immich/docs/docs/guides/external-library.md

# External Library

This guide walks you through adding an [External Library](/docs/features/libraries#external-libraries).
This guide assumes you are running Immich in Docker and that the files you wish to access are stored
in a directory on the same machine.

# Mount the directory into the containers.

Edit `docker-compose.yml` to add two new mount points under `volumes:`

```
  immich-server:
    volumes:
      - /path/to/photos/on/host:/usr/src/app/external
```

Be sure to add exactly the same line to both `immich-server:` and `immich-microservices:`.

Restart Immich.

```
docker compose down
docker compose up -d
```

# Create the library

In the Immich web UI:

- click the **Administration** link in the upper right corner.
  <img src={require('./img/administration-link.png').default} width="50%" title="Administration link" />

- Select the **External Libraries** tab
  <img src={require('./img/external-libraries.png').default} width="50%" title="External Libraries tab" />

- Click the **Create Library** button
  <img src={require('./img/create-external-library.png').default} width="50%" title="Create Library button" />

- In the dialog, select which user should own the new library
  <img src={require('./img/library-owner.png').default} width="50%" title="Library owner diaglog" />

- Click the three-dots menu and select **Edit Import Paths**
  <img src={require('./img/edit-import-paths.png').default} width="50%" title="Edit Import Paths menu option" />

- Click \*_Add path_
  <img src={require('./img/add-path-button.png').default} width="50%" title="Add Path button" />

- Enter **/usr/src/app/external** as the path and click Add
  <img src={require('./img/add-path-field.png').default} width="50%" title="Add Path field" />

- Save the new path
  <img src={require('./img/path-save.png').default} width="50%" title="Path Save button" />

- Click the three-dots menu and select **Scan New Library Files**
  <img src={require('./img/scan-new-library-files.png').default} width="50%" title="Scan New Library Files menu option" />

# Confirm stuff is happening

- Click **Administration**
  <img src={require('./img/administration-link.png').default} width="50%" title="Administration link" />

- Select the **Jobs** tab
  <img src={require('./img/jobs-tab.png').default} width="50%" title="Jobs tab" />

- You should see non-zero Active jobs for
  Library, Generate Thumbnails, and Extract Metadata.
  <img src={require('./img/job-status.png').default} width="50%" title="Job Status display" />