Last reviewed by Robert Prime — May 2026
Quick Answer: KDP's content scan found Lorem ipsum or other placeholder text in your file. Find it via Acrobat's Find tool (search 'lorem', 'placeholder', 'TODO', 'XXX'), replace with your real content, re-export. Don't re-upload until you've verified all placeholders are gone.
Full reasoning, why-it-happens, and the exact fix below.
UK note: UK-specific considerations apply — ISBN purchases go through Nielsen (not Bowker), VAT rules differ from the US (print books are zero-rated; ebooks carry 20% VAT), and GDPR applies to any email/customer data. See our UK self-publishing guides for specifics.
We see this come through our formatting queue at publishing.co.uk regularly, so the patterns and fixes here are based on what actually works at upload.
What this error means
KDP's content quality checker runs string matches against a list of common placeholder phrases and dummy text patterns. If it finds Lorem ipsum, "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet", "Insert text here", "[Chapter title]", "TK" (used by journalists meaning "to come"), or repeated nonsense paragraphs, the book is rejected with "Your manuscript contains placeholder or dummy text."
This is a content quality rule, not a formatting rule. KDP introduced it because of a wave of low-quality and AI-generated books that left placeholders in. Even a single line of Lorem ipsum on the copyright page or in a footer triggers it.
It's separate from the AI-content disclosure rule (which asks you to declare AI-assisted content during upload). Placeholder detection is automatic and unambiguous — you can't disclose your way out of it.
📎 Source: KDP's authoritative documentation on this rule is at KDP's content-quality requirements.
Why it happens
Template residue. Vellum, Atticus all ship templates with Lorem ipsum demo text. Authors customise the chapters but miss the copyright page, dedication, or author bio.
"Fill in later" sections. Authors planning their book put "[Add anecdote here]" or "TK insert quote" markers in the draft, then forget to fix them before export.
Designer placeholder names. Cover or front-matter designs from freelancers sometimes include "Author Name" or "Book Title" placeholders that didn't get swapped for the real ones.
Reused chapter templates where the first paragraph is dummy text serving as a layout reference.
AI-generated drafts often retain "[Insert example]" instructions from the prompt, especially in non-fiction outlines.
Word's "Insert Sample Text" feature (=lorem(2,3)) generates Lorem ipsum on demand. Authors use it for layout testing and never remove it.
The fix
Step 1: Run a systematic text search. Open your manuscript and search for each of these:
- "Lorem ipsum"
- "dolor sit amet"
- "consectetur"
- "Insert"
- "[Insert"
- "TK"
- "tktk"
- "TODO"
- "FIXME"
- "Placeholder"
- "Author Name" (if it's not actually your name)
- "Book Title" (if it's not actually your title)
- "Chapter X" (where X is a literal X, not a number)
- "[Add" or "[Write"
- "xxx" (sometimes used as a placeholder)
Step 2: Replace each hit with real content. Even a single occurrence triggers rejection.
Step 3 (Word): Use Find and Replace (Ctrl+H). Tick "Match case" off to catch variants. Tick "Use wildcards" off unless you know what you're doing.
Step 4 (Vellum / Atticus): Both have project-wide search. Run each search term and click through every match.
Step 5: Check the front matter especially carefully. Title page, copyright page are where placeholders survive. Open them one by one.
Step 6: Check footers and headers. Microsoft Word "running heads" sometimes contain placeholder text that doesn't appear in the main body. View → Header and Footer → scan every section.
Step 7: Check image alt-text and metadata. Acrobat → Properties → Description tab → check Title, Author, Subject, Keywords. Placeholder text here counts.
Step 8: Re-export your PDF (or EPUB) once everything's clean. Re-upload.
How to pre-flight it
Our free KDP Readiness Score runs a placeholder sweep across your PDF or EPUB body text, footers. We flag every match with page and line numbers. We also check the 30+ other KDP rules in one pass so you fix everything in one round.
Related errors
FAQ
Does KDP reject for the word "TK" if it's part of a name (e.g. TK Maxx)? Context matters. KDP's checker looks for standalone "TK" as a marker. "TK Maxx" or "Mr Tkachenko" should not trigger it — but to be safe, search and confirm each one.
What if Lorem ipsum is intentionally part of my book (e.g. a typography reference)? You'll need to flag this in your upload notes, and may still face manual review. Consider replacing it with English filler text that serves the same purpose.
Does the rule apply to ebooks too? Yes — KDP checks Kindle uploads the same way. Same fix.
My book is published — can KDP retroactively reject for placeholders? Yes. KDP periodically re-scans the catalogue. If a placeholder is detected later, the book is removed pending fix.
Frequently asked questions
How long do KDP rejections usually take to come through?
Usually within 24-72 hours of upload. Rejections show in your KDP Bookshelf as "Needs attention". Email notification can lag — check the dashboard.
Can I just re-upload the fixed file or do I have to start a new title?
Re-upload the corrected file on the same title. KDP versions your interior and cover separately. The new file replaces the old; sales history and ASIN are preserved.
Will my book go down for sale while I fix and re-upload?
Only briefly — usually a few hours while KDP re-reviews. Existing copies in transit still ship. Plan re-uploads outside of major promotion windows.
Can I appeal a rejection if I think KDP got it wrong?
Yes — KDP Support → Help → Contact Us → Paperback or Kindle → "I disagree with this rejection". Include screenshots and a clear statement of why the file meets spec. Response usually within 48 hours.
Does using publishing.co.uk's formatting service avoid this rejection?
Yes — our process pre-flights against all 30+ known KDP rejection rules before delivery. We've shipped 500+ files through KDP. If KDP does reject for a covered reason, we re-do it free.
Related KDP error fixes
If you got the rejection above, you may also want to check these related issues — they tend to cluster:
Full list: KDP formatting errors hub · KDP rejection fixes hub · KDP rejected my book
About this guide
This page is part of a series of UK-focused KDP rejection guides at publishing.co.uk, each documenting a specific reason KDP can reject a print or Kindle file and the exact fix. Written by Robert Prime — founder of publishing.co.uk, co-runs the LoveReading network, and has overseen 500+ KDP submissions through formatting work in this category (content).
If you'd rather have someone else handle this and the other 35 issues KDP checks for, our formatting service is from £69 with a 3-day turnaround and a 100% KDP-acceptance guarantee.
Run a free KDP Readiness Score on your file before you upload — catches this issue and 35 others, in 60 seconds.
External references
- For current UK indie publishing trends, see the ALCS Author's Earnings report.
