After installing Immich on your VPS, there are a few important steps to complete before daily use. These steps help you secure the instance, organize storage, and start uploading your photo library with confidence.
Register the admin user
The first account created on a fresh Immich installation becomes the admin user. This account controls global settings and user management.
Step 1 – Open the Immich web interface
Access the web interface in your browser using:
http://<your-server-ip>:2283
Click Getting Started to begin the setup.
Follow the on-screen prompts to create the admin account and log in. Once completed, the admin dashboard becomes available.
Create additional users optional
If you plan to share Immich with family or friends, you can create separate user accounts for them.
Step 2 – Add a new user
Open the Administration panel and select Create user.
Enter the required details and confirm. Each user gets their own library and settings.
You can skip this step and return to it later if you are setting up Immich only for personal use.
Configure the storage template
Immich uses a storage template to decide how uploaded files are organized on disk. Setting this early helps keep your photo library structured.
Step 3 – Enable and customize the storage template
Navigate to Administration → Settings → Storage Template and enable the feature.
Use the built-in template builder to define folder and file naming rules.
The default template looks like this:
Year/Year-Month-Day/Filename.Extension
You can include variables such as year, month, album name, or custom text. If two files resolve to the same name, Immich automatically appends a sequence number to avoid overwriting.
If you change the template after uploading files, run the Storage Template Migration job from the Jobs page to apply the new structure to existing assets.
Conditional templates are also supported. For example, you can store files in album folders when available and fall back to a generic folder when they are not:
{{y}}/{{#if album}}{{album}}{{else}}Other{{/if}}/{{MM}}/{{filename}}
Install the mobile app
The mobile app is used for automatic backups and photo uploads from your phone.
Step 4 – Download the app
You can install the Immich mobile app from these sources:
Google Play Store
Apple App Store
F-Droid
GitHub Releases APK
Obtainium using the config link from the Utilities page
Sign in from the mobile app
Once installed, connect the app to your server.
Step 5 – Log in
When prompted for the server URL, enter:
http://<your-server-ip>:2283
Log in using the same credentials created earlier.
Upload your photo library
After logging in, you can begin backing up photos from your device.
Step 6 – Start a backup
Tap the cloud icon in the app to open the backup screen.
Select the albums you want to upload, scroll down, and press Start Backup.
The app uploads all selected assets to your Immich server. Large libraries can take time, so keeping the app open during the first sync is recommended.
At this point, Immich is fully set up and ready for everyday use.
For more information, please refer to the official Immich documentation.