New here? Let's get started together
Maybe you clicked a link a friend sent you. Maybe you read one of our posts about Big Tech and started to wonder where your photos actually live. Either way, welcome. We are glad you are here.
You do not have to decide anything today. This post tells you why we built PixelUnion, what it does, and how to get started if you want to.
Why PixelUnion exists
We are a European company with a heart for a Europe that stands together. Part of that is having digital services of our own, built and run here. Your photos are some of the most personal data you have, and for many people they sit with American companies.
PixelUnion is our contribution: photo and video storage that runs in Europe, for everyone who wants a European choice. Your Library sits on servers in Falkenstein, Germany, with a backup cluster in Finland, both powered by 100% renewable energy. There are no ads and no tracking, and your photos are encrypted in transit and at rest. How we keep your data safe explains each layer. We build on Immich, so you get search, face recognition, albums, maps and sharing.
Take your time
Leaving Google Photos or iCloud is a big step, and it is your decision. Some people move everything in a weekend. Others try PixelUnion next to what they use now, for weeks or months, before they switch. Both are fine.
The free Plan is a good way to start. It has 16 GB and no time limit. Use it for your phone photos or one old album, and see how it feels. If it is not for you, nothing is lost. If it is, everything below is here for when you are ready.
Step 1: create your account
Go to portal.pixelunion.eu, sign up with your email address, and choose a subdomain, like yourname.pixelunion.eu. That address is your own PixelUnion environment. You will get an email with your login details.
Then pick a Plan. These are the options today:
- 16 GB is free, always
- 150 GB costs €2.95 a month
- 450 GB costs €4.95 a month
- 2 TB costs €9.95 a month
Pay yearly and you get two months free. You can change your Plan whenever you like, and the pricing page in the help center lists what is included. If you need more than 2 TB, get in touch and we will look at what fits.
One thing worth doing right after signing up: turn on two-factor authentication. PixelUnion also supports passkeys, if you would rather skip passwords altogether.
Step 2: get your photos in
Start with the photos you take from now on. You can bring the old ones over afterwards.
Your phone. Install the app, enter your PixelUnion address, and log in. Then switch on automatic backup so new photos and videos sync in the background. You can limit it to Wi-Fi, or to when your phone is charging. On Android there is a PixelUnion app in Google Play. On iPhone, use the Immich app from the App Store, which works with PixelUnion. We are working on our own iOS app, but it is not ready yet. The mobile app guide walks through the setup.
Your existing Library. We have step-by-step guides for Google Photos and iCloud. If you are coming from Google Photos, read about keeping your metadata first, so your dates and locations survive the move.
Everything else. You can also upload from your browser, or use Immich Go for very large collections. Both are covered in uploading photos.
Step 3: find your way, and find us
The help center has four sections, and it is the first place to look when something is unclear:
- Account covers registration, Plans, two-factor authentication, and inviting family or friends to share your storage.
- Immich covers albums, tags, uploading, supported file formats and the mobile app.
- Migrating has the guides for moving over from Google Photos, iCloud or another Immich server.
- Other has the FAQs, security, sustainability and troubleshooting.
If the answer is not there, contact us. We would like to hear from you, whether it is a question, a bug, or an idea.
Once your photos are in, a few features are worth a look: albums for organizing and sharing, smart search for finding a photo by describing it, facial recognition for finding the people you care about, and map view for browsing by place. You do not need to set it all up in one evening.
Whenever you decide to start, we are ready.
Still deciding? Emma explains why so many people are leaving Google Photos, and what to weigh before you do.
Cover photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash.