OS Manuals

/usr/bin/qrencode

A fast and compact library for encoding data into QR Code symbols, plus the qrencode CLI utility

From qrencode 4.1.1-r3 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running qrencode --help (exit 0). permalink

qrencode version 4.1.1
Copyright (C) 2006-2017 Kentaro Fukuchi
Usage: qrencode [-o FILENAME] [OPTION]... [STRING]
Encode input data in a QR Code and save as a PNG or EPS image.

  -h, --help   display the help message. -h displays only the help of short
               options.

  -o FILENAME, --output=FILENAME
               write image to FILENAME. If '-' is specified, the result
               will be output to standard output. If -S is given, structured
               symbols are written to FILENAME-01.png, FILENAME-02.png, ...
               (suffix is removed from FILENAME, if specified)

  -r FILENAME, --read-from=FILENAME
               read input data from FILENAME.

  -s NUMBER, --size=NUMBER
               specify module size in dots (pixels). (default=3)

  -l {LMQH}, --level={LMQH}
               specify error correction level from L (lowest) to H (highest).
               (default=L)

  -v NUMBER, --symversion=NUMBER
               specify the minimum version of the symbol. See SYMBOL VERSIONS
               for more information. (default=auto)

  -m NUMBER, --margin=NUMBER
               specify the width of the margins. (default=4 (2 for Micro QR)))

  -d NUMBER, --dpi=NUMBER
               specify the DPI of the generated PNG. (default=72)

  -t {PNG,PNG32,EPS,SVG,XPM,ANSI,ANSI256,ASCII,ASCIIi,UTF8,UTF8i,ANSIUTF8,ANSIUTF8i,ANSI256UTF8},
  --type={PNG,PNG32,EPS,SVG,XPM,ANSI,ANSI256,ASCII,ASCIIi,UTF8,UTF8i,ANSIUTF8,ANSIUTF8i,ANSI256UTF8}
               specify the type of the generated image. (default=PNG)

  -S, --structured
               make structured symbols. Version must be specified with '-v'.

  -k, --kanji  assume that the input text contains kanji (shift-jis).

  -c, --casesensitive
               encode lower-case alphabet characters in 8-bit mode. (default)

  -i, --ignorecase
               ignore case distinctions and use only upper-case characters.

  -8, --8bit   encode entire data in 8-bit mode. -k, -c and -i will be ignored.

  -M, --micro  encode in a Micro QR Code.

      --rle    enable run-length encoding for SVG.

      --svg-path
               use single path to draw modules for SVG.

      --inline only useful for SVG output, generates an SVG without the XML tag.

      --foreground=RRGGBB[AA]
      --background=RRGGBB[AA]
               specify foreground/background color in hexadecimal notation.
               6-digit (RGB) or 8-digit (RGBA) form are supported.
               Color output support available only in PNG, EPS and SVG.

      --strict-version
               disable automatic version number adjustment. If the input data is
               too large for the specified version, the program exits with the
               code of 1.

  -V, --version
               display the version number and copyrights of the qrencode.

      --verbose
               display verbose information to stderr.

  [STRING]     input data. If it is not specified, data will be taken from
               standard input.

SYMBOL VERSIONS
               The symbol versions of QR Code range from Version 1 to Version
               40. Each version has a different module configuration or number
               of modules, ranging from Version 1 (21 x 21 modules) up to
               Version 40 (177 x 177 modules). Each higher version number
               comprises 4 additional modules per side by default. See
               http://www.qrcode.com/en/about/version.html for a detailed
               version list.
Options (24)
OptionDescriptionSource
-h, --helpdisplay the help message.help + man
-o, --output FILENAMEwrite image to FILENAME.help + man
-r, --read-from FILENAMEread input data from FILENAME.help + man
-s, --size NUMBERspecify module size in dots (pixels).help + man
-l, --level LMQHspecify error correction level from L (lowest) to H (highest).help + man
-v, --symversion NUMBERspecify the minimum version of the symbol.help + man
-m, --margin NUMBERspecify the width of the margins.help + man
-d, --dpi NUMBERspecify the DPI of the generated PNG.help + man
-t PNGhelp + man
--type PNGspecify the type of the generated image.help + man
-S, --structuredmake structured symbols.help + man
-k, --kanjiassume that the input text contains kanji (shift-jis).help + man
-c, --casesensitiveencode lower-case alphabet characters in 8-bit mode.help + man
-i, --ignorecaseignore case distinctions and use only upper-case characters.help + man
-8, --8bitencode entire data in 8-bit mode.help + man
-M, --microencode in a Micro QR Code.help + man
--rleenable run-length encoding for SVG.help + man
--svg-pathuse single path to draw modules for SVG.help + man
--foreground RRGGBB[AAhelp + man
--background RRGGBB[AAspecify foreground/background color in hexadecimal notation.help + man
--strict-versiondisable automatic version number adjustment.help + man
-V, --versiondisplay the version number and copyrights of the qrencode.help + man
--verbosedisplay verbose information to stderr.help + man
--inlineonly useful for SVG output, generates an SVG without the XML tag. (in the manual page but not in --help)man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.