Version 3.0

PixelHold Documentation

The complete guide to using PixelHold.io - your ultimate developer tool for generating custom, dynamic image placeholders with text overlays.

What is PixelHold?

PixelHold is a powerful image placeholder service designed for developers and designers. Unlike generic placeholder services that only offer solid colors, PixelHold allows you to:

  • ✓ Upload custom images (JPG, PNG, WebP up to 2MB)
  • ✓ Export to 5 formats: PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF, SVG
  • ✓ Generate solid color placeholders with any HEX color
  • ✓ Resize images from 10x10 to 4000x4000 pixels
  • ✓ Smart cropping with custom focal point positioning
  • ✓ Retina/HiDPI support for crisp 2x resolution output
  • ✓ Transparent PNG support with alpha channel
  • ✓ Overlay dynamic text with 13 Google Fonts
  • ✓ Drag & drop text positioning in real-time preview
  • ✓ Custom font size, color, and alignment options
  • ✓ Clean URL API - just use /800x600.png
  • ✓ ShareX integration with 4 pre-configured profiles
  • ✓ Live preview before generating final image
  • ✓ History panel to quickly access previous images
  • ★ Gradient backgrounds - linear & radial with multiple colors (VIP)
  • ★ Image filters - blur, grayscale, sepia, pixelate, brightness, contrast (VIP)
  • ★ Watermarks with tiling, rotation & opacity control (VIP)
  • ★ QR code generator - embed QR codes directly in images (VIP)
  • ★ Text effects - rotation (±180°), outline/stroke (VIP)
  • ★ Color overlay layer with adjustable opacity (VIP)
15,000+
Daily Requests
~19ms
Avg Latency
13
Google Fonts
Free
Forever

1 Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Create a Solid Color Placeholder

The simplest way to use PixelHold - just specify dimensions in the URL:

https://pixelhold.io/800x200
Example

Tip: Add file format at the end (e.g., .svg, .png, .jpg, .webp) to specify output format.

Step 2: Add Custom Text

Add text overlay using the ?text= parameter:

https://pixelhold.io/800x200.svg?text=Hello+World
Example with text

Step 3: Add Background and text color

Add text color using &color= and Background to image with &bg= parameter:

https://pixelhold.io/800x200.svg?text=Hello+World&color=aa4895&bg=1e293b
Example with text

Step 4: Upload Your Image

For custom backgrounds, upload an image through the main app. You'll receive a unique ID:

https://pixelhold.io/img/4ba25111081ce37e0e0930b02df3c357.png/800x200.svg?text=Your-Blog-Title&color=f6c649&size=59
Example with custom image

Tip: The image will be automatically resized and cropped to fit the specified dimensions. Original Image size: 1600x1025px. Practice: Try to change size of image in a generated URL to 800x513 ;)

Interface Overview

PixelHold Interface

Left Sidebar - Controls

  • Source: Upload images (drag & drop supported)
  • Typography: Text, font family, and size
  • Colors: Text color and background color
  • Output Settings: Width, height, format, retina
  • VIP Features: Premium effects (requires VIP)

Main Area - Canvas

  • Live Preview: Real-time preview of your image
  • Drag Text: Click and drag to reposition text
  • Drag Image: Pan the image crop position
  • History Panel: Access recent links (right side)

Pro Tip: Drag & Drop

You can drag the text overlay directly on the canvas to position it anywhere. The position is saved as percentage coordinates (tx, ty) in the URL. Similarly, you can drag the image to adjust the crop focus point (cx, cy).

Uploading Images FREE

Supported Formats & Limits

Accepted Formats
JPG/JPEG PNG WebP
Max File Size
2 MB
Daily Limits
Free 3 uploads/day
VIP 60 uploads/day

Auto-Size Feature

Enable Auto-Size toggle to automatically set the output dimensions to match your uploaded image's original size.

Auto-Size:
Enabled

Text Overlay FREE

Text Positioning

Text can be positioned using alignment presets or custom coordinates:

Method Parameters Description
align left, center, right Horizontal alignment
valign top, middle, bottom Vertical alignment
tx, ty 0-100 (%) Custom X/Y position (overrides align)
Left align
align=left
Center align
align=center
Right align
align=right

Sizing & Formats FREE

Image Dimensions

Specify dimensions in the URL path. Maximum size is 4000x4000 pixels.

Width x Height
/800x600.png

Standard rectangular image

Square
/500x500.jpg

Perfect for avatars/thumbnails

Retina Support: Add ?retina to generate 2x resolution images for high-DPI displays.

Common Size Presets

Use the "Common Sizes" dropdown in the sidebar to quickly set dimensions for popular platforms. Select a preset and width/height will be automatically filled.

📱 Social Media Posts
  • Facebook Post: 1200×630
  • Instagram Square: 1080×1080
  • Instagram Story: 1080×1920
  • Twitter/X Post: 1200×675
  • LinkedIn Post: 1200×627
  • Pinterest Pin: 1000×1500
🖼️ Cover Images
  • Facebook Cover: 820×312
  • Twitter Header: 1500×500
  • LinkedIn Banner: 1128×191
  • YouTube Channel: 2560×1440
👤 Profile Pictures
  • Facebook: 180×180
  • Instagram: 320×320
  • Twitter/LinkedIn: 400×400
  • YouTube: 800×800
  • TikTok: 200×200
▶️ Video & Thumbnails
  • YouTube Thumb: 1280×720
  • HD Video: 1920×1080
  • Vimeo Thumb: 1200×900
📝 Blog & Web
  • OG Image: 1200×628
  • Hero Banner: 1920×600
  • Blog Thumb: 800×450
  • Card Image: 600×400
📧 Email & Ads
  • Email Header: 600×200
  • Google Medium: 300×250
  • Leaderboard: 728×90
  • Skyscraper: 160×600
⭐ Icons & Favicons
  • Favicon: 32×32
  • Apple Touch: 180×180
  • PWA Icon: 512×512
🖥️ Screen Sizes
  • Full HD: 1920×1080
  • 2K / QHD: 2560×1440
  • iPhone 14: 390×844

Tip: All sizes are official platform specifications. The selected preset stays visible in the dropdown so you can see which size is currently applied.

Output Formats

Append the format extension to the URL. Each format has its advantages:

PNG

Lossless compression. Best for graphics and screenshots.

JPG

Lossy compression, smaller file size. Best for photos and complex images.

WebP

Modern format, excellent compression. Best for web performance.

SVG Default

Vector format, infinite scaling. Text stays crisp at any size.

AVIF

Next-gen format, superior compression. Limited browser support.

GIF coming soon

Legacy format, 256 colors max. Use for simple graphics only.

Colors & Fonts FREE

Available Fonts

PixelHold includes 13 carefully selected Google Fonts for professional typography:

Inter
font=inter
Lato
font=lato
Montserrat
font=montserrat
Poppins
font=poppins
Open Sans
font=opensans
Raleway
font=raleway
Oswald
font=oswald
Playfair Display
font=playfair
Lora
font=lora
Merriweather
font=merriweather
PT Sans
font=ptsans
Slabo 27px
font=slabo
Andika
font=andika

Color Format

Colors are specified as 6-character hex codes (without the # symbol):

?color=FF5733&bg=1E293B
FF5733
6366F1
10B981
F59E0B

URL API Reference

URL Structure

// Solid color mode
https://pixelhold.io/{WIDTH}x{HEIGHT}.{FORMAT}?{PARAMS}

// With uploaded image
https://pixelhold.io/img/{IMAGE_ID}/{WIDTH}x{HEIGHT}.{FORMAT}?{PARAMS}

// VIP uploaded image
https://pixelhold.io/vip/{IMAGE_ID}/{WIDTH}x{HEIGHT}.{FORMAT}?{PARAMS}

Basic Parameters

Parameter Type Default Description Example
WIDTH Integer 600 Output width in pixels (10-4000) 800
HEIGHT Integer 400 Output height in pixels (10-4000) 600
FORMAT String png Output format: png, jpg, webp, svg, avif .jpg
text String WxH Overlay text (use - or + for spaces) ?text=Hello-World
color Hex FFFFFF Text color (6 chars, no #) ?color=FF5733
bg Hex CCCCCC Background color (solid mode only) ?bg=1E293B
font String lato Font family key ?font=montserrat
size Integer auto Font size in pixels ?size=80
retina Flag - Enable @2x resolution ?retina=1
download Flag - Force file download ?download=1

Advanced Parameters

Parameter Type Description Tier
align String Horizontal text alignment: left, center, right Free
valign String Vertical text alignment: top, middle, bottom Free
tx, ty Integer Custom text X/Y position (0-100%) Free
cx, cy Integer Custom crop focus point (0-100%) Free
text wrap Boolean Enable word wrapping for long text Free
text maxwidth Integer Max width for wrapped text (20-100%) Free
text angle Integer Text rotation (-180 to 180 degrees) VIP
outline Integer Text outline/stroke width (0-10px) VIP
outline color Hex Text outline color VIP
filter String Image filter: grayscale, sepia, blur, edge, emboss, sketch, pixelate, negate VIP
brightness Integer Brightness adjustment (-100 to 100) VIP
contrast Integer Contrast adjustment (-100 to 100) VIP
watermark String Watermark text (max 50 chars) VIP
gradient String Gradient type: linear or radial VIP
gradient colors String Hex colors (e.g., FF0000) VIP
qr URL Embed QR code with URL (max 500 chars) VIP
overlay opacity Integer Color overlay opacity (0-100%) VIP
overlay color Hex Overlay color (default: 000000) VIP

Code Examples

</> HTML 

<img
    src="https://pixelhold.io/img/abc123.jpg/1200x630.jpg?text=Featured+Article&font=playfair&size=80"
    alt="Featured Article"
    loading="lazy"
/>

R React / JSX 

function ProductCard({ title, imageId }) {
    const imageUrl = `https://pixelhold.io/img/${imageId}/400x300.webp?text=${encodeURIComponent(title)}`;

    return (
        <img src={imageUrl} alt={title} className="rounded-lg" />
    );
}

P PHP 

<?php
$imageId = 'abc123.jpg';
$title = 'My Blog Post';
$url = "https://pixelhold.io/img/{$imageId}/1200x630.jpg?text=" . urlencode($title);
?>
<img src="<?= htmlspecialchars($url) ?>" alt="<?= htmlspecialchars($title) ?>">

# CSS Background 

.hero-section {
    background-image: url('https://pixelhold.io/img/411b7538b196.jpg/1920x1080.webp');
    background-size: cover;
    background-position: center;
}

VIP Premium Features

How to Get VIP Access

VIP features are unlocked when you donate to support the project. After donating, you'll receive an API Key via email. Enter this key in the app header to unlock all premium features or use ShareX / custom php uploader.

Watermarks VIP

Add a repeating diagonal watermark pattern across your images. Perfect for protecting previews or adding branding.

Parameter Range Default Description
watermark String (max 50) - Watermark text
watermark_opacity 0-100 30 Opacity percentage
watermark_angle -90 to 90 -45 Rotation angle
watermark_spacing 50-500 200 Gap between repetitions (px)
watermark_color Hex 000000 Watermark color

Image Filters VIP

Apply visual effects to your images using the filter parameter:

grayscale
filter=grayscale
sepia
filter=sepia
blur
filter=blur
edge
filter=edge
emboss
filter=emboss
sketch
filter=sketch
pixelate
filter=pixelate
negate
filter=negate

Gradient Backgrounds VIP

Create beautiful gradient backgrounds without uploading an image:

Linear Gradient

Radial Gradient

Overlay Layer VIP

Apply a semi-transparent color overlay on top of your images. Perfect for darkening backgrounds, creating tinted effects, or adding mood to your visuals.

Parameter Value Description
overlay_opacity 0-100 Opacity of the color overlay (0 = off, 100 = fully opaque)
overlay_color Hex color Color of the overlay (default: 000000 / black)

Use Cases

  • • Darken hero images for better text readability
  • • Add brand color tints to photos
  • • Create moody, cinematic effects
  • • Simulate duotone or filtered looks

Text Effects VIP

VIP users can apply special effects to text overlays for more dynamic and creative images.

Parameter Value Description
text angle -180 to 180 Rotate text by specified degrees
outline 0-10 Outline stroke width in pixels (0 = off)
outlinen color Hex color Color of text outline (default: 000000)

Rotated Text

Rotated text

Text with Outline

Text with outline

QR Code Generator VIP

Embed QR codes directly into your images:

Parameter Range Default Description
qr URL (max 500) - URL to encode in QR
qr_size 50-500 150 QR code size in pixels
qr_x 0-100 50 X position (%)
qr_y 0-100 50 Y position (%)

ShareX Integration VIP

ShareX is a free, open-source screenshot tool for Windows. With our custom configurations, you can upload screenshots directly to PixelHold with one click.

How to Get ShareX Configs

ShareX configuration files (.sxcu) are provided together with your VIP API key upon donation. You'll receive all 4 configurations pre-configured with your personal API key, ready to import!

Choose Your Configuration Style

We provide 4 different ShareX configurations to match your workflow:

Quick Upload
Recommended

One-click upload with fixed 800x450 SVG output. Perfect for quick screenshots with automatic PixelHold watermark text.

Output: 800x450 SVG with watermark
Best for: Quick sharing, social media
Custom Preset
Customizable

Pre-configured values you edit once before importing. Set your preferred dimensions, format, text, colors, and font.

Output: Your preset (e.g., 1920x1080 JPG)
Best for: Consistent branding, blog posts
Interactive Input
Full Control

Prompts you for all settings on each upload via input boxes and dropdowns. Maximum flexibility for every screenshot.

Output: You decide each time
Best for: Varied needs, power users
Minimal (ID Only)
Developer

Simply returns the image ID to clipboard. Build your own URLs manually or use in scripts and automation.

Output: Just the image ID
Best for: Developers, automation

Setup Instructions

  1. 1. Receive your .sxcu configuration files along with your API key (after donation)
  2. 2. Double-click the desired .sxcu file to import into ShareX
  3. 3. Go to ShareX: Destinations → Image Uploader → Custom uploader
  4. 4. Select your imported PixelHold configuration
  5. 5. Take a screenshot (default: Print Screen) - it uploads automatically!

Client Uploader VIP

PixelHold Client Uploader Interface

The PixelHold Client Uploader is a powerful standalone PHP application you can host on your own server. It provides a complete professional interface for uploading images, generating URLs, managing code patterns, and creating reusable templates.

How to Get the Client Uploader

The Client Uploader PHP file is provided together with your VIP API key upon donation. You'll receive the file pre-configured with your personal API key, ready to deploy on your server!

Upload Zone

  • ✓ Drag & Drop - Simply drag images or click to browse
  • ✓ Auto-Size Toggle - Automatically match dimensions to uploaded image
  • ✓ Format Support - JPG, PNG, WebP (max 2MB)
  • ✓ Instant Copy - Filename auto-copied to clipboard on upload
  • ✓ API Status - Real-time connection indicator

Visual Playground

  • ✓ Quick Presets - Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
  • ✓ Custom Dimensions - Any width/height combination
  • ✓ Format Selection - SVG, JPG, PNG, WebP output
  • ✓ Text Overlay - With variable picker for dynamic content
  • ✓ Live URL - Generated URL with one-click copy

Pattern Manager

10 pre-built patterns included:

• Simple HTML • React/JSX Dynamic • Lazy Load • Responsive srcset • Figure + Caption • CSS Background • Open Graph Meta • Markdown • Next.js Image • Avatar Circle
  • ✓ Create custom patterns with variable support
  • ✓ Languages: HTML, React/JSX, PHP, CSS, Markdown

Variables & Templates

  • ✓ Custom Variables - Create {AUTHOR}, {DATE}, {PROJECT}, etc.
  • ✓ Templates - Save complete configurations for reuse
  • ✓ Export/Import - Share templates as JSON files
  • ✓ Color Palettes - Save, apply, and manage color schemes
  • ✓ localStorage - All settings persist automatically

Technical Requirements

PHP 7.4+

with cURL extension

VIP API Key

from donation

Web Server

Apache, Nginx, LiteSpeed

Modern Browser

Vue 3 powered UI

Upload API VIP

POST

Upload images programmatically using multipart form data.

Field Type Required Description
image File Yes Image file (JPG, PNG, WebP - max 2MB)
api_key String VIP Your VIP API key (also accepts X-API-KEY header)

Response

{
    "success": true,
    "id": "abc123def456.jpg",
    "url": "https://pixelhold.io/img/abc123def456.jpg/800x600.jpg",
    "uploads_remaining": 59,
    "limit_daily": 60
}

cURL Example

curl -X POST https://pixelhold.io/ \
  -H "X-API-KEY: your_api_key" \
  -F "image=@/path/to/image.jpg"

Sponsorship & Advertising

Want to promote your product, service, or brand on PixelHold? We offer sponsorship spots visible to thousands of developers daily. Your ad appears in the header navigation area of the main application.

Interested in Sponsoring?

Contact us at [email protected] to discuss sponsorship options, pricing, and availability. We offer flexible terms for monthly, quarterly, or annual sponsorships.

Sponsorship Template Styles

Choose from 4 different sponsorship display styles to match your campaign:

Standard

Classic sponsored badge with your message. Clean and professional.

Sponsored YourBrand.com - Premium Web Solutions
Coupon Code

Highlight a discount code or special offer. Great for conversions.

Use Code: SAVE20 20% off at YourStore.com
Flash Sale

Animated attention-grabber for time-limited offers.

Flash Sale: 50% Off Everything!
Feature / Premium

Modern gradient style with glow effect. Maximum impact.

YourBrand.com - Premium features Feature 1 / Feature 2 / Example

Ready to reach thousands of visitors?

Contact us at [email protected]

Report a Bug

Found something that isn't working correctly? We appreciate bug reports! Please include as much detail as possible.

What to include in your report:

  • • Steps to reproduce the issue
  • • Expected vs actual behavior
  • • URL or API call that caused the problem
  • • Browser/device information (if applicable)
  • • Screenshots or error messages
[email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

How long are uploaded images stored?

Images are stored indefinitely for VIP users. Free uploads may be cleaned up after 90 days of inactivity.

What's the maximum image size?

Maximum upload size is 2MB. Output dimensions can be up to 4000x4000 pixels.

Can I use PixelHold in production?

Yes of course! Our CDN ensures fast global delivery.

What if I need more than 60 uploads/day?

Contact us at [email protected] for enterprise plans with custom limits.

I donated but didn't receive my API key!

API keys are sent within 24 hours. If you haven't received yours, email us at [email protected].

How can I sponsor PixelHold or advertise my product?

We offer sponsorship spots in our application header visible to thousands of developers daily. Contact us at [email protected] to discuss options, pricing, and availability. See the Sponsorship section for template examples.

Troubleshooting

Error: "Invalid API key"

Make sure you're using the correct API key. Keys are case-sensitive and should not include quotes or extra spaces.

Error: "Rate limit exceeded"

Free users: 3 uploads/day. VIP users: 60 uploads/day. Limits reset every 24 hours. Consider upgrading to VIP for higher limits.

Images not loading / showing old version

Images are cached for 30 days. Add a cache-busting parameter like ?v=2 to force a refresh.

VIP features not working

Make sure your API key is entered in the app header and shows "VIP Active" status. VIP features require an active subscription/donations.