guide · #selfhost · 20 min

Set Up Immich: Self-Hosted Google Photos

Cech Tech Reviews

A free, self-hosted alternative to Google Photos with face recognition, map view, sharing, and automatic phone backups. Your photos stay on your hardware.

1. 1

   Download the Docker Compose file

   mkdir ~/immich && cd ~/immich
   curl -o docker-compose.yml https://github.com/immich-app/immich/releases/latest/download/docker-compose.yml
   curl -o .env https://github.com/immich-app/immich/releases/latest/download/example.env

2. 2

   Configure the environment

   Edit the .env file. Set UPLOAD_LOCATION to where you want photos stored (needs lots of space). Set DB_PASSWORD to something secure. Set TZ to your timezone.

3. 3

   Start the stack

   docker compose up -d

   This starts 6 containers: server, microservices, machine learning, Redis, PostgreSQL, and the proxy. Give it a minute to initialize.

4. 4

   Create your account

   Open /:2283. Create your admin account. This is your personal photo library.

5. 5

   Install the mobile app

   Download 'Immich' from the App Store or Play Store. Sign in with your server URL and credentials. Enable auto-backup for camera roll photos.

6. 6

   Explore features

   Face recognition groups photos by person. The map view shows where you took each photo. Shared albums work like Google Photos sharing. All running on your own hardware.