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sidebar_position: 2
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# Quick start

Here is a quick, no-choices path to install Immich and take it for a test drive.
Once you've tried it, you might use one of the many other ways
to install and use it.

## Requirements

- A system with at least 4GB of RAM and 2 CPU cores.
- [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/)

> For a more detailed list of requirements, see the [requirements page](/install/requirements).

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## Set up the server

import DockerComposeSteps from '/docs/partials/_docker-compose-install-steps.mdx';

<DockerComposeSteps />

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## Try the web app

import RegisterAdminUser from '/docs/partials/_register-admin.md';

<RegisterAdminUser />

Try uploading a picture from your browser.

<img src={require('./img/upload-button.webp').default} title="Upload button" />

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## Try the mobile app

### Download the Mobile App

import MobileAppDownload from '/docs/partials/_mobile-app-download.md';

<MobileAppDownload />

### Login to the Mobile App

import MobileAppLogin from '/docs/partials/_mobile-app-login.md';

<MobileAppLogin />

In the mobile app, you should see the photo you uploaded from the web UI.

### Transfer Photos from Your Mobile Device

import MobileAppBackup from '/docs/partials/_mobile-app-backup.md';

<MobileAppBackup />

The backup time differs depending on how many photos are on your mobile device. Large uploads may
take quite a while.
To quickly get going, you can selectively upload few photos first, by following this [guide](/features/mobile-app#sync-only-selected-photos).

You can select the **Jobs** tab to see Immich processing your photos.

<img src={require('/docs/guides/img/jobs-tab.webp').default} title="Jobs tab" width={300} />

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## Review the database backup and restore process

Immich has built-in database backups. You can refer to the
[database backup](/administration/backup-and-restore) for more information.

:::danger
The database only contains metadata and user information. You must setup manual backups of the images and videos stored in `UPLOAD_LOCATION`.
:::

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## Where to go from here?

You may decide you'd like to install the server a different way; the Install category on the left menu provides many options.

You may decide you'd like to add the _rest_ of your photos from Google Photos, even those not on your mobile device, via Google Takeout. You can use [immich-go](https://github.com/simulot/immich-go) for this.

You may want to [upload photos from your own archive](/features/command-line-interface).

You may want to incorporate a pre-existing archive of photos from an [External Library](/features/libraries); there's a [guide](/guides/external-library) for that.

You may want your mobile device to [back photos up to your server automatically](/features/automatic-backup).
