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docs: restore Immich onto a new instance from the welcome page #92

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futo-claudio merged 2 commits into from
Oct 25, 2026
Merged

docs: restore Immich onto a new instance from the welcome page #92

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8f7de74
docs: restore Immich onto a new instance from the welcome page
Oct 25, 2026
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docs: document the database restore confirmation after a file restore
Oct 25, 2026
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5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions packages/docs/src/routes/guides/recovery-key/+page.md
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Expand Up @@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ If neither is available to you any more, and you did not save the key, treat the

The key is how a rebuilt machine gets back to your existing backups. When you set up the app again, choose **Import key** on the first screen instead of generating a new one, paste your key into the **Recovery Key** field, and save. Spacing and capitalisation do not matter.

In **Immich**, do this from a fresh install before creating an admin account: select **Restore From Backup** on the **Welcome to Immich** page, choose **FUTO Backups**, and import your key there.

> [!NOTE]
> Importing the key in Immich's normal backups setup, after creating an admin account, starts a new first backup instead of restoring.

With the right key imported, your existing backups become readable and you can restore from them. See [restoring files](/guides/restore) for the full walkthrough.

If you import the wrong key, nothing is deleted, but the app cannot read those backups. You will see "Can't access, is your recovery key correct?" next to them, or "Can't read repository" when importing. Import the correct key and they become readable again.
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17 changes: 16 additions & 1 deletion packages/docs/src/routes/guides/restore/+page.md
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Expand Up @@ -36,7 +36,22 @@ This restores your files **and** the Immich database, and restarts the server as

If the machine is gone, the backups are not. They are on your account, encrypted with your [recovery key](/guides/recovery-key).

1. Install the app again, following [Immich](/getting-started/immich) or [the standalone container](/getting-started/standalone).
### Immich

1. Install Immich again on the beta build, following [switch to the beta build](/getting-started/immich#1-switch-to-the-beta-build). Do not create an admin account yet.
2. On the **Welcome to Immich** page, select **Restore From Backup** instead of **Getting Started**. Immich goes into maintenance mode.
3. When asked **Where would you like to restore from?**, choose **FUTO Backups**.
4. In **Import recovery key**, enter your existing recovery key in the **Recovery Key** field and select **Save**.
5. Choose **FUTO Backups** as where your backups are stored and connect the same FUTO Backups account.
6. Pick the backup, then the snapshot you want, and confirm. Wait for the files to finish restoring.
7. Immich then offers to restore its database from the most recent backup. Select **Continue** (or **Select another backup** to pick a different one), then confirm **Restore**. Immich restores the database and restarts.

> [!WARNING]
> Do not create an admin account and import your key in the normal backups setup instead. That connects the new server as a fresh one and starts a new first backup rather than restoring. If you have already done this, start again from a fresh Immich install.

### Standalone container

1. Install the app again, following [the standalone container](/getting-started/standalone).
2. When setup offers to create a key, choose **Import key** and enter your existing recovery key instead.
3. Connect the same FUTO Backups account.
4. Your existing backups appear. If one shows "Can't access, is your recovery key correct?", the imported key is not the one that made it.
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