read markup.

HTML wraps each paragraph in <p> and </p>, one per line, so you can paste it straight into a template, a code editor or a content system's HTML view. Headings, lists and links are not added; wrap those yourself.

Where lorem ipsum comes from

The words come from a scrambled passage of Cicero's "De finibus bonorum et malorum", a Latin text from 45 BC, which typesetters have used as filler for centuries. It is not readable Latin. That is the point: readers look at the shape of the text, its line length, rhythm and density, instead of reading it.

When not to use it

Placeholder text is useful early on, but it hides problems real copy would expose:

• Labels and buttons should use real words from the start. "Lorem" fits anywhere; "Download all files" may not.
• Translated interfaces run longer than English. German and French often need more room, so test with real translated strings.
• Accessibility reviews and user tests need real content; people cannot judge a page they cannot read.
• Anything that might ship. Search the project for "lorem" before release. A forgotten paragraph of Latin on a live page is a common mistake.

Getting the same text again

Each set of settings and each press of New text gives a fixed result. Once you change a setting, the generator keeps your choices in recent work on this device, so reopening it later gives exactly the same placeholder text. That helps when a mock-up and its screenshots need to match.

Questions

Is the text random every time?

Not on its own. The same settings give the same text until you press New text, which picks a fresh version.

Can I get text without the "Lorem ipsum" opening?

Yes. Choose Random under First words.

Does it make headings or lists?

No. It makes paragraphs, sentences or words, as plain text or as <p> paragraphs.

Is it free to use the text in commercial work?

Lorem ipsum is filler built from a Latin text more than two thousand years old, and it has been used in commercial and personal layouts for generations. It is meant to be replaced before anything ships.