[Feature Request] Flexible Download Options: Format Conversion and Size Selection

[Molier]

I have searched the existing feature requests to make sure this is not a duplicate request.

• Yes

The feature

[Feature Request] Flexible Download Options: Format Conversion and Size Selection

Background & Related Issues

This feature request consolidates several related discussions from the community:

• [Feature] allow download of lower quatity images / videos for shared albums #3865 (Aug 2023) - Initial request for lower quality download options for shared albums
• [Feature] Automatic file format conversion #3996 (Sep 2023) - Format conversion discussion, evolved to favor download-side approach
• [Feature] update the share URL with additional option to download smaller resized (& converted) versions instead of always full size #5424 (Dec 2023) - Share URL with conversion and resize options
• [Feature] Download JPG for an HEIC image #5470 (Dec 2023) - Specific HEIC to JPG conversion functionality
• Jan 2025: Project maintainers confirmed preference for download-side conversion approach

Community Use Cases

1. Format Compatibility (raised by @NiklasRosenstein, @mikkelsiggaard, @Molier)

   • iOS users need to share HEIC photos with Windows users
   • Android users face HEIC compatibility issues when downloading shared albums
   • Users currently forced to rely on third-party HEIC converter apps for basic functionality
   • Unable to share downloaded HEIC images with other apps on Android
   • RAW/DNG photos need more compatible sharing formats
   • Cross-platform messaging app compatibility (@AngelaDMerkel's WhatsApp example)

2. Bandwidth/Storage Optimization (raised by @schlauerlauer, @steve5355)

   • Large album sharing (30GB+ photo collections from group trips)
   • (Quick preview sharing via messaging apps) perhaps this is too device specific for this issue.
   • Family sharing with size considerations (@steve5355's parent sharing scenario)

Proposed Features

1. Format Conversion on Download

   • Convert HEIC → JPG/PNG during download
   • Support RAW format conversion
   • Server-side temporary conversion
   • Individual and batch download support
   • Preserve originals (adhering to @mmomjian's stated philosophy)

2. Size/Quality Options

   • Quality selection for shared albums
   • Presets: Original, High, Medium, Low ( percentage based downscale if wanted)
   • Support for both images and videos
   • Batch processing capabilities

Technical Implementation

1. Download UI Enhancements

   • Format selector in web interface and mobile apps
   • Quality/size/format options for batch downloads

2. Server-Side Processing

   • Temporary conversion pipeline
   • Efficient cleanup of converted files

3. Optimization Considerations

   • Reuse existing thumbnail generation

we don't change files on the server

Would appreciate maintainer input on implementation priorities and technical considerations.

Platform

• Server
• Web
• Mobile

[mmomjian]

Thanks. I think an easy initial way to implement this would be to allow the bulk download of thumbnails. This would allow users to customize the format and resolution of the thumbnails, which already exist, instead of requiring the writing of a brand new workflow to convert files in realtime / on request.

If someone is interested in writing a PR to implement bulk thumbnail download features, please reach out on Discord (#contributing channel) to confirm the structure before working on a PR.

[Molier]

trying to join as we speak, but the link here is dead i think? docs so joined through here : reddit post

[Molier]

https://discord.com/channels/979116623879368755/1324351216494448750 thread is here

[NicholasFlamy]

This is related and would have similar backend implementation: #6723

[KasiBurnsRed]

push...

In Immich I have many RAW pictures which are not processed by Lightroom and exported to a jpg file. For printing pictures i collect them to an album and download them to my windows machine. it would be great if there were an option (maybe in config) to automaticly convert RAW images to jpg when downloading pictures or whole albums, because many online printing services did not support RAW files. thanks you.

[CiNcH83]

I support this 100%. We use HEIC (from iPhones) for storing photos and backing them up on multiple storage devices as it makes a big difference size wise. But in order to do high quality photo book printouts, my wife could make some good use of high quality downloading in a compatible format (JPEG) (size does not matter). I am currently downloading the original HEIC and “manually” converting them…

Full-res thumbnails are supported by now. But this is counterproductive with respect to efficiently storing photos.

[Thalhammer]

I would like to express my support for this. Since storage is cheap nowadays and compressed RAW's are only about 3x the size of a good quality JPG I have switched to shooting exclusively CR2 a while ago. As a result of this my library contains almost exclusively RAW files. It would be really helpful to have the option of downloading a full resolution jpg (or maybe even png/heic) of the raw file (and as a batch) for sharing with other people.

[bietiekay]

I also would like to express my support for this. Having exported hundreds of HEIC images and then had to convert them so Wordpress can use them was painful. Would be great to have the option in Immich to simply download the JPEGs directly in a given size even though this would take processing time.

[klack]

I decided to add a right click contextual menu for .heic files in Windows Explorer: "Convert to JPG".
You can select an entire group of .heic files and convert them with a right click.

Download and Install Image Magic

Create heic_to_jpg.bat and place it at C:\scripts\

@echo off
for %%I in (%*) do (
    magick "%%~I" "%%~dpnI.jpg"
)

Create heic_to_jpg.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.heic\Shell\Convert to JPG]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.heic\Shell\Convert to JPG\command]
@="\"C:\\scripts\\heic_to_jpg.bat\" \"%1\""

Double click on the .reg file and import it
You can now right click and convert with ease