Install ImageMagick and PHP Imagick as two related but separate components. ImageMagick provides the magick image-processing program and libraries; Imagick is the PHP extension that calls those libraries. On most Linux systems, start with the distribution package manager, then verify the command-line tool and the PHP runtime independently. Use a source build only when repository versions, delegates, or installation prefixes do not meet your requirements.
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ImageMagick and Imagick are not the same package
ImageMagick is the native image-processing suite. Its command-line entry point is magick, and its libraries provide operations such as reading, resizing, compositing, and writing images. A successful ImageMagick installation can therefore be tested without PHP:
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magick identify -versionImagick is a native PHP extension that exposes the ImageMagick API to PHP code. The PHP manual describes it as a PECL extension that is not bundled with PHP. Installing ImageMagick alone does not make new Imagick() available, and installing a PHP package alone does not replace the ImageMagick libraries and executable.
The extension name is imagick. Do not use the names of command-line utilities such as convert as a PHP module name. The two layers must be compatible at build time and at runtime.
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- ImageMagick layer: the
magickexecutable, shared libraries, delegates, and security policy. - PHP layer:
imagick.so, the PHP configuration entry that loads it, and the PHP SAPI (CLI, PHP-FPM, or Apache) that executes your application.
PECL metadata lists ImageMagick 6.5.3-10 or newer and PHP 5.6.0 or newer as minimum requirements. Those figures are package metadata, not a promise that every current Imagick release works with every combination of ImageMagick and PHP. The Imagick 3.8.1 stable release is dated November 26, 2025; check the package or source version available for your distribution before selecting a build.
Choose an installation method
| Method | Repository maintenance and updates | Version and delegate control | PHP-SAPI matching | Portability | Policy control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distribution packages | Managed by your Linux distribution, including security updates when the repositories provide them | Limited to repository versions and enabled build options | Usually easiest because the package manager supplies the matching PHP module | Specific to the distribution and release | Uses the distribution configuration; review it before exposing services |
| Source builds | You must track releases, rebuilds, and security fixes | Highest control over version, prefix, and optional delegates | Requires matching phpize, headers, compiler, and ImageMagick development metadata |
Can be installed under a controlled prefix, but is not a self-contained binary | You control the installed policy files and delegates |
| Official AppImage (ImageMagick only) | You download and replace the application yourself | Provides the packaged ImageMagick build supplied in the AppImage | Does not install imagick.so; PHP integration is a separate task |
Portable across compatible Linux systems without a traditional install | Inspect the policy with magick -list policy before enabling risky formats or delegates |
The Imagick project says that the best installation route is a package manager such as apt, yum, or brew, because it installs ImageMagick as well. For a normal server or development workstation, use that route first. Choose source when a repository is too old, you need a particular delegate or codec, or you must control the installation prefix. Choose an AppImage when you need a portable ImageMagick executable but do not want to replace system packages.
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Prepare by identifying the PHP runtime that matters
Installing into the wrong PHP version is the most common reason that php -m and a web application disagree. Before changing packages, record the CLI binary, its version, and its configuration files:
command -v php
php -v
php --iniThen determine how the application runs. A command-line script uses the PHP binary shown above. A web application may use PHP-FPM behind a web server or an Apache PHP module, potentially with a different version and a different php.ini. Inspect the PHP-FPM pool configuration and service name used by your distribution rather than assuming that the CLI settings apply to the web process.
Plan a service restart after enabling Imagick. PHP-FPM workers, Apache processes, queue workers, and other long-running processes keep the old module list until they are restarted.
Install on Debian and Ubuntu-family systems
1. Check the available PHP package
Debian and Ubuntu repositories commonly provide a generic php-imagick package and, on some releases, a versioned package such as one tied to a specific PHP branch. The package name and repository availability depend on the release. Check what your enabled repositories offer:
apt-cache policy php-imagick
apt-cache search imagickUse the package matching the PHP version that your application actually runs. Do not install a module for one PHP branch and expect another branch to load it.
2. Install ImageMagick and Imagick
sudo apt update
sudo apt install imagemagick php-imagickIf your release uses a versioned PHP package, substitute that package for php-imagick. The package manager should pull the corresponding ImageMagick libraries and any required dependencies.
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3. Verify both layers
magick identify -version
php -m | grep -i imagick
php --ri imagickThe first command confirms that the executable is present. The second shows whether the active CLI PHP loaded a module named imagick; the third displays the extension’s compiled and runtime information. If the first command succeeds but the latter commands do not, troubleshoot PHP configuration rather than reinstalling ImageMagick.
4. Restart the service used by the application
Restart the PHP-FPM service, Apache, or another relevant worker after package installation. Service names vary by release and PHP branch, so use the service name installed on your machine. Reloading a web server without restarting its PHP-FPM pool may leave old workers in place.
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1. Confirm the repository package names
Fedora, RHEL-compatible distributions, and other RPM-based systems use package names that vary by release and enabled repositories. Search before installing:
dnf search ImageMagick
dnf search imagickOlder systems may use yum instead of dnf. The usual pattern is an ImageMagick package plus the repository’s PHP Imagick package (often named along the lines of php-pecl-imagick), but confirm the exact name for your release.
2. Install the packages
sudo dnf install ImageMagick php-pecl-imagickReplace the second name if your repository uses a different package. Keep the ImageMagick and PHP packages from compatible repositories; mixing independently built libraries with a distribution PHP module can produce loader errors.
3. Verify and restart
magick identify -version
php -m | grep -i imagick
php --ri imagickRestart the PHP-FPM or Apache service that serves the application. Run the checks again as the same user and with the same PHP binary used by the service where possible.
Use the official ImageMagick AppImage when portability matters
The official ImageMagick download page lists a pre-built Linux AppImage. It is a complete portable ImageMagick application and does not require a traditional package installation. Download the file from that page, place it in a controlled directory, and make it executable:
chmod +x ImageMagick-*.AppImage
./ImageMagick-*.AppImage identify -versionThe exact filename depends on the release you downloaded. Running it from its directory avoids accidentally selecting a different system binary. You can also invoke the AppImage with the arguments normally passed to magick.
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An AppImage supplies ImageMagick only. It does not install a PHP extension, modify php.ini, or make php --ri imagick succeed. Install Imagick separately through a distribution package or a source/PECL build. If the extension was compiled against a system ImageMagick while your application invokes the AppImage, the two installations are still separate; ensure that the libraries used at build and runtime are the ones you intend.
Review the security policy before processing untrusted files or enabling formats that invoke delegates. Inspect the active policy with:
./ImageMagick-*.AppImage -list policyDepending on how the AppImage is invoked, the command may be magick -list policy when the AppImage is integrated into your path. Policies commonly restrict formats such as PDF and PostScript or external delegates for good reason. Do not weaken those restrictions without assessing the files and users your service accepts.
Build ImageMagick from source
A source build is justified when the distribution version is too old, a required delegate or codec is missing, or you need a controlled prefix such as /opt or /usr/local. It also transfers responsibility for upgrades and security fixes to you.
1. Install development prerequisites
Install a compiler toolchain, make, pkg-config, and the ImageMagick development package supplied by your distribution. The development package contains MagickCore and MagickWand headers and the metadata that later builds use to locate them. Package names differ: Debian-family systems use a -dev convention, while RPM systems commonly use -devel. Add development packages for any delegates or codecs you explicitly need.
2. Configure and compile
Obtain a released ImageMagick source archive from the official source guide, unpack it, and run the build from the unpacked directory:
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cd ImageMagick-<version>
./configure --prefix=/usr/local
make -j"$(nproc)"
sudo make install
sudo ldconfigThe --prefix value controls where files are installed. If you choose a nonstandard prefix, ensure that its bin directory is on PATH and its library directory is visible to the dynamic linker. A successful build does not automatically mean that an existing shell or service will select the new binary; verify the path explicitly:
command -v magick
magick identify -versionKeep the source build’s major version consistent with the libraries against which Imagick will be compiled. If you later remove or replace those libraries, the PHP extension may fail to load even though its file remains present.
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Build and enable Imagick from source
Use this route when no compatible distribution package exists or when you need to pair Imagick with a custom ImageMagick installation. The PHP development headers and build tools must correspond to the exact PHP binary that will load the extension.
1. Check PHP build tooling and ImageMagick metadata
php -v
phpize --version
pkg-config --modversion MagickWandphpize must target the same PHP branch as the runtime. If pkg-config cannot find MagickWand or MagickCore, install the ImageMagick development package or point PKG_CONFIG_PATH at the .pc files under your chosen prefix. A successful command-line ImageMagick installation alone is not sufficient for compiling a PHP extension.
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2. Fetch and compile the Imagick extension
git clone https://github.com/Imagick/imagick
cd imagick
phpize
./configure
make -j"$(nproc)"
sudo make installThe configure step should report the ImageMagick headers and libraries it will use. Read warnings carefully; proceeding after a missing MagickWand detection usually produces an extension that cannot be linked correctly.
3. Add the extension to the PHP configuration
Installing imagick.so does not necessarily enable it. Find the configuration files read by the target SAPI with php --ini, then add this directive to an appropriate additional ini file:
extension=imagick.soOn distributions with a module helper, use that helper only after confirming that it points to the PHP branch used by the application. For a custom prefix or a separately installed PHP, place the directive in the configuration directory reported by that PHP binary. Do not edit a CLI-only file and assume PHP-FPM will read it.
4. Verify and restart
php --ri imagick
php -m | grep -i imagickRestart PHP-FPM, Apache, or the relevant worker after enabling the directive. The first successful CLI check proves only that the CLI SAPI loaded the module; verify the web SAPI separately.
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Create a temporary diagnostic script in a protected development location and serve it through the same virtual host and PHP-FPM pool as the application:
<?php
if (class_exists('Imagick')) {
$image = new Imagick();
echo "Imagick loadedn";
} else {
echo "Imagick is not loadedn";
}
?>Remove the diagnostic file after testing; a public PHP information endpoint can disclose paths and build details. If the script says that Imagick is missing while the CLI check succeeds, compare the web pool’s PHP version, php.ini path, extension directory, and enabled ini files with the output from php --ini. Restart the pool after every configuration change.
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For command-line applications, run the test with the exact interpreter used by the job. A cron entry, supervisor-managed worker, container, or virtual environment may call a different php binary than the interactive shell.
Troubleshoot common failures
php -m does not show imagick
- Run
command -v php,php -v, andphp --inito confirm the interpreter and configuration path. - Check that an ini file read by that interpreter contains
extension=imagick.soor that the distribution’s module helper enabled it. - Confirm that the extension was installed into this PHP’s extension directory, not another version’s directory.
- Run
php --ri imagick; its error output often identifies a missing shared library or an ini-loading problem.
The build cannot find MagickWand or MagickCore
Install the ImageMagick development headers and pkg-config metadata. If ImageMagick is under a custom prefix, export a PKG_CONFIG_PATH containing that prefix’s package files and ensure the compiler and linker can see the same prefix. Re-run ./configure after correcting the paths; changing them only at link time can leave an inconsistent build.
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This usually indicates that the extension was built against a different ImageMagick major version or library path than the one available at runtime. Compare magick identify -version and the ImageMagick libraries selected by the dynamic linker with the versions used during the Imagick configure step. Rebuild Imagick against the runtime libraries, or restore the matching ImageMagick installation, then restart every PHP worker.
The CLI works but the website fails
CLI PHP and the web SAPI can use different PHP versions, ini directories, extension directories, and environment variables. Inspect the PHP-FPM pool configuration, confirm its executable and loaded ini files, and restart the pool. Test with a minimal script through the actual web application path rather than relying on a shell command.
ImageMagick works but a format is blocked
Inspect the policy with magick -list policy. PDF, PostScript, and external delegates may be intentionally disabled. Treat policy changes as a security decision: review the input trust boundary, limit service permissions, and enable only the formats and delegates required by the application.
The AppImage is ignored
Check which executable is being selected with command -v magick. Invoke the AppImage by its explicit path or adjust PATH for the service that needs it. Remember that this changes ImageMagick selection only; it does not alter the PHP extension already loaded by PHP.
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Operational checks after installation
- Record the ImageMagick version, Imagick version, PHP version, and installation prefix so future upgrades can reproduce the environment.
- Apply distribution security updates when using packages; for source and AppImage installations, monitor releases and replace them deliberately.
- Run
magick identify -versionandphp --ri imagickafter upgrades or library changes. - Keep ImageMagick policy restrictive for untrusted uploads, especially when PDF, PostScript, or external delegates are not required.
- Restart PHP-FPM, Apache, queue workers, and other persistent processes after changing extensions or shared libraries.
For most Linux installations, the package-manager route gives the least fragile combination of ImageMagick, Imagick, and PHP-SAPI configuration. Source builds and AppImages remain useful when you need version or portability control, but they require you to manage library paths, policy, compatibility, and updates explicitly.
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