Get Started

Learn how to set up and start using Siloed.

Getting Started with Siloed

This guide covers three essentials:

  1. What Siloed is
  2. How to connect your devices and enable photo backup to your Immich instance
  3. How to move your existing Google Photos library to Immich

Siloed is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Immich project.

What Is Siloed?

Siloed is a managed hosting and support layer for Immich.

  • You get an Immich instance without having to maintain the server yourself.
  • Your photos and videos stay in your own private library.
  • You can connect multiple devices (phones, tablets, desktop browser) to one account.
  • You still use the Immich apps and interface for backup, browsing, and sharing.

In short: Siloed helps you run Immich with less operational overhead while keeping your media ownership model intact.

Connect Devices and Configure Photo Backup to Immich

Before You Start

Make sure you have:

  • Your Immich server URL (for example, https://immich.siloed.in)
  • Your Immich account email and password
  • The Immich mobile app installed on each phone you want to back up
  • A stable Wi-Fi connection for the initial upload

Step 1: Sign In to Your Immich Instance

  1. Open the Immich app on your device.
  2. Enter your server URL.
  3. Sign in with your Immich account.
  4. Confirm you can see the main library view.

If login fails, first verify the server URL is correct and reachable in a browser.

Step 2: Grant Required Device Permissions

Backup will not run reliably without full media permissions.

  • iOS:
    • Settings -> Immich -> Photos -> All Photos
    • Enable background app refresh for more reliable uploads
  • Android:
    • App info -> Permissions -> allow Photos and videos (and storage if prompted)
    • Remove battery restrictions for the Immich app when possible

Step 3: Enable Automatic Backup

In the Immich app backup settings:

  1. Turn on Backup.
  2. Select which assets to include (photos, videos, optional screenshots).
  3. Choose your network behavior:
    • Wi-Fi only (recommended for first sync)
    • Wi-Fi + cellular (if you want continuous upload on mobile data)
  4. Enable charging-only upload if you want to reduce battery use.
  5. Start the first backup and keep the app open until it begins processing.

Step 4: Verify Backup Is Working

  1. Open Immich in a web browser.
  2. Confirm newly uploaded photos appear in your timeline.
  3. Check upload status in the mobile app until the queue reaches zero.

For large first-time uploads, keep the phone on Wi-Fi and power overnight.

Migrate Existing Photos from Google Photos to Immich

For most users, the best path is Google Takeout -> import into Immich.

Step 1: Export Your Library from Google Photos

  1. Go to Google Takeout.
  2. Select Google Photos only.
  3. Choose export format and archive size.
  4. Request export and wait for Google to finish preparing files.
  5. Download all archive parts.

Step 2: Extract the Archive Files

  1. Extract all downloaded .zip (or .tgz) files into one folder.
  2. Keep folder structure and JSON metadata files intact.
  3. Confirm you can see media files before import.

Step 3: Import into Immich

You have two common options:

  1. Web upload (simple, smaller libraries)

    • Sign in to Immich web.
    • Drag and drop folders/files into the upload area.

  2. immich-go (recommended for large libraries)

    • Better for preserving metadata and handling large migrations.
    • Example Docker-based import flow:
docker run --rm \
  -v "$PWD:/import" \
  ghcr.io/simulot/immich-go:latest \
  upload from-google-photos \
  --server="https://photos.yourdomain.com" \
  --api-key="YOUR_IMMICH_API_KEY" \
  "/import"

Generate an API key in Immich under your account settings before running CLI imports.

Step 4: Post-Migration Checklist

  • Verify photo counts look correct in Immich
  • Spot-check dates and locations on older photos
  • Keep your Google export files until validation is complete
  • Disable Google Photos backup on devices once you are confident in Immich

Quick Troubleshooting

  • Uploads are not starting: Re-check app permissions and server URL
  • Uploads are slow: Use Wi-Fi, disable battery saver, and keep app open initially
  • Duplicate media after migration: Run deduplication workflows in Immich and avoid repeated imports of the same Takeout folder

If you are using Siloed-managed hosting and need help with migration or backup tuning, contact support with your instance URL and device details.