immich/docs/docs/features/bulk-upload.md

# Bulk Upload (Using the CLI)

You can use the CLI to upload an existing gallery to the Immich server

[Immich CLI Repository](https://github.com/immich-app/CLI)

## Requirements

- Node.js 16 or above
- Npm

## Installation

```bash
npm i -g immich
```

Pre-installed on the `immich-server` container and can be easily accessed through

```
immich
```

### Options

| Parameter        | Description                                                         |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| --yes / -y       | Assume yes on all interactive prompts                               |
| --recursive / -r | Include subfolders                                                  |
| --delete / -da   | Delete local assets after upload                                    |
| --key / -k       | User's API key                                                      |
| --server / -s    | Immich's server address                                             |
| --threads / -t   | Number of threads to use (Default 5)                                |
| --album/ -al     | Create albums for assets based on the parent folder or a given name |
| --import/ -i     | Import gallery (assets are not uploaded)                            |

## Quick Start

Specify user's credential, Immich's server address and port and the directory you would like to upload videos/photos from.

```
immich upload --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api file1.jpg file2.jpg
```

By default, subfolders are not included. To upload a directory including subfolder, use the --recursive option:

```
immich upload --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api --recursive directory/
```

### Obtain the API Key

The API key can be obtained in the user setting panel on the web interface.

![Obtain Api Key](./img/obtain-api-key.png)

---

### Run via Docker

You can run the CLI inside of a docker container to avoid needing to install anything.

:::caution Running inside Docker
Be aware that as this runs inside a container, you need to mount the folder from which you want to import into the container.
:::

```bash title="Upload current directory"
cd /DIRECTORY/WITH/IMAGES
docker run -it --rm -v "$(pwd):/import" ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-cli:latest upload --recursive --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api
```

```bash title="Upload target directory"
docker run -it --rm -v "/DIRECTORY/WITH/IMAGES:/import" ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-cli:latest upload --recursive --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api
```

```bash title="Create an alias"
alias immich='docker run -it --rm -v "$(pwd):/import" ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-cli:latest'
immich upload --recursive --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api
```

:::tip Internal networking
If you are running the CLI container on the same machine as your Immich server, you may not be able to reach the external address. In that case, try the following steps:

1. Find the internal Docker network used by Immich via `docker network ls`.
2. Adapt the above command to pass the `--network <immich_network>` argument to `docker run`, substituting `<immich_network>` with the result from step 1.
3. Use `--server http://immich-server:3001` for the upload command instead of the external address.

```bash title="Upload to internal address"
docker run --network immich_default -it --rm -v "$(pwd):/import" ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-cli:latest upload --recursive --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://immich-server:3001
```

:::

### Run from source

```bash title="Clone Repository"
git clone https://github.com/immich-app/CLI
```

```bash title="Install dependencies"
npm install
```

```bash title="Build the project"
npm run build
```

```bash title="Run the command"
node bin/index.js upload --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api --recursive your/asset/directory
```

---

## Importing existing libraries

If you do not wish to upload files into the server, existing files can be imported into the immich gallery through the use of the `--import` flag.

```
immich upload --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api --recursive directory/ --import
```

```
immich upload --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api file1.jpg file2.jpg --import
```

The `immich-server` and `immich-microservices` containers must be able to access the files, or directories at the path referenced in the command. The directories referenced must be set under a user's `External Path` setting. More detailed instructions can be found [here](/docs/features/read-only-gallery).

:::tip Matching volume references
The import command is most easily run on the machine running the immich service, as the path to the files on the machine running the command and the server much match identically.

If you are running immich within docker, the volume pointing to your existing library should be identical with your host machine.

```diff title="docker-compose.yml"
  immich-server:
    container_name: immich_server
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-server:${IMMICH_VERSION:-release}
    command: [ "start.sh", "immich" ]
    volumes:
      - ${UPLOAD_LOCATION}:/usr/src/app/upload
+     - /path/to/media:/path/to/media
    env_file:
      - .env
    depends_on:
      - redis
      - database
      - typesense
    restart: always

  immich-microservices:
    container_name: immich_microservices
    image: ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-server:${IMMICH_VERSION:-release}
    command: [ "start.sh", "microservices" ]
    volumes:
      - ${UPLOAD_LOCATION}:/usr/src/app/upload
+     - /path/to/media:/path/to/media
    env_file:
      - .env
    depends_on:
      - redis
      - database
      - typesense
    restart: always
```

The proper command for above would be as shown below. You should have access to `/path/to/media` exactly on the environment the CLI command is being run on

```
immich upload --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api --recursive /path/to/media --import
```

If you are running the import using the docker command, please note that the volumes should point to the `/path/to/media` exactly on the environment the CLI command is being run on

```
docker run -it --rm -v "/path/to/media:/path/to/media" ghcr.io/immich-app/immich-cli:latest upload --key HFEJ38DNSDUEG --server http://192.168.1.216:2283/api --recursive /path/to/media --import
```

:::