Immich Quick Start Guide: How to Install Immich with Docker and Back Up Photos

If you want a fast way to self-host your photo library, Immich offers a streamlined setup process that gets you running in minutes. This Immich quick start guide walks through a simple Docker-based installation, basic configuration, first login, mobile app setup, and backup considerations. It is ideal for anyone who wants to test Immich before moving on to a more customized deployment.

System Requirements

Before you install Immich, make sure your server or computer meets the minimum requirements for a smooth experience.

• At least 6 GB of RAM
• A minimum of 2 CPU cores
• Docker installed and working properly

For production deployments or larger photo libraries, reviewing the official hardware and software recommendations is a smart next step.

Step 1: Create the Immich Directory and Download Setup Files

Start by creating a dedicated folder for your Immich Docker deployment. This directory will store your docker-compose.yml and .env files.

mkdir ./immich-app

cd ./immich-app

Next, download the required Docker Compose configuration and environment file.

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

If you prefer, you can download both files manually in a browser and place them into your new directory. If you do that, make sure the environment file is named .env.

Step 2: Configure the Immich Environment File

The .env file controls key settings for your Immich server, including where uploads are stored, where the PostgreSQL database lives, and which application version Docker should run.

Important values to review include:

• UPLOAD_LOCATION: Set this to the folder where your photos and videos will be stored. Choose a location with enough available disk space.
• DB_DATA_LOCATION: This defines where the database files are saved. Avoid network shares for the database directory.
• TZ: Uncomment and update this value to match your local timezone.
• IMMICH_VERSION: Leave the default if you want the standard current major release, or pin a specific version if needed.
• DB_PASSWORD: Replace the default password with a stronger custom value using only letters and numbers.

Although the database is typically not exposed publicly, using a unique password is still recommended for better local security and cleaner server administration.

Step 3: Start Immich with Docker Compose

Once your configuration is ready, launch the Immich containers from inside the setup directory.

docker compose up -d

This command starts Immich in detached mode, allowing it to run in the background as a service.

Open the Immich Web App

After the containers are running, open your browser and go to http://<machine-ip-address>:2283. This will load the Immich web interface.

The first account created on a new server becomes the administrator account. Click the Getting Started button, complete the registration process, and sign in.

Once logged in, upload a photo through the browser to confirm that the installation is working correctly.

Install the Immich Mobile App

Immich also provides a mobile app, making it easy to browse your library and back up photos directly from your phone.

You can install the mobile app from several sources:

• Obtainium
• Google Play Store
• Apple App Store
• F-Droid
• GitHub Releases for the APK package

Choose the version that best matches your device and app distribution preference.

Sign In to the Mobile App

When opening the Immich mobile app for the first time, enter your server endpoint using the same address as the web app:

http://<machine-ip-address>:2283

Log in with the account you created on the server. If your earlier browser upload was successful, you should already see that photo appear in the mobile interface.

Back Up Photos from Your Phone

Immich is especially useful for automatic photo backup and self-hosted media management. To begin uploading images from your mobile device:

• Open the backup screen from the cloud icon in the app
• Select the albums or folders you want to sync
• Scroll down and tap Enable Backup

The app will start transferring photos and videos from the selected albums to your Immich server. Upload time depends on your library size, device performance, and network speed.

If you want to test the system quickly, you can begin with only a small group of photos before enabling full backup.

Monitor Processing Jobs

As your files upload, Immich processes them in the background. You can review progress from the Job Queues section in the web interface. This is helpful for checking whether thumbnails, metadata extraction, and other tasks are completing as expected.

Understand Backup and Restore

Immich includes built-in database backup support, which helps protect metadata and account information. However, it is important to understand what this does and does not cover.

The database backup contains information such as:

• User accounts
• Photo metadata
• Application settings
• Library indexing details

It does not replace file-level backups for your actual media library. You should still create your own backup plan for everything stored in UPLOAD_LOCATION, including photos and videos.

What to Do Next

After testing the basic installation, you can expand your Immich setup in several ways:

• Move to a different installation method that better matches your environment
• Import older libraries from Google Photos exports
• Upload content from a local archive using command-line tools
• Connect an existing media collection as an external library
• Enable automatic mobile photo backup for daily use

These options make Immich a flexible self-hosted photo backup solution for both casual users and more advanced home server setups.

Conclusion

Installing Immich with Docker is one of the quickest ways to build a private photo backup server and explore its features. With a small amount of configuration, you can launch the web app, create an admin account, connect the mobile app, and begin uploading photos from your devices. Once you confirm everything is working, the next priority should be planning reliable storage and backup protection for your media files. That foundation will help you turn a simple Immich test deployment into a dependable long-term photo management platform.