Placeholder Text
This plugin adds support for placeholder text in browsers that don’t support this HTML5 feature including Internet Explorer 6.
Consider an alternative
Placeholder Text shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 10 years ago, and scores 23/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 9 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.8 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Placeholder Text stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| forms | >100 |
| Input | >100 |
| placeholder | >100 |
| text | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About Placeholder Text
From the official readme · v1.1.0Description
This plugin adds support for placeholder text in browsers that don’t support this HTML5 feature including Internet Explorer 6.
The plugin just activates the placeholders.js script by James Allardice http://jamesallardice.github.io/Placeholders.js/
There is no further configuration required.
For HTML input elements use the placeholder attribute and add a value, this value is removed when a user inputs the field. http://coolestguidesontheplanet.com/add-a-label-into-a-text-input-field-in-a-html-form/#html5
The script is 4KB and is set to load in the footer and has no library dependencies.
Usage
Just activate the plugin which loads the script, their is no further configuration.
Installation
This section describes how to install the plugin:
- Upload the
placeholdersfolder to the/wp-content/plugins/directory - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
Changelog
1.0.0 * Initial release.
1.1.0 – 19th April 2015 – upgrade includes version v4.0.1 of placeholders
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Placeholder Text alternatives
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FAQ
Placeholder Text: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 3, 2026
Is Placeholder Text free?
Yes. Placeholder Text is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Placeholder Text safe to use in 2026?
Placeholder Text shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 10 years ago, and scores 23/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Placeholder Text?
Placeholder Text is active on 10+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 2,146 times since it launched in September 2014. It was downloaded 45 times in the last 30 days.
Does Placeholder Text work with WordPress 7.1?
Placeholder Text is officially tested up to WordPress 4.8.32, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Placeholder Text last updated?
The latest version, 1.1.0, was released on December 9, 2016 (10 years ago).
Who makes Placeholder Text?
Placeholder Text is developed and maintained by neilgee.
What are the best alternatives to Placeholder Text?
The most popular alternatives to Placeholder Text are WPForms (5M+ installs), Fluent Forms (700K+ installs) and Forminator Forms (600K+ installs).
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