Immich is the ultimate Google Photos replacement. This master guide will walk you through the initial configuration of the server, setting up machine learning, and getting your family's accounts ready.
Overview
Immich consists of two parts: the server (running on your LocalNode) and the mobile app (running on your phone). The server handles the heavy lifting—detecting faces, identifying objects, and generating thumbnails—while the app simply uploads the photos and displays the timeline.
Step 1: Admin Account Creation
The first time you access Immich, you must claim the server.
Open your browser and navigate to http://localnode.local:2283.
You will be greeted by the "Welcome to Immich" screen. Click Get Started.
Enter your email address, a strong password, and your name. This first account is automatically the Administrator.
If your spouse or children want to back up their photos, they need their own accounts. Immich keeps every user's library strictly private.
Click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select Administration.
Click on the Users tab in the sidebar.
Click Create user.
Enter their email, name, and a temporary password.
Click Save. They can now log into the mobile app using these credentials and change their password later.
💡 Tip: Under the User settings, you can assign a "Storage Quota" (e.g., 50 GB) to specific accounts if you don't want your kids filling up the entire LocalNode hard drive.
Step 3: Configuring Machine Learning
Immich's "magic" comes from its local AI models that detect faces and objects (allowing you to search your library for "dog" or "beach"). These run entirely on the LocalNode's processor.
In the Administration panel, click on Settings > Machine Learning Settings.
Ensure Facial Recognition and Smart Search are both toggled to Enabled.
Scroll down to "Hardware Acceleration" (if available). Since the LocalNode uses an Intel N100, you can select OpenVINO to dramatically speed up the AI processing.
Click Save.
⚠️ Warning: Processing tens of thousands of photos through machine learning takes massive CPU power. During your initial bulk upload, your LocalNode will likely run at 100% CPU usage for a day or two. This is normal.
Step 4: Setting up mobile apps
Now that the server is ready, the final step is to connect your phones.
Download the Immich app from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store.
Enter the Server URL: http://localnode.local:2283/api (the /api is mandatory).
