Skip to main content

Get UNLIMITED Photos Backup with IMMICH - The Google Photos Alternative

How to Install Immich - Self Hosted Google Photos Alternative

How to Install Immich – The Ultimate Self-Hosted Google Photos Alternative

Immich is one of the best self-hosted alternatives to Google Photos. In this guide you'll learn how to install Immich using Docker, configure photo storage, connect mobile devices, and securely access your library from anywhere.

  • ✅ Docker Installation
  • ✅ Immich Deployment
  • ✅ Unlimited Photo Storage
  • ✅ AI Face Recognition
  • ✅ Mobile Auto Backup
  • ✅ Nginx Proxy Manager
  • ✅ Free SSL Certificates
Requirements:
  • Ubuntu 22.04 / Debian 12
  • Minimum 2 CPU Cores
  • 6GB RAM Minimum (8GB Recommended)
  • 20GB+ Storage
  • Sudo Access
  • Internet Connection

📸 What is Immich?

Immich is a self-hosted photo and video management platform with automatic backups, AI search, face recognition, albums, memories and mobile apps while keeping your data under your control.

⚡ Step 1 — Update the Server

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

🐳 Step 2 — Install Docker

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sudo sh

Verify Docker:

docker --version

📦 Step 3 — Verify Docker Compose

docker compose version

👤 Step 4 — Configure Docker Permissions

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Log out and back in.

📁 Step 5 — Create the Immich Directory

mkdir ~/immich-app
cd ~/immich-app

⬇️ Step 6 — Download Official Files

wget -O docker-compose.yml https://github.com/immich-app/immich/releases/latest/download/docker-compose.yml

wget -O .env https://github.com/immich-app/immich/releases/latest/download/example.env

⚙️ Step 7 — Configure Environment Variables

nano .env
UPLOAD_LOCATION=/mnt/photos/immich
DB_DATA_LOCATION=./postgres
TZ=Asia/Karachi
DB_PASSWORD=ImmichSecurePassword123

📂 Step 8 — Create Storage Directory

mkdir -p /mnt/photos/immich

🚀 Step 9 — Deploy Immich

docker compose up -d

Verify containers:

docker ps

🌐 Step 10 — Access the Dashboard

http://SERVER-IP:2283

📱 Step 11 — Configure Mobile Backups

  • Install the Immich mobile app
  • Login to your server
  • Enable automatic backup
  • Select camera folders
  • Allow background sync

🧠 Step 12 — AI Features

  • Face Recognition
  • Object Detection
  • Smart Search
  • Location Search
  • Memories
Initial indexing may take several hours depending on the size of your photo library.

🔒 Step 13 — Configure Nginx Proxy Manager

  • Domain: photos.example.com
  • Forward Host: SERVER-IP
  • Forward Port: 2283

🌍 Step 14 — Enable SSL

  • Request Let's Encrypt Certificate
  • Enable Force SSL
  • Enable HTTP/2
  • Enable HSTS

🔄 Step 15 — Update Immich

cd ~/immich-app
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

🛡️ Step 16 — Backup Recommendations

  • Backup your photo storage directory
  • Backup PostgreSQL data
  • Use external HDDs or NAS storage
  • Follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy

🎉 Final Result

You now have a complete self-hosted Google Photos alternative with unlimited storage, AI-powered search, automatic mobile backups, and full control over your data.

Possible Next Steps:
  • Cloudflare Integration
  • Multiple Users
  • Shared Albums
  • Hardware Acceleration
  • Automated Backups
  • External Storage Integration

📸 Unlimited Storage • Complete Privacy • Your Photos, Your Control

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment