this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2026
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If you install immich in your homelab, you can just transfer all the images off your device very easily with the immich app.
Probably the only way to keep them private from big tech. But the long term solution is to not use the official Android or Apple systems and to root your phone and install cyanogenmod or something similar without Google apps.
But that means some apps wont work at all, so thats the price to pay for that freedom.
Or you can just buy a separate camera and stop using your phone for that.
Immich is a nightmare to install.
I've had zero problems installing it and exposing it on one of my subdomains via nginx. I thought it was one of the easiest things to install and configure. Like, no errors or unknowns when installing.
That being said, this isn't something the average user will be or even should be doing. Its a niche product for the tech literate, not an alternative for what cloud providers are offering. I'd not recommend it to anyone who can't tell the difference between "wifi" and "internet".
I mean I definitely know the difference between WiFi and internet, but I've never set up a server and have no idea how to even start.
Just a euphemism to get rid of the common denominator and if you have a desire to learn, you will be going beyond what the average person knows about computers. An immich server is not a particularly difficult thing to achieve. Think about hardware first, where it will run and where you want something running 24/7 (or not?). Then move to OS and software. Once you got it working locally, think about backups and how you will access it from the internet as your next steps.
If you are a "learn as you go" type, you already have a goal and that's exactly what you need to start.
Sorry I'm being so abstract, but anything else and I'd just be giving you a guide lol.
Not sure if this is helpful or still too technical, but take a look: https://selfhosting.sh/foundations/getting-started/
It was fairly easy with a docker config. What issues did you have?
I just ran their docker compose and it worked out of the box
I can give you a docker compose that will just work if you want, as long as you have a domain name and a ingress controller running. But yes, its not easy.
Maybe its because I used nextcloud previously but, immich felt like a breeze to install.