Immich Backup and Restore: What Must Be Saved

Direct answer

An Immich database backup is not a photo backup. The database stores file paths and metadata, while photos and videos remain in the upload location. A dependable plan saves both and keeps an off-site copy.

What to back up

• Database dumps in UPLOAD_LOCATION/backups or a manually created dump.
• Original photos and videos in UPLOAD_LOCATION/library, upload, and profile as applicable.
• Generated folders such as thumbs and encoded-video if you want to avoid regenerating them.
• External-library mount contents and matching mount configuration when used.

Immich recommends a 3-2-1 strategy. The official guide says the backup tool itself is your responsibility.

Restore from the web interface

For an existing installation, use Administration → Maintenance → Restore database backup. Immich creates a restore point before replacing the current database. On a fresh installation, restore the prior storage folders first, start the services, and use Restore from backup.

The v2.5.0 restore process changed. Older backups may require the version selector and older instructions.

High-risk commands

The command-line restore also expects a completely fresh install. If the server has already run, the official guide warns that existing relations or migrations can conflict. Some deployments may need DB_SKIP_MIGRATIONS=true during database-only recovery.

Verification checklist

After restore, verify the admin account, albums, originals, and a sample of thumbnails. Check the integrity report and run the relevant thumbnail/transcoding jobs if generated content was not backed up.

Real case

Issue #26522 reports “no admin exists” during an Unraid restore on v2.5.6. A user comment says initializing an admin first and restoring from Settings worked for them; this is a user-reported workaround, not an official guarantee.

Sources

• Backup and Restore
• Issue #26522
• System Integrity