When working with Laravel or any PHP project using Composer, you might encounter an error like this:

Problem 1
    - Root composer.json requires PHP extension ext-intl * but it is missing from your system. Install or enable PHP's intl extension.
Problem 2
    - mpdf/mpdf requires ext-gd * -> it is missing from your system. Install or enable PHP's gd extension.

This error usually appears when you try to install or update packages such as mpdf/mpdf, PhpSpreadsheet, or maatwebsite/excel in your PHP project.

Let’s understand what causes this and how to fix it step by step.

⚙️ What Causes This Error?

The error occurs because your PHP environment doesn’t have two required extensions enabled:

1. intl (Internationalization extension) — used for localization, date/time formatting, etc.
2. gd (Graphics Draw extension) — used for image processing and generating PDFs or Excel files.

Even though these extensions are included with PHP by default, they are often disabled in the configuration file.

🧩 Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Open the php.ini File

If you’re using XAMPP, your php.ini file is located at:

C:\xampp\php\php.ini

You can open it using Notepad, VS Code, or any text editor.

Step 2: Enable the Required Extensions

In the file, press Ctrl + F and search for:

;extension=intl
;extension=gd

You’ll see both lines commented out with a semicolon (;).

Remove the semicolon at the beginning of each line:

✅ Before:

;extension=intl
;extension=gd

✅ After:

extension=intl
extension=gd

Save the file once you’ve made the changes.

Step 3: Restart Apache Server

After saving, open your XAMPP Control Panel and restart Apache:

1. Click Stop next to Apache
2. Then click Start again

This ensures the changes in php.ini take effect.

Step 4: Verify the Extensions

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell, and type:

php -m

This command lists all enabled PHP extensions.
Make sure you can see both intl and gd in the list.

Step 5: Run Composer Again

Now, go back to your project directory and run:

composer install

If everything is set up correctly, Composer will install the required dependencies without any errors.

🧰 Optional: Temporary Workaround

If you’re in a hurry and just want to bypass the check temporarily (not recommended), you can run:

composer install --ignore-platform-req=ext-intl --ignore-platform-req=ext-gd

However, this only skips the requirement—it doesn’t solve the underlying problem. Your project may not work properly if those extensions are truly needed.

✅ Final Thoughts

This issue is common among developers using XAMPP or WAMP for local PHP development.
The solution is simple: enable the missing extensions and restart your server.

Once done, Composer will run smoothly, and your project will load all dependencies successfully.