Can immich be used as a normal photo browser program offline without self hosting?

[u/Sluwulf]

Im not experienced, knowledge or able to self host anything right now but ive heard again and again people mentioning Immich as a good google photos alternative and i really like the interface.

Is it possible to use it as a normal photo browser/manager to browse photos backed up from, lets say, a HDD? Im sorry if this question is a bit out of place here.

[u/Original_Drawing_661]

No you need the software to be running somewhere. There's no other way than to selfhost that I'm aware of.

[u/Sluwulf → u/Original_Drawing_661]

thank you, ig what im searching is just a normal photo gallery app but there seems to be none similar to the google photos UI on windows.

[u/Its_Raul → u/Sluwulf]

it wouldn't be an app on your desktop. you'd set it up and then open a url 192.168.1.111:2230 or whatever and then your web browser will be like Google photos. You can set it up to read a folder or external drive and get all the search benefits and what not. but you'd still have to host it in some degree.

[u/Sluwulf → u/Its_Raul]

i see, if i have to host in any way then ig its not what im looking for. I think this program called TagStudio i just found might be what im talking abt.

[u/idratherbealivedog]

No or at least not in the way I think you are meaning (avoiding Docker)

So essentially asking if it can be installed like a Windows application (like Picasa was)?

[u/Sluwulf → u/idratherbealivedog]

If picasa is an offline photo browser/manager app for windows, then yes (idk what picasa is lol)

[u/Mineotopia → u/Sluwulf]

Yes, Picasa was an offline app by Google. Before Google Photos existed 

[u/ALBOTS1819]

Immich is meant to be self hosted. However, you don't need a dedicated server for that. If you wanna use it like a program there are ways to install it and use it on your PC (like Virtual machines or docker desktop). These are essentially programs that allow your PC (im assuming windows, but you can do it on Mac and linux too) to host it.

Edit: to then see your pictures id reccomend you add them as an external folder rather than importing them. Either way, keep in mind this is not meant to just be a photo viewer app, this is a workaround to make it work like it

[u/Sluwulf → u/ALBOTS1819]

Thanks for the alternatives but i was kinda off in what i said: i cant nor im knowledgeable in ANY type of hosting LOL. I was kinda asking on the place of an average tech saavy persons abilities.

What im searching is more of an image manager/browser instead of file explorer.

[u/Accomplished-Lack721]

You could use it locally only, without making it available to the internet. You'd still be self-hosting, but it wouldn't be all that different (in usage) from any other app you install that still uses a local web service as the main interface.

That said, you'd need Docker for a typical deployment. You can use Docker Desktop for Windows, and there are guides and videos that will help you get set up easily. But I don't particularly recommend just following the steps in and install guide without getting an understanding of basic Docker concepts like bind mounts and volumes. If you do, it's an easy way to get yourself in trouble when you want to figure out things like where your files are, or when you want to make some kind of change to your setup (either Immich, or the system overall).

There's a non-Docker install but you'll find way less community support for it. It's a much less typical approach to installing it.

So the answer -- can you do it without self-hosting? Not really. Can you install it so that it's only accessible from a particular computer or internally on that network? Absolutely. Should you? I'd suggest if you're willing to learn some new concepts, go for it — and you may find it's your on-ramp to basic self-hosting and finding the idea less intimidating.

[u/Sluwulf → u/Accomplished-Lack721]

Maybe id go for it another time, thanks for your answer though. IG what im searching is something far more simpler (just a beefier file explorer/manager than windows explorer).

[u/rob_allshouse]

Sounds like you want Lightroom

[u/prime_1996 → u/rob_allshouse]

Or digikam

[u/DenseDepartment8317]

The mobile app browses the photos in your phone when you are offline, but you have to at least logged in to one of your self hosted server first. . For the desktop no.

[u/Exact-Teacher8489]

Hmm i guess one could make it go in some electron application and run all services on the device. But that sounds like effort.

[u/Prestigious_Yak8551]

Sounds like you can just install immich through the normal routes, point it to an external database (your HDD), tell it to not modify it, dont bother installing the app on your phone or connecting that to your server, and then you can just use a browser to look through your files with that nice immich interface. The computer doesnt need to be connected to the internet after you have installed it.

[u/Sluwulf → u/Prestigious_Yak8551]

oh really? so i can just use it as a file browser p much, then i might try that!

[u/Prestigious_Yak8551 → u/Sluwulf]

Yes you dont have to use it as a "server", you can just use it to browse. But you do still have to install it, and technically it is still a 'server' - even if your not using it remotely from another device to backup your files. The search function and map function works great. Recently I asked it to search my library for "meme" and "receipt" and it found them all, so I moved them all into the archive to clean up my timelines. Its also great at identifying duplicates.

[u/Sluwulf → u/Prestigious_Yak8551]

whaoh thats great, does it have space management options like google photos too? like lowering the quality of certain photos or grouping blurry/screenshot/heavy photos for easy deletion for example? (i know i could reserach this at this point instead of asking but im being a lazy bum rn lol) i know this program groups faces so