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Updated February 8, 2024

How to Generate QR Code in C# Windows Applications

This tutorial will provide an in-depth look at how to create QR codes, which are becoming increasingly popular in industrial applications and the retail sector. The IronBarcode library, one of the most popular and powerful libraries, will be used to demonstrate how to generate QR codes.

How to Generate QR Codes in C# Windows Forms Applications

  1. Create a Windows Forms Application in Microsoft Visual Studio
  2. Installing the QR code library
  3. Importing namespaces to create barcodes
  4. Creating a QR code with one line of code
  5. Adding a logo to a QR code image
  6. Saving an image as PDF or HTML

1. Create a Windows Forms Application in Microsoft Visual Studio

Open Visual Studio > Click on Create New Project > Select Windows Forms Application Template > Press Next > Name the Project > Press Next > Select your Target .NET Framework > Click the Create button.

After creating the project, design the form as follows from the Visual Studio toolbox: PictureBox, Label, Textbox, and Button controls.

How to Generate QR Code in C# Windows Applications, Figure 1: A Windows Forms Application UI to load an image and generate a QR Code A Windows Forms Application UI to load an image and generate a QR Code

2. Install the QR Code Generator .NET Library in C#

The first step is to install the barcode library. You can do this by using one of the following three methods:

2.1. Package Manager Console

Write the following command in the Package Manager Console. It will download and install the package for you.

Install-Package BarCode

How to Generate QR Code in C# Windows Applications, Figure 2: Installation progress in Package Manager Console UI Installation progress in Package Manager Console UI

3.2. NuGet Packages Manager Solution

You can also install the barcode library by using the NuGet Package Solution. Simply follow these steps:

Click on Tools > NuGet Package Manager > Manage NuGet Packages for Solution.

This will open the NuGet Package Manager for you. Click on Browse and search BarCode, then install the class library.

How to Generate QR Code in C# Windows Applications, Figure 3: Finding BarCode library in NuGet Package Manager Finding BarCode library in NuGet Package Manager

As an alternative, the IronBarCode.Dll can be downloaded and added to your project as a reference from [.NET Barcode DLL].

3. Importing NameSpaces

For this tutorial, to ensure adequate references, the IronBarCode namespace along with other system assemblies is necessary.

using IronBarCode;
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using IronBarCode;
using System;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
Imports IronBarCode
Imports System
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Linq
VB   C#

4. Create a QR Code with 1 Line of Code

The following sample code allows you to generate a QR code image with just one line of code. Enter the desired text into the text box for which you want to generate a QR code. Place this code in the "Generate PNG" button click event. The QR code barcode images can be saved in PNG format.

// Simple QR Code generation
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    GeneratedBarcode qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode(textBox1.Text);
    qrCode.SaveAsPng("QrCode.png");
}
// Simple QR Code generation
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    GeneratedBarcode qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode(textBox1.Text);
    qrCode.SaveAsPng("QrCode.png");
}
' Simple QR Code generation
Private Sub button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
	Dim qrCode As GeneratedBarcode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCode(textBox1.Text)
	qrCode.SaveAsPng("QrCode.png")
End Sub
VB   C#

Here is the output of the QR code generator:

How to Generate QR Code in C# Windows Applications, Figure 4: QR code of: https://ironsoftware.com/csharp/barcode/docs/ QR code of: https://ironsoftware.com/csharp/barcode/docs/

5. Adding a Logo to a QR Code Image

By using the CreateQrCodeWithLogo method from the QRCodeWriter class, additional information, such as a logo, can be added to the QR code. The sample code illustrates how easy this is.

Browse the logo from your computer, and it will open in PictureBox. The code goes as follows:

// open file dialog
OpenFileDialog open = new OpenFileDialog();
// image filters
open.Filter = "Image Files(*.jpg; *.png; *.jpeg; *.gif; *.bmp)|*.jpg; *.png; *.jpeg; *.gif; *.bmp";
if (open.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK) {
    // display image in picture box
    pictureBox1.Image = new Bitmap(open.FileName);
    // store image file path in class data member. Initialize it as string ImageFileName;
    ImageFileName = open.FileName;
}
// open file dialog
OpenFileDialog open = new OpenFileDialog();
// image filters
open.Filter = "Image Files(*.jpg; *.png; *.jpeg; *.gif; *.bmp)|*.jpg; *.png; *.jpeg; *.gif; *.bmp";
if (open.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK) {
    // display image in picture box
    pictureBox1.Image = new Bitmap(open.FileName);
    // store image file path in class data member. Initialize it as string ImageFileName;
    ImageFileName = open.FileName;
}
' open file dialog
Dim open As New OpenFileDialog()
' image filters
open.Filter = "Image Files(*.jpg; *.png; *.jpeg; *.gif; *.bmp)|*.jpg; *.png; *.jpeg; *.gif; *.bmp"
If open.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
	' display image in picture box
	pictureBox1.Image = New Bitmap(open.FileName)
	' store image file path in class data member. Initialize it as string ImageFileName;
	ImageFileName = open.FileName
End If
VB   C#

Next, simply type the text in the text box, place this code in the Generate PNG button, and click.

// Adding a Logo
GeneratedBarcode Qrcode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCodeWithLogo(textBox1.Text, ImageFileName,500);
Qrcode.SaveAsPng("QrCodeWithImage.png");
// Adding a Logo
GeneratedBarcode Qrcode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCodeWithLogo(textBox1.Text, ImageFileName,500);
Qrcode.SaveAsPng("QrCodeWithImage.png");
' Adding a Logo
Dim Qrcode As GeneratedBarcode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCodeWithLogo(textBox1.Text, ImageFileName,500)
Qrcode.SaveAsPng("QrCodeWithImage.png")
VB   C#

This code adds the Iron logo to the barcode. It automatically sizes it to an appropriate size where the pure code is still readable and aligns that logo to the QR code square grid so that it looks appropriate.

How to Generate QR Code in C# Windows Applications, Figure 5: C# Create QR Code With Logo Image C# Create QR Code With Logo Image

6. Save as a PDF or HTML Image

Finally, the generated QR code can be saved as a PDF or HTML image. The final line of code opens the PDF in your default PDF browser for your convenience. Add the SaveAsPdf in the Generate PDF button and SaveAsHtmlFile in the Generate HTML button.

// Adding a Logo
GeneratedBarcode qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCodeWithLogo(textBox1.Text, ImageFileName,500);

//Save as PDF
qrCode.SaveAsPdf("QRWithLogo.pdf");

//Also Save as HTML
qrCode.SaveAsHtmlFile("QRWithLogo.html");
// Adding a Logo
GeneratedBarcode qrCode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCodeWithLogo(textBox1.Text, ImageFileName,500);

//Save as PDF
qrCode.SaveAsPdf("QRWithLogo.pdf");

//Also Save as HTML
qrCode.SaveAsHtmlFile("QRWithLogo.html");
' Adding a Logo
Dim qrCode As GeneratedBarcode = QRCodeWriter.CreateQrCodeWithLogo(textBox1.Text, ImageFileName,500)

'Save as PDF
qrCode.SaveAsPdf("QRWithLogo.pdf")

'Also Save as HTML
qrCode.SaveAsHtmlFile("QRWithLogo.html")
VB   C#

Summary

IronBarcode features a friendly API for developers to read and write data to barcodes and QR codes for C# .NET, optimizing accuracy and ensuring a low error rate in real-world cases. For more information about IronBarcode, please visit this documentation website.

Additionally, IronBarcode also supports reading barcodes from images, as well as providing extra options to read barcodes with more accuracy or apply filters to images.

Currently, if you buy the complete Iron Suite, you can get five libraries for the price of just two. Please visit the pricing page for more details.