QR Code Reader API Reference

Overview

This API uses advanced image processing techniques to detect and decode QR codes from images. It supports various QR code formats and can extract URLs, plain text, contact information, and other encoded data.

Endpoint

One host, one path per API. The block below shows this call in four languages; every one of them is the same HTTP request. Making requests covers the timeouts, retries and parameter rules that apply to all of them. The SDKs wrap the same call in a typed client.

POSThttps://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader

curl -X POST https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader \
  -H "x-api-key: your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "image": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Commons_QR_code.png"
}'

const res = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'x-api-key': 'your_api_key_here',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "image": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Commons_QR_code.png"
}),
});

if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${res.status} ${await res.text()}`);

const { data } = await res.json();
console.log(data);

import requests

res = requests.post(
    "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader",
    headers={"x-api-key": "your_api_key_here"},
    json={
    "image": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Commons_QR_code.png"
},
    timeout=15,
)
res.raise_for_status()

print(res.json()["data"])

package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"io"
	"net/http"
	"strings"
)

func main() {
	body := strings.NewReader(`{
  "image": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Commons_QR_code.png"
}`)
	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/qrcodereader", body)
	req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
	req.Header.Set("x-api-key", "your_api_key_here")

	res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
	defer res.Body.Close()

	out, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
	fmt.Println(string(out))
}

Replace your_api_key_here with the key from your dashboard. When the inputs arrive as a list rather than one at a time, batch requests run up to 200 of them through this same API in a single call.

Authentication

Send your key in the x-api-key header. That is the only auth step — there is no token exchange and no per-endpoint scope to configure. Authentication covers creating, rotating and revoking keys.

401 is the only auth verdict

A 401 means the key is missing, invalid or expired. A 403 means the key is valid but not permitted here — blocked by a key restriction or an IP allow-list. Running out of credits is a 429.

Parameters

Sent as JSON in the request body. Premium parameters are accepted on every plan but only take effect on plans that include them.

Parameter	Type	Description
`image`Optional	string	Upload an image file containing a QR code to decode (supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF)

Response

Every API returns the same three top-level keys, so one response handler covers your whole integration: status, error and data. Only data changes shape. Response format covers the envelope, the other output formats and how premium fields are withheld.

Sample response

{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "text": "'Twas brillig",
    "location": {
      "topLeft": {
        "x": 9.927694968294492,
        "y": 9.927694968294492
      },
      "topRight": {
        "x": 215.24999999999997,
        "y": 9.749999999999996
      },
      "bottomLeft": {
        "x": 9.749999999999996,
        "y": 215.24999999999997
      },
      "bottomRight": {
        "x": 216.14779062994094,
        "y": 216.14779062994094
      }
    }
  }
}

Response fields

Paths are relative to data. Premium fields are absent rather than zeroed on plans that do not include them, so check for presence instead of comparing to 0.

Field	Type	Example	Description
`text`	string	`"'Twas brillig"`	Decoded text extracted from the QR code image
`location`Premium	object	`{...}`	Object containing QR code position and corner coordinates
`topLeft`Premium	object	`{...}`	Top left corner coordinates with x and y values
`x`Premium	number	`9.927694968294492`	X coordinate of top left corner position
`y`Premium	number	`9.927694968294492`	Y coordinate of top left corner position
`topRight`Premium	object	`{...}`	Top right corner coordinates with x and y values
`x`Premium	number	`215.24999999999997`	X coordinate of top right corner position
`y`Premium	number	`9.749999999999996`	Y coordinate of top right corner position
`bottomLeft`Premium	object	`{...}`	Bottom left corner coordinates with x and y values
`x`Premium	number	`9.749999999999996`	X coordinate of bottom left corner position
`y`Premium	number	`215.24999999999997`	Y coordinate of bottom left corner position
`bottomRight`Premium	object	`{...}`	Bottom right corner coordinates with x and y values
`x`Premium	number	`216.14779062994094`	X coordinate of bottom right corner position
`y`Premium	number	`216.14779062994094`	Y coordinate of bottom right corner position

Errors

Read the HTTP status first, then error for the specific reason. The body names the parameter that has to change. Error handling covers the full status list and which of them are worth retrying.

Status	Meaning	What to do
`400`	Input was rejected	Read `error`; it names the parameter.
`401`	Key missing or invalid	Check the header name and the key value.
`403`	Key valid, but not permitted	A key restriction or IP allow-list; see key scoping.
`429`	Rate limited, or out of credits	Read `error` to tell them apart; see rate limits.

Use cases

Inventory Management: Scan QR codes on products for tracking and management
Event Check-In: Quickly read QR codes for attendee registration and access control
Marketing Campaigns: Decode QR codes from promotional materials to track engagement
Data Extraction: Extract encoded information from QR codes for various applications

Set up QR Code Reader

Ready to put it to work? Set up QR Code Reader on APIVerve.

QR Code Reader