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  • Ubuntu 24.04

Self-host Immich on a VPS

Immich runs well on a GhostRDP Linux VPS Standard plan with 4 vCPU and 8 GB RAM in Germany or the Netherlands, from €12.99/mo.

Immich backs up photos and videos from your phone to your own server, with albums, sharing, search and face recognition. It runs as a set of Docker containers using the official Compose file.

Order Standard · €12.99/moInstall steps

  • Phone backup

    The Immich app uploads new photos and videos automatically.

  • Albums and sharing

    Share albums with family, organised by date and place.

  • Your photos, your server

    Stored on your VPS in Germany or the Netherlands.

Plans for Immich

Immich asks for at least 6 GB of RAM and 2 cores, and recommends 8 GB and 4 cores. Standard matches the recommendation; add NVMe storage at checkout for a big library.

  • Linux VPS Standard

    Recommended

    €12.99/mo

    €11.04/mo billed yearly, save €23/year

    • 4 vCPU
    • 8 GB ECC RAM
    • 70 GB NVMe
    • 1 Gbps port
    Order Standard

  • Linux VPS Pro

    €25.99/mo

    €22.09/mo billed yearly, save €46/year

    • 6 vCPU
    • 12 GB ECC RAM
    • 90 GB NVMe
    • 1 Gbps port
    Order Pro

  • Linux VPS Advanced

    €34.99/mo

    €29.74/mo billed yearly, save €62/year

    • 12 vCPU
    • 24 GB ECC RAM
    • 150 GB NVMe
    • 1 Gbps port
    Order Advanced

What you need

  • Operating system
    Linux VPS with Ubuntu 24.04
  • Minimum resources
    2 vCPU and 6 GB RAM; Immich recommends 4 vCPU and 8 GB
  • Storage
    Room for your library plus 10 to 20% for thumbnails and transcoded videos

Official site: docs.immich.app

How to install Immich

Written for Ubuntu 24.04 from the official instructions. Run the commands as root and replace YOUR_SERVER_IP with your server's address.

  1. 1

    Connect to your server over SSH

    Use the IP address and root password from your welcome email (the server page has a Copy SSH command button). Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux all include an SSH client in the terminal.

    Shell
    ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP
  2. 2

    Update the system

    Install the latest security updates before you add anything else.

    Shell
    apt update && apt -y upgrade
  3. 3

    Install Docker

    Docker's official convenience script adds Docker's own package repository and installs Docker Engine with the Compose plugin.

    Shell
    curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sh get-docker.sh
docker --version
  4. 4

    Download Immich's Compose files

    The official docker-compose.yml and example settings from the latest release.

    Shell
    mkdir -p /opt/immich-app && cd /opt/immich-app
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
  5. 5

    Edit the settings

    Open .env, change DB_PASSWORD from its default, and check UPLOAD_LOCATION (where your photos are stored, ./library by default).

    Shell
    nano .env
  6. 6

    Start Immich

    Downloads the images and starts all containers.

    Shell
    docker compose up -d
docker compose ps
  7. 7

    Create the admin account

    Open http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:2283 and create the administrator account, then install the Immich app on your phone and sign in with the server address.

After installing

  • HTTPS
    Put Immich behind a domain with HTTPS (for example Caddy as a reverse proxy) before you use it away from home.
  • Updating
    Read the release notes, then docker compose pull && docker compose up -d in /opt/immich-app.
  • Backups
    Server backups are not included, and Immich is not a backup on its own. Keep a copy of your library and database elsewhere.

Immich questions

Which plan do I need for Immich?

Standard matches Immich's recommended 4 cores and 8 GB RAM. Add NVMe storage at checkout for large libraries.

Does face recognition work without a GPU?

Yes, Immich's machine learning runs on the CPU. The first scan of a big library takes a while.

Is Immich free?

Immich is open source. Check its website for its current license and support options.

Where are my photos stored?

On your server's NVMe disk in Germany or the Netherlands, in the folder set as UPLOAD_LOCATION.

Stuck on a step? Our team answers on live chat and in tickets.

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