Frequently asked questions

What is PixelUnion?

We are a privacy-first photo storage platform tailored for European consumers, offering a secure and private alternative to major tech platforms.

In light of recent geopolitical developments between the United States and Europe, the need for robust European solutions has become evident. We were created to address this gap, providing a reliable and privacy-focused option for photo storage within the EU.

Do you have a mobile app?

Yes we do.

Kind of..

For the moment we rely on the open source app in the Google and Apple stores. This app is fully compatible with our platform. In the future, we aim to create our own version of the app while contributing back to the open source community.

How do you ensure my data is private?

Your data finds its cozy home in Germany, where it’s protected by some of the strongest privacy laws in the world. We use encryption both at rest (when your data is stored) and in transit (when it’s zooming across the internet).

Our state-of-the-art security measures ensure your photos stay private and safe, no matter what. Curious to learn more? Feel free to reach out to us anytime via the support page. We’re always happy to chat!

Also check out our privacy policy which explains in more detail how we handle your data. We tried to keep it as simple as possible so you don’t have to be a lawyer to understand it.

Is your platform free to use?

Yes, we offer a free forever plan with 16GB of photo storage—1GB more than Google Photos! While it may seem like a small difference, we take pride in providing that extra space for your memories. And it’s funny.

When you’re ready to upgrade to a larger plan, we’ll be here to help you seamlessly transition to a premium option that fits your needs.

What if PixelUnion goes bankrupt — do my photos vanish into the void?

Nope! Even if we ever close up shop (don’t worry, we like it here), you’ll get plenty of notice — so you can move your photos to another service.

How do I connect the Immich app to your platform?

Enter your subdomain (e.g., myphotos.pixelunion.eu) in the Immich app’s server address field. For more information on how to get going with the app, visit this page.

Does PixelUnion offer a family plan?

Yes and no. We don’t offer a separate paid family plan (we’re not Netflix), but all our subscriptions include family features.

You can invite family members or friends to join your domain by creating individual accounts for them within your subdomain.

Here’s how:

  1. Click on your account icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
  2. Select Administration from the dropdown menu.
  3. From there, you can create new user accounts for your family or friends. These accounts will have access to your storage but with their own login and interface.

Does your platform support the Immich API?

Yes, we fully support the Immich API, allowing you to use it with any compatible software or tools you prefer. This means you can integrate our platform into your workflows, build custom apps, or automate tasks using the Immich API.

However, for security and privacy reasons, we have disabled two specific endpoints:

  • /api/system-config: This endpoint is disabled to prevent unauthorized access to system-level configurations.
  • /api/library: This endpoint is disabled to ensure stricter control over media library access.

All other endpoints are fully functional, so you can enjoy the flexibility and power of the Immich API while keeping your data secure. If you have any questions or need help getting started, feel free to reach out to our support team!

Are you associated with Immich?

No, we are NOT associated with Immich. Our platform is built on a forked version of the Immich open-source project. We deeply respect the work of the Immich community and actively contribute back to the project whenever possible. Read more about open source.

How do we keep your photos and videos safe?

Our main storage server is in Germany, and we keep a backup in Finland. So if, by some tiny chance, the storage box in Germany explodes (hey, you never know), we’ve got your back. It might take a little time to transfer everything from Finland — it’s pretty far from Alkmaar, after all — but your data will be safe and sound.

How can I delete my account?

We’re sorry to see you go. To delete your account:

  1. Click on your account icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
  2. Select Billing from the dropdown menu.
  3. Cancel your subscription via the billing portal.

Once your subscription period ends, your account will become inaccessible and will be scheduled for deletion.

If you change your mind before the deletion date, feel free to reach out to our support team.

What happens if I delete my account?

We store two types of data for which we have separate retention periods:

  • Personal data: Like your name, email address or phone number
  • Uploaded media: The media you have uploaded to our platform

We keep your personal data (not your uploaded media) only as long as necessary. Typically, this means up to 1 year after you stop using our services.

We retain your uploaded media for up to 30 days after you delete your installation. This gives us time to resolve any issues or recover data if needed. After that, it’s permanently deleted.

How do I update my subscription?

To update your subscription, click your account icon in the top-right corner, then select Billing from the dropdown menu.

Alternatively, you can go directly to the billing page using this link:
Manage your subscription

How can I contact support?

You can reach out to our support team via the Contact Us page.

Where are you based?

We are based in Alkmaar, The Netherlands, and comply with Dutch and EU data protection laws.

Are you GDPR-compliant?

Yes, we fully comply with GDPR regulations to protect your personal data.

Am I allowed to use the native Immich API?

Yes, we fully support the Immich API and you can generate your own API keys.

How can I upload a large number of photos quickly?

If you have a lot of photos to upload, the easiest and fastest way is to use the Immich CLI (Command-Line Interface). The CLI allows you to upload entire folders of photos directly from your computer, making it perfect for bulk uploads.

To get started, you’ll need to install the Immich CLI and log in using your API key. We’ve written a detailed guide on how to do this in our blog post: Using the Immich API and CLI.

Here’s a quick overview of the steps:

  1. Install the Immich CLI:
    Use Node.js and NPM to install the CLI on your computer.

  2. Get Your API Key:
    Log in to your Immich account, go to Account Settings, and create an API key.

  3. Log In to the CLI:
    Use the API key and your server URL to log in via the CLI.

  4. Upload Your Photos:
    Use the immich-cli upload command to upload your photos. You can even upload entire folders and subfolders with the --recursive option.

For more detailed instructions, check out our blog post: Using the Immich API and CLI.

The Immich CLI is a powerful tool that saves you time and effort when managing large photo collections. Give it a try!

Immich has released a new version, when will you be upgrading the platform?

The Immich development moves super fast and is always introducing new and great features. We try to stay as close to the latest release as we can, but because they move so fast, sometimes the latest minor release can be a little buggy. That is why we usually wait for the patch releases to calm down before upgrading our platform.

Want to know when we will be upgrading more precisely because a great feature was released? Don’t hesitate to contact us.

What are Immich major, minor and patch releases?

Immich, like many software projects, uses semantic versioning, which follows the format MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH (for example, 1.12.3).

  • Major releases (e.g., 2.0.0): Introduce significant changes, new features, or potentially breaking changes that may not be backward compatible.
  • Minor releases (e.g., 1.13.0): Add new features and improvements in a backward-compatible manner. Existing functionality should continue to work.
  • Patch releases (e.g., 1.13.1): Contain bug fixes and small improvements that do not affect compatibility or add new features.

This versioning helps users and developers understand the impact of an update. For Immich, we usually wait for patch releases to ensure stability before upgrading our platform.

My images aren’t loading in the timeline. What’s going on and how can I fix it?

The images in your timeline are actually thumbnails. Sometimes when someone uploads photos, the thumbnails aren’t generated properly. This results in grey boxes or errors like “Cannot load image”.

In many cases, the system needs a moment to generate the missing thumbnails, so try waiting a few minutes.

Still not working after a while?

Follow these steps to manually trigger thumbnail generation:

  1. Click your account icon in the top-right corner.
  2. Go to Administration.
  3. Select Jobs from the sidebar.
  4. Click the GENERATE THUMBNAILS button.

This will regenerate the missing thumbnails, and your images should now appear correctly in the timeline.