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Possibly for backing up and organizing photos and videos—but Immich is not established as a replacement for Google Drive’s general file storage, document editing, or collaboration tools. It is a self-hosted photo and video management app, and running it does not by itself create a separate disaster-recovery backup.
What Immich can—and cannot—replace
Immich is a self-hosted app for managing photos and videos. Its official overview describes the project and its intended scope: Immich’s overview. If your Google Drive use is mainly storing and viewing personal media, Immich may cover part of that workflow, provided you are willing to host and maintain it.
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That is not the same as replacing Drive for general-purpose file storage, document editing, or collaborative work. The available product documentation establishes Immich’s photo-and-video focus, not feature parity with Google Drive. Decide based on the work you need to do: media backup and browsing are different needs from syncing arbitrary files or working together on documents.
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Why running Immich is not the same as having a backup
Immich’s official Backup and Restore documentation says the database contains file paths and user metadata, and that Immich does not scan the library folder to rebuild that database. A database dump by itself does not include the photos or videos. To preserve a usable library, you need both the uploaded media and the database.
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The project’s instructions prepare an instance for backup; they do not perform the backup themselves. Immich explicitly says users need an actual backup tool and recommends a 3-2-1 backup strategy. That phrase is project guidance—not a measured guarantee that any particular arrangement is safe. A single copy on the server, or a single external drive, is not a complete plan.
How to plan a safer Immich backup
- Keep the media and database in scope. Identify the uploaded media storage and the database backup described in Immich’s official backup instructions. Do not assume one includes the other.
- Use a separate backup tool. Restic is one open-source option. Its project site says it can back up files from Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows to local, self-hosted, or online storage: restic. Selecting a tool is only the start; configure what it backs up and where it writes the copies.
- Keep copies in more than one place. An external drive can be one destination, but it should not be the only copy you rely on. Immich recommends the 3-2-1 approach; the specific destinations and safeguards are yours to configure.
- Verify recovery. Check that the backup contains both the media and database data, and test that you can restore them. A successful backup job is not proof that you can recover a working library.
What hosting Immich requires
Immich’s Quick start lists at least 6 GB of RAM and 2 CPU cores for its “test drive” setup. Treat that as the documented quick-start requirement for that setup, not a universal minimum for every deployment. Requirements can change, so check the current official documentation when choosing a host or installing Immich.
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- Your Data, You Control：No third-party clouds, no hidden access, UGREEN NAS provides a more secure and private data storage solution. It stores data locally on your private hard drives and does automatic backups. Thus, you can keep full control over it. The advanced encryption is TRUSTe certified in the United States and is awarded the first (and only) ETSI EN 303 645 certification mark for NAS products by TÜV SÜD Group.
Self-hosting also means the server and backup destinations need ongoing attention. The available documentation supports Immich as a media-management option with a backup workflow, but does not establish that every deployment will be simpler or safer than a hosted service.
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BUFFALO LinkStation 210 4TB 1-Bay NAS Network Attached Storage with HDD Hard Drives Included NAS Storage that Works as Home Cloud or Network Storage Device for Home
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Choose based on what you keep in Google Drive
- Mostly photos and videos: Immich may be a fit if you want a self-hosted library and will separately back up both media and database.
- Documents, general files, or collaboration: Do not assume Immich covers these needs; its documented focus is photos and videos.
- Not prepared to manage hosting and recovery: Running the app alone will not protect you from server loss. Make sure you have a separate, tested backup process before treating it as your only media archive.
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