Lorem Picsum

Images from Unsplash

Lorem Picsum is a free placeholder image service powered by Unsplash photos. Request any size image via a simple URL pattern (picsum.photos/width/height), and get back a random high-quality photograph. Supports grayscale, blur effects, specific image selection, and static seeding for consistent results. For OpenClaw agents, Lorem Picsum is useful as a quick placeholder image source for prototyping, testing image-sending capabilities, or adding visual variety to messages. No API key, no authentication — just a URL.

Tags: media, images

Category: Photography

Use Cases

  • Generate placeholder images for testing image-sending in OpenClaw channels
  • Add random photos to scheduled messages for visual variety
  • Use as fallback images when a primary image source fails

Tips

  • Use /id/LIST endpoint to browse available image IDs
  • Add ?grayscale or ?blur=2 to the URL for image effects
  • Seed parameter (?seed=myconsistentseed) gives deterministic 'random' results

Known Issues & Gotchas

  • URLs redirect — use -L flag with curl to follow redirects
  • No search or category filtering — images are random unless you specify an ID
  • Not suitable for production content — use Unsplash or Pexels for real photo needs

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a specific image every time?

Yes. Use /id/{image_id}/width/height for a specific photo, or add ?seed=value for consistent random selection. Without these, each request returns a different random image.

What image formats are returned?

JPEG images by default. The URL redirects to the actual image file, so use curl -L (follow redirects) when downloading.

Is this suitable for production use?

For placeholders and prototyping, yes. For production content images, use Unsplash or Pexels APIs directly — they offer search, categories, and proper attribution links.