How to Self-Host Immich on a VPS (Complete Guide)

Self-hosting an application can provide you with greater control over your data and enhance your privacy. Immich, a self-hosted photo and video backup solution, can be easily set up on a Virtual Private Server (VPS). In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to install Immich on a VPS, using Docker for containerization.

We host our own photo library this way, and the thing worth knowing before you begin is that the install is the easy part. Getting the first few thousand photos uploaded, and having a backup you actually trust afterwards, is the work.

What You Need

VPS Provider: Choose a VPS provider that fits your needs. Here are some options:

Provider	Price (EUR/USD)	Features	Link
Contabo VPS	5.99 EUR/mo	SSD Storage, Backup Options	Contabo
Hetzner Cloud	5.49 EUR/mo	High Performance, Scalability	Hetzner
DigitalOcean	6 USD/mo	User-Friendly, Developer Ecosystem	DigitalOcean
Vultr	6 USD/mo	Global Data Centers, Fast Setup	Vultr
Linode	5 USD/mo	Reliable Support, Advanced Networking	Linode

For a full VPS comparison, visit this page.

Domain Name: A domain name is recommended for accessing your Immich installation.
Basic Knowledge: Familiarity with Linux commands and Docker.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Step 1: Set Up Your VPS

Choose Your OS: For this installation, we’ll be using Ubuntu 22.04. Other distributions can be used but may require adjustments in commands.
Access Your VPS: Connect to your VPS using SSH. Replace user and ip_address with your credentials:
```
ssh user@ip_address
```
Update the Package Repository:
```
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
```

Step 2: Install Docker

Install Required Packages:

sudo apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common -y

Add Docker’s Official GPG Key:

sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

Set Up the Stable Repository:

echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

Install Docker:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce -y

Enable Docker to Start on Boot:

sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker

Step 3: Install Docker Compose

Download Docker Compose:

sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/latest/download/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Set Permissions:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Verify Installation:
```
docker-compose --version
```

Step 4: Deploy Immich

Create a Directory for Immich:
```
mkdir ~/immich
cd ~/immich
```

Create a Docker Compose File:

nano docker-compose.yml

Add the following configuration:

services:
  immich-server:
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-server:release
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "2283:2283"
    environment:
      DB_HOSTNAME: database
      DB_USERNAME: immich
      DB_PASSWORD: your-secure-password
      DB_DATABASE_NAME: immich
      REDIS_HOSTNAME: redis
      UPLOAD_LOCATION: ./library
    volumes:
      - ./library:/data
    depends_on:
      - database
      - redis

  immich-machine-learning:
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-machine-learning:release
    restart: always
    volumes:
      - model-cache:/cache

  redis:
    image: docker.io/valkey/valkey:9
    restart: always

  database:
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/postgres:14-vectorchord0.4.3-pgvectors0.2.0
    restart: always
    environment:
      POSTGRES_USER: immich
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: your-secure-password
      POSTGRES_DB: immich
    volumes:
      - db-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

volumes:
  db-data:
  model-cache:

Start the Immich Service:
```
docker-compose up -d
```
Access Immich: Open your browser and navigate to http://your-domain-or-ip:2283.

A note on the compose file above: take the current one from the Immich release you are installing rather than copying any example, including this one. Immich moves quickly and the project ships a compose file per release. We have broken our own instance by carrying an old file across an upgrade.

Step 5: Configure Domains and SSL (Optional)

For a production-level application, it is advisable to secure your installation with SSL using tools like Certbot.

Install Certbot and the Nginx service:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y

Then, you can follow the Certbot instructions for your server setup to obtain an SSL certificate.

Do not treat this step as optional for a photo library. We put TLS in front of Immich before the first upload rather than after, because the mobile app will happily talk to a plain HTTP endpoint and you do not want it doing that over someone else’s wifi.

FAQs

1. How does Immich compare to other self-hosted solutions?

Immich is designed specifically for photo and video storage, making it ideal for users who need a dedicated space for their multimedia content. Unlike Nextcloud or OwnCloud which offer broader functionalities, Immich focuses on providing a simple, fast, and efficient platform for your media files. It also boasts a sleek interface and easy setup via Docker, appealing to users looking for quick deployment without sacrificing performance.

2. Why should I use a VPS instead of shared hosting for Immich?

Using a VPS offers several advantages for self-hosting Immich, including better performance, dedicated resources, and complete control over the environment. Unlike shared hosting, a VPS allows you to install the necessary software and configure the server according to your needs. This is especially beneficial for resource-intensive applications like Immich, which require optimal storage and processing capabilities.

3. What are some common issues I might face when self-hosting Immich?

Common issues can include network configuration problems, database connection errors, or issues with file permissions. When deploying Immich, ensure that your VPS has adequate firewall rules to permit traffic on the required ports. Additionally, confirming that all dependencies are met and that Docker is configured correctly will help minimize potential issues. For troubleshooting, the Immich documentation and r/selfhosted community are great resources.

By following this guide, you can confidently self-host Immich on a VPS, giving you full control over your media files while enhancing your understanding of containerization with Docker.