My Photos, My Hands! A Beginner’s Guide to Setting Up Immich, the Open-Source Personal Photo Gallery

D: 📸 Tired of relying on big tech companies to store your precious memories? Want a private, self-hosted alternative to Google Photos? Meet Immich – the open-source photo gallery that puts you in control!

In this guide, we’ll walk you through setting up Immich on your own server (or even a Raspberry Pi!) so you can backup, organize, and enjoy your photos without sacrificing privacy.

🔍 What is Immich?

Immich is a self-hosted photo and video backup solution that offers:
✅ Google Photos-like experience (timeline, albums, face recognition*)
✅ End-to-end encryption (your data stays yours)
✅ Mobile & web apps (access anywhere)
✅ Auto-upload from phone (just like the big guys)
✅ Open-source & free (no sneaky subscriptions)

🚧 Face recognition is still in development*

🛠️ How to Install Immich (Step-by-Step)

📌 Before You Start

You’ll need:

• A server (Linux, Docker, or even a Raspberry Pi)
• Basic command-line knowledge (don’t worry, we’ll guide you!)

🐳 Option 1: Docker (Easiest Method)

Immich runs smoothly in Docker containers. Here’s how:

1. Install Docker & Docker Compose

   curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
   sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
   sudo systemctl enable docker

2. Create a docker-compose.yml file

   version: "3.8"
   
   services:
    immich-server:
      image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-server:latest
      container_name: immich-server
      volumes:
        - ./data/upload:/usr/src/app/upload
      env_file:
        - .env
      ports:
        - "2283:3001"
      depends_on:
        - redis
        - database
      restart: unless-stopped
   
    # ... (Add Redis & PostgreSQL services too)

   (Full example: Immich Docs)

3. Run Immich!

   docker-compose up -d

   Visit http://your-server-ip:2283 and start uploading!

🖥️ Option 2: Bare Metal (Advanced)

If you prefer no Docker, install manually:

1. Install Node.js, PostgreSQL, Redis

   sudo apt install postgresql redis

2. Clone Immich & Configure

   git clone https://github.com/immich-app/immich.git
   cd immich
   npm install
   cp .env.example .env
   nano .env  # Edit your DB settings

3. Run the Server

   npm run start:prod

📱 Mobile App Setup

Immich has Android & iOS apps for auto-upload:

1. Download the app (GitHub Releases)
2. Connect to your server (e.g., http://your-ip:2283)
3. Enable auto-upload – now your phone backs up automatically!

🔒 Why Self-Host Your Photos?

• No more privacy concerns (Google/Apple don’t scan your pics)
• Full control over storage (use your own hard drives)
• No subscription fees (pay once for hardware, not monthly)

🚀 Final Thoughts

Immich is still in development, but it’s already the best open-source Google Photos alternative! 🎉

🔗 Official Website: https://immich.app
🔗 GitHub: https://github.com/immich-app/immich

💬 Have you tried Immich? Share your experience below! 👇