


How do I use the GD library in PHP to resize, crop, and watermark images?
Jun 21, 2025 am 01:01 AMPHP's GD library supports image processing operations without additional dependencies. 1. Resize: Use imagecreatefromjpeg() to load the picture, create a new size canvas, scale and save it through imagecopyresampled(); 2. Crop: After loading the original image, create a new target size canvas and copy the specified area; 3. Add a watermark: Use imagettftext() to add text or use imagecopy() to overlay the transparent PNG logo. The basic functions are simple and effective, and other libraries can be considered for complex needs.
Resizing, cropping, and adding watermarks to images are common tasks when handling image uploads in PHP. The GD library, which is usually enabled by default in most PHP environments, gives you the tools to do all of that without relying on external libraries or services.
Here's how to do each step with basic code examples and explanations.
Resize an Image Using GD
Resizing is useful for thumbnails or optimizing upload size. You can scale images proportionally or set exact dimensions.
To resize:
- Load the source image
- Create a blank canvas of the target size
- Use
imagecopyresampled()
to maintain quality - Save and free memory
$source = imagecreatefromjpeg('photo.jpg'); $width = imagesx($source); $height = imagesy($source); $newWidth = 200; $newHeight = 200; $resized = imagecreatetruecolor($newWidth, $newHeight); imagecopyresampled($resized, $source, 0, 0, 0, $newWidth, $newHeight, $width, $height); imagejpeg($resized, 'resized_photo.jpg', 90); imagedestroy($source); imagedestroy($resized);
You can adjust this for PNGs using imagecreatefrompng()
and imagepng()
if needed.
Crop an Image to Specific Dimensions
Cropping is often used to generate square thumbnails or focus on a specific part of an image.
The process involves:
- Loading the original image
- Creating a new image resource with the desired crop size
- Copying only the selected portion using
imagecopyresampled()
$source = imagecreatefromjpeg('resized_photo.jpg'); $cropWidth = 150; $cropHeight = 150; $cropped = imagecreatetruecolor($cropWidth, $cropHeight); imagecopyresampled($cropped, $source, 0, 0, 50, 50, $cropWidth, $cropHeight, $cropWidth, $cropHeight); imagejpeg($cropped, 'cropped_photo.jpg', 90); imagedestroy($source); imagedestroy($cropped);
In this example, we're cropping starting from (50,50), which cuts off parts of the edges. Adjust those values ??based on where you want to focus.
Add a Watermark to an Image
Watermarking protects your content or adds branding. You can use text or another image as a watermark.
Text-based watermark:
$im = imagecreatefromjpeg('cropped_photo.jpg'); $black = imagecolorallocate($im, 0, 0, 0); $text = 'MySite.com'; // Add shadow effect imagettftext($im, 20, 0, 11, 21, $black, 'arial.ttf', $text); // Add main text $white = imagecolorallocate($im, 255, 255, 255); imagettftext($im, 20, 0, 10, 20, $white, 'arial.ttf', $text); imagejpeg($im, 'watermarked_photo.jpg', 90); imagedestroy($im);
Image-based watermark:
If you want to overlay a logo:
$main = imagecreatefromjpeg('photo.jpg'); $watermark = imagecreatefrommpng('logo.png'); $wm_width = imagesx($watermark); $wm_height = imagesy($watermark); // Place watermark at bottom-right corner imagecopy($main, $watermark, imagesx($main) - $wm_width - 10, imagesy($main) - $wm_height - 10, 0, 0, $wm_width, $wm_height); imagejpeg($main, 'watermarked_with_logo.jpg', 90); imagedestroy($main); imagedestroy($watermark);
Make sure the watermark PNG has transparency so it blends well.
These techniques work well for simple image manipulation needs. If you're dealing with many images or need more advanced features like filters or batch processing, consider looking into libraries like Imagine or ImageMagick.
But for resizing, cropping, and basic watermarking? GD gets the job done — no extra setup required in most cases.
Basically that's it.
The above is the detailed content of How do I use the GD library in PHP to resize, crop, and watermark images?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

To determine the strength of the password, it is necessary to combine regular and logical processing. The basic requirements include: 1. The length is no less than 8 digits; 2. At least containing lowercase letters, uppercase letters, and numbers; 3. Special character restrictions can be added; in terms of advanced aspects, continuous duplication of characters and incremental/decreasing sequences need to be avoided, which requires PHP function detection; at the same time, blacklists should be introduced to filter common weak passwords such as password and 123456; finally it is recommended to combine the zxcvbn library to improve the evaluation accuracy.

To merge two PHP arrays and keep unique values, there are two main methods. 1. For index arrays or only deduplication, use array_merge and array_unique combinations: first merge array_merge($array1,$array2) and then use array_unique() to deduplicate them to finally get a new array containing all unique values; 2. For associative arrays and want to retain key-value pairs in the first array, use the operator: $result=$array1 $array2, which will ensure that the keys in the first array will not be overwritten by the second array. These two methods are applicable to different scenarios, depending on whether the key name is retained or only the focus is on

To safely handle PHP file uploads, you need to verify the source and type, control the file name and path, set server restrictions, and process media files twice. 1. Verify the upload source to prevent CSRF through token and detect the real MIME type through finfo_file using whitelist control; 2. Rename the file to a random string and determine the extension to store it in a non-Web directory according to the detection type; 3. PHP configuration limits the upload size and temporary directory Nginx/Apache prohibits access to the upload directory; 4. The GD library resaves the pictures to clear potential malicious data.

Common problems and solutions for PHP variable scope include: 1. The global variable cannot be accessed within the function, and it needs to be passed in using the global keyword or parameter; 2. The static variable is declared with static, and it is only initialized once and the value is maintained between multiple calls; 3. Hyperglobal variables such as $_GET and $_POST can be used directly in any scope, but you need to pay attention to safe filtering; 4. Anonymous functions need to introduce parent scope variables through the use keyword, and when modifying external variables, you need to pass a reference. Mastering these rules can help avoid errors and improve code stability.

There are three common methods for PHP comment code: 1. Use // or # to block one line of code, and it is recommended to use //; 2. Use /.../ to wrap code blocks with multiple lines, which cannot be nested but can be crossed; 3. Combination skills comments such as using /if(){}/ to control logic blocks, or to improve efficiency with editor shortcut keys, you should pay attention to closing symbols and avoid nesting when using them.

The key to writing PHP comments is to clarify the purpose and specifications. Comments should explain "why" rather than "what was done", avoiding redundancy or too simplicity. 1. Use a unified format, such as docblock (/*/) for class and method descriptions to improve readability and tool compatibility; 2. Emphasize the reasons behind the logic, such as why JS jumps need to be output manually; 3. Add an overview description before complex code, describe the process in steps, and help understand the overall idea; 4. Use TODO and FIXME rationally to mark to-do items and problems to facilitate subsequent tracking and collaboration. Good annotations can reduce communication costs and improve code maintenance efficiency.

AgeneratorinPHPisamemory-efficientwaytoiterateoverlargedatasetsbyyieldingvaluesoneatatimeinsteadofreturningthemallatonce.1.Generatorsusetheyieldkeywordtoproducevaluesondemand,reducingmemoryusage.2.Theyareusefulforhandlingbigloops,readinglargefiles,or

There are two ways to create an array in PHP: use the array() function or use brackets []. 1. Using the array() function is a traditional way, with good compatibility. Define index arrays such as $fruits=array("apple","banana","orange"), and associative arrays such as $user=array("name"=>"John","age"=>25); 2. Using [] is a simpler way to support since PHP5.4, such as $color
