Immich: make UPLOAD_LOCATION and DB_DATA_LOCATION take effect - #355
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The compose file mounted fixed ./${SERVICE}-data paths, so the two
storage variables in .env were never read. Changing UPLOAD_LOCATION had
no effect on where Immich stored media.
- compose.yaml: mount ${UPLOAD_LOCATION} and ${DB_DATA_LOCATION}, as the
upstream compose file does.
- .env: set the defaults to the folders the stack used so far, so a
default installation keeps its data in place.
- README: document both variables and tell existing users to replace
the old ./library and ./postgres values before restarting.
crypt0rr
approved these changes
Oct 2, 2026
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Closes #310.
What changed
compose.yaml: the media and database mounts now use${UPLOAD_LOCATION}and${DB_DATA_LOCATION}, as the upstream Immich compose file does..env: the defaults are now./${SERVICE}-data/uploadand./${SERVICE}-data/database. These are the folders the stack used so far, so a default installation keeps its data in place.README.md: two new usage notes. One explains the storage variables, the other tells existing users what to check before they restart.Why
Issue #310 reports that changing
UPLOAD_LOCATIONin.envhas no effect. The compose file mounted fixed./${SERVICE}-data/...paths and never read either variable, while the comment above each mount said to change the location in.env.DB_DATA_LOCATIONhad the same problem, so this fixes both.Upgrade note
The old
.envdefaults were./libraryand./postgres. They were ignored before and take effect now. Agit pullmerges the new defaults in. Anyone who updatescompose.yamlbut keeps an older.envmust replace those two values first. Otherwise Immich starts with an empty library and a new database. The existing files stay untouched in./immich-data. The README covers this.Testing
Tested on Docker 29.8.2 with a test node in a Tailnet,
SERVICE=immich-test-310:./immich-test-310-data/, andhttps://<node>.<tailnet>.ts.net/api/server/pinganswered{"res":"pong"}.model-cache, and the ping answeredpong.docker compose configresolves the default mounts to the same host paths asmain.docker compose config --quiet,rumdl check, andgit diff --checkpass.Not tested: updating an existing installation that already holds photos. Both runs started from an empty stack.