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Back up two separate things: the original photo and video files, and the gallery’s database or index. Keep at least three copies on two kinds of media, with one copy off-site, and rehearse a restore on a separate system. A database dump by itself cannot recover missing pictures.
What a complete gallery backup contains
A self-hosted gallery normally keeps your media and its catalog in different places. The media folders contain the original JPEG, RAW, HEIC, PNG and video files. The database or index records file paths, users, albums, labels, ratings, face data, timestamps and other metadata. Some applications also keep thumbnails, previews, transcoded video, sidecar files and configuration in a separate storage directory.
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The exact directories and restore order depend on the application and release. Identify your installed version, configured media path, database engine and any folders moved to another disk before copying anything.
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Inventory your installation before choosing a backup job
Write down the following details in a recovery note stored with your backups:
- Gallery software name and exact installed version.
- The configured originals, uploads or library directory, including mounted volumes and network shares.
- Any separate storage, cache, thumbnail, sidecar, profile or configuration directories.
- Database type (for example, an embedded SQLite file, MariaDB or another server database), host and port, and the account needed for a dump.
- Container volumes, compose files, environment files, encryption keys, certificates and custom scripts required to start the application.
- Filesystem permissions and ownership used by the gallery process.
- Where each backup copy resides, how long it is retained and how it is encrypted.
Do not assume that a path shown in a container configuration is the same as the path on the host. Follow the application’s documentation for the installed release, particularly after an upgrade or storage move.
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Immich stores file paths and user metadata in its database; it does not scan the library folder to reconstruct that database. Its official Backup and Restore guide explicitly states that database backups contain metadata only, not photos or videos. A database dump therefore cannot replace a filesystem copy.
What to copy
The simplest comprehensive approach is to back up the complete UPLOAD_LOCATION defined by your Immich installation. The documentation identifies original content in the library, upload and profile locations, while noting that the exact scope can vary with release, storage templates and relocated folders. Include every host directory mapped into those locations, not merely a convenient-looking subfolder.
You can choose to copy only the critical original-content directories to save space. That preserves the source media, but Immich may then need to rerun thumbnail and transcoding jobs after recovery. Keeping the rest of the upload location generally shortens a rebuild because generated assets are already present.
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Database schedule and retention
Immich’s current documentation describes daily database backups at 2:00 AM and a default retention of 14 database backups. These are product settings, not a guarantee for every release or installation: verify the schedule, destination and retention in your own system. Built-in dumps still cover metadata only and do not create an off-site copy of the media.
Immich restore considerations
Before restoring, put the corresponding storage files in place and check that the application can access the folders with the expected permissions. The restore process depends on the matching documentation version; Immich notes a process change at version 2.5.0, so use the instructions for the release that created the backup. A restore of an old database whose paths no longer match your mounted directories can produce missing-media errors even when the files exist.
How PhotoPrism divides originals, storage and the index
PhotoPrism’s Creating Backups documentation says the minimum backup is the originals folder plus a copy of the index database. Its storage folder is also worth copying: it contains configuration, generated thumbnails and sidecars, and, when SQLite is used, database files and backups. Preserving storage avoids a lengthy regeneration process and retains application settings.
External databases need their own backup
When PhotoPrism uses MariaDB or another dedicated database, that database is stored outside the application storage path. Dump it with the database system’s documented method and retain the dump alongside the originals backup. Copying the PhotoPrism storage directory alone will not capture an external database.
Defaults are examples, not universal policy
PhotoPrism describes daily database backups and retention of up to three SQL dumps by default. Administrators can change the schedule, dump type and retention, so check the values in your configuration. A schedule inside PhotoPrism does not copy originals to another device or establish an off-site, recoverable version.
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PhotoPrism restore order
The Restoring Backups guide recommends restoring originals and then the database for an external-database setup. It is prudent to import a dump into a separate test instance before replacing a working index. If storage is missing, PhotoPrism can rescan originals to recreate thumbnails and sidecars, but that consumes time and may not reproduce every generated artifact exactly.
Use a 3-2-1 layout instead of a single copy
Immich’s official guidance recommends a 3-2-1 backup strategy. In practical terms, keep at least three copies of the complete recovery set, on two different media types, with one copy away from the server or home. For example:
- Primary: the live gallery storage used by the server.
- Local backup: a separate external hard drive or NAS, with its own filesystem and credentials.
- Off-site backup: encrypted cloud or another physical location.
These are placement examples, not a vendor-mandated product list. Choose capacity from your actual originals, videos, database dumps, generated data and expected growth. A drive that barely fits today’s library will fail as a backup target when new imports arrive.
Protect off-site copies with a unique account password, multi-factor authentication where available, least-privilege access and client-side or provider encryption appropriate to your threat model. Keep the encryption key or recovery phrase in a separate, documented location; an encrypted backup without its key is unusable.
Retain older points in time
Do not let synchronization immediately propagate accidental deletion, silent corruption or ransomware to every copy. Keep multiple dated snapshots or generations. A simple policy might retain recent daily versions plus older weekly or monthly versions, but the right duration depends on how quickly you discover mistakes and how much storage you can afford.
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A practical backup workflow
- Freeze the inventory. Record the application version, media and storage paths, database type, mounted volumes and required secrets. Confirm that moved folders and external disks are mounted before starting.
- Create a consistent database or index dump. Use the gallery’s documented backup function or the database engine’s supported dump command. Record the dump timestamp and verify that a non-empty file was produced. Do not call this a media backup.
- Copy originals and videos. Use a method that preserves filenames, directory structure, timestamps, permissions where relevant and large files. Include every configured media location, not just the default path.
- Copy recovery-critical application data. Include configuration, storage, sidecars, thumbnails and container definitions when they reduce rebuild time. Follow the platform documentation to distinguish optional generated data from irreplaceable originals.
- Check completeness. Compare source and destination file counts and byte totals, and review the copy tool’s error log. A job that finished without an error message is not proof that every mounted volume was included.
- Create the second and third copies. Replicate the database dump and media set to different physical media, then send an encrypted copy off-site. Keep destinations independently accessible so one failed device does not hide failures on another.
- Apply retention. Preserve older snapshots rather than keeping only the newest synchronized state. Label each set with its date, application version and database type.
- Record how to restore. Store the matching documentation URL, mount points, credentials location, encryption-key instructions and the order in which media, storage and database components must be restored.
Keep media and database versions coherent
The database and filesystem should describe roughly the same point in time. If the gallery is importing or editing thousands of files while you dump the database, the dump may refer to media that has not reached the backup disk yet, or the disk copy may contain files absent from the dump.
For a small library, pause imports, background indexing and user edits, create the database dump, then copy the media. For a busy installation, follow the platform’s supported consistency procedure or use filesystem snapshots and database-native backup tools. If you cannot guarantee an exact point-in-time set, label the backup with the sequence and time of each component and test whether the application tolerates that gap.
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After an upgrade, recheck paths, database schema expectations, scheduled jobs and retention. A backup created by one release may require that release’s restore instructions; never assume that a newer guide describes an older dump format.
Restore drills prove whether a backup is usable
A successful copy job is not a restore test. Perform a drill in a separate directory, virtual machine or disposable server so the production index cannot be damaged.
- Install the same gallery release, or the documented compatible release, in the test environment.
- Attach a copy of the backed-up media and storage directories at the paths expected by the application.
- Restore the database or index using the vendor’s version-matched procedure.
- Start the application and verify that it can read the folders with the correct user and group permissions.
- Open representative JPEG, RAW, HEIC and video files, including files from every mounted library.
- Check users, albums, labels, dates, favorites and other metadata that matter to your workflow.
- Note any missing thumbnails or transcoded files and measure how long regeneration takes.
- Document corrections to paths, credentials, permissions or restore order, then update the recovery note.
PhotoPrism specifically advises trying a database dump on a separate test instance before overwriting an existing index. Immich likewise expects the relevant storage files to be present and recommends checking storage-folder integrity and accessibility during restoration.
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Backup choices compared
| Choice | What it protects | Main gap | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallery database dump only | Users, paths and metadata, depending on the application | Original photos and videos are absent | One component of every recovery set |
| Media-folder copy only | Original image and video files | Albums, labels, accounts and index data may be lost | Protection against disk failure when metadata can be rebuilt |
| Media plus database on the same server | A convenient local snapshot | Server theft, fire or ransomware can destroy both | Short-term rollback, never the only backup |
| External drive or NAS copy | Independent local copy of media and database | Can be lost with the home or left permanently exposed | Fast restores and protection from a failed server disk |
| Encrypted off-site copy | Recovery after site-wide damage | Ongoing storage cost, upload time and key-management responsibility | Disaster recovery when local copies are unavailable |
| Versioned snapshots | Older states after deletion or corruption | Uses more capacity and requires retention planning | Recovering from mistakes discovered late |
| Untested backup | Unknown | Paths, permissions, keys or dumps may fail at restore time | Not sufficient as a recovery plan |
Evaluate every destination on five questions: does it include originals and the database, is it on separate media, is one copy off-site, can it provide an older version, and has a restore been rehearsed? Also account for capacity, recurring cost, retrieval time and the effort required to operate it.
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“The database backup completed, but photos are missing”
This is expected when only a metadata dump was saved. Add a filesystem backup of every configured originals or upload location, then run a restore drill that mounts those files before importing the database.
“The gallery starts, but every item is offline”
The restored database paths do not match the mounted paths, or the application user cannot read them. Recreate the documented directory layout, correct container volume mappings and ownership, and verify folder accessibility before rebuilding the index.
“The restore works, but thumbnails and video previews are absent”
Generated assets were not included. Let the application regenerate them, or add its storage directory to future backups. Expect additional CPU, time and temporary disk space when rebuilding.
“A second copy is only a mirror of the first”
Mirroring can propagate deletion and corruption immediately. Add dated, immutable or otherwise protected generations and keep at least one destination disconnected or access-controlled when not receiving a backup.
“The off-site copy cannot be decrypted”
The encryption key was stored only on the failed server or the account was inaccessible. Test decryption on the restore system and keep recovery credentials and keys in a separate secure location.
“The backup is from before a storage move or upgrade”
Use the documentation matching the release that produced it, restore to a test instance, and map old paths deliberately. Re-run the inventory whenever software, database engine, mounts or upload locations change.
Maintenance checklist
- Run database/index dumps on a schedule appropriate to how often the library changes.
- Back up originals and videos whenever new media arrives; do not rely on the database schedule to do this.
- Monitor destination capacity, job errors and the age of the newest successful copy.
- Verify that all external disks and network mounts were available during each run.
- Keep several historical versions and periodically prune them according to a written retention policy.
- Test a representative restore at regular intervals and after major upgrades.
- Update the recovery note after changing paths, storage templates, database engines, credentials or encryption keys.
- Review the plan after replacing hardware, moving homes or adding a second gallery instance.
The bottom line for your gallery
Build a recovery set, not a single export: originals and videos, the database or index, and the configuration or storage data that prevents unnecessary rebuilding. Place that set on separate local media and in an encrypted off-site copy, retain older generations, and prove the process with a test restore. For platform-specific paths and commands, use the current documentation for your installed release: Immich Backup and Restore, PhotoPrism Creating Backups, PhotoPrism Restoring Backups, and the PhotoPrism database backup reference.
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