Do I need GD or Imagick for PHP QR codes?

For PNG output, endroid/qr-code requires either GD or Imagick. For SVG output, no image extension is needed. chillerlan/php-qrcode can generate SVG without extensions.

How do I use QR codes in Laravel?

Install endroid/qr-code via Composer, then use it in your controllers or create a dedicated service class. Return the QR code as a response with the appropriate Content-Type header.

Can I add a logo to a QR code in PHP?

Yes. endroid/qr-code supports logo embedding natively using the setLogo() method. Use high error correction level (H) to ensure the QR code remains scannable.

How do I serve a QR code image from PHP?

Generate the QR code, get the binary data with getString(), then output it with the correct Content-Type header (image/png or image/svg+xml) using header() and echo.

PHP QR Code Library

Generate QR Codes with PHP

PHP has excellent QR code libraries like endroid/qr-code for modern web applications and chillerlan/php-qrcode for lightweight generation. Perfect for Laravel, Symfony, and WordPress.

Try QR Generator View API Docs

Installation

Install PHP QR code libraries using Composer.

Composer

composer require endroid/qr-code

Composer (alt)

composer require chillerlan/php-qrcode

Generate QR Codes with PHP Libraries

Code examples using popular PHP QR code libraries.

Basic QR Code with endroid/qr-code

<?php
use Endroid\QrCode\QrCode;
use Endroid\QrCode\Writer\PngWriter;

$qrCode = new QrCode('https://qrcode.fun');
$qrCode->setSize(300);
$qrCode->setMargin(10);

$writer = new PngWriter();
$result = $writer->write($qrCode);

// Save to file
$result->saveToFile('qrcode.png');

// Or output directly
header('Content-Type: ' . $result->getMimeType());
echo $result->getString();

QR Code with Logo (endroid)

<?php
use Endroid\QrCode\QrCode;
use Endroid\QrCode\Logo\Logo;
use Endroid\QrCode\Color\Color;
use Endroid\QrCode\Writer\PngWriter;
use Endroid\QrCode\ErrorCorrectionLevel;

$qrCode = new QrCode(
    data: 'https://qrcode.fun',
    size: 300,
    margin: 10,
    foregroundColor: new Color(26, 43, 60),
    backgroundColor: new Color(255, 255, 255),
    errorCorrectionLevel: ErrorCorrectionLevel::High
);

$logo = new Logo(
    path: 'logo.png',
    resizeToWidth: 80
);

$writer = new PngWriter();
$result = $writer->write($qrCode, $logo);
$result->saveToFile('qrcode_logo.png');

QRCode.fun API

Generate QR Codes via API in PHP

Call the QRCode.fun API from PHP using cURL or Guzzle.

PHP API Integration

<?php
$payload = json_encode([
    'data' => 'https://qrcode.fun',
    'width' => 300,
    'height' => 300,
    'type' => 'png',
    'margin' => 10,
    'dotsOptions' => ['color' => '#1A2B3C', 'type' => 'rounded'],
    'cornersSquareOptions' => ['color' => '#8564C3', 'type' => 'extra-rounded'],
    'backgroundOptions' => ['color' => '#FFFFFF'],
]);

$ch = curl_init('https://qrcode.fun/api/generate-qr-styled');
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
    CURLOPT_POST => true,
    CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => $payload,
    CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => ['Content-Type: application/json'],
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);

$response = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);

$result = json_decode($response, true);
// $result['data'] contains the base64 PNG data URL
echo substr($result['data'], 0, 50);

Live QR Code Preview

Try generating a QR code with PHP right now.

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QR preview

Native Library vs API

Compare using a PHP QR code library versus the QRCode.fun API.

Feature	Native Library	QRCode.fun API
Setup complexity	Composer install + GD/Imagick	Single HTTP request via cURL
Customization	Colors, logos, labels (endroid)	Full styling: colors, shapes, logos
Offline support	Yes	Requires internet
Maintenance	Composer update	Always up-to-date
Output formats	PNG, SVG, PDF (endroid)	PNG, SVG

PHP QR Code Use Cases

Common scenarios for QR codes in PHP applications.

Laravel & Symfony

Generate QR codes in Laravel or Symfony controllers for user profiles, two-factor authentication, and payment links.

WordPress Plugins

Build WordPress plugins that generate QR codes for posts, products, and custom content types.

E-commerce

Create QR codes for product pages, payment gateways, order tracking, and digital receipts.

PDF Invoices

Embed QR codes into PDF invoices using TCPDF or FPDF for payment verification and document linking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about generating QR codes with PHP.

endroid/qr-code is the most feature-rich option with support for colors, logos, labels, and multiple output formats. chillerlan/php-qrcode is a lightweight alternative for simple use cases.

Start generating QR codes with PHP

Use our free generator or integrate the API into your PHP applications.

Open QR Generator Explore API Docs