[Feature] Delete from web and sync to mobile

[rantanlan]

The feature

Tried to search for a feature I would love to see, seems no one mentioned it yet?

The abiliy to delete a photo in the web frontend and it also get's deleted on the synced phones... often I take pictures of notes, reminders, several picture of the same subject so sort them out on a big screen. Currently if you delete a synced file, it will show up in the webfrontend again after the next sync so I'm not really sure what the delete button on the web currently does.. (besides deleting photos which are not on your phone anymore)

Or do I miss something?

Platform

• Server
• Web
• Mobile

[marianjanco]

Hello, I would also appreciate this function. I am a hobby photographer and my common real workflow is like this:

1. take pictures with camera (let's say on a vacation)
2. transfer them through wifi to my phone
3. immich app synchronizes them to my server at home
4. when I come home, I want to revisit the pictures with the large screen and definitely delete bad ones on all devices (server + mobile phone)

It could also be generalized that pictures shouldn't be taken with a camera, but also with a mobile phone itself.

[dgsardina]

I do believe that this feature is one of the most important ones. If I decide to delete a picture from the server, is needs to be deleted in the phone. Specially now that there is no way to delete a photo from both server and mobile at the same time

[NicholasFlamy]

Specially now that there is no way to delete a photo from both server and mobile at the same time

As of a while ago this is possible on the mobile app. Obviously not on the web like this feature request asks for but just putting this here to let you know.

[YKhovanskikh]

Hello. Yeah, it's quite frustrating. After deleting files from the server, the phone begins transferring them back to the server. If this issue is a result of system limitations (iOS, Android), perhaps you could create a workaround?
For instance:

• After deleting an image, marking it as deleted in DB (similar to the current recycle bin, but without restrictions on storage time)
• During synchronization with clients who have these photos saved locally, categorize them in a separate folder (category)
• Users can enter this folder and manually clear it, with all necessary warnings from the system.

This is not fully user-friendly but more convenient than it is currently.

[theverex]

Would love this feature for all of the reasons listed above - I have tens of thousands of photos on my phone from over the years with no organisation. I would love to be able to organise & delete from Immich which then syncs back to my phone to delete them there as well & sync the albums. A much needed feature for me and I think it would be the last thing I need for Immich to be perfect!

[AZweimiller]

I am also looking for this feature. I am using Android and and I took a few test photos, waited for them to upload, and then deleted using the web. They disappeared from the mobile app timeline almost immediately. I checked my phone's DCIM folder using a file manager and the photos are still there. I expected them to be gone. They still show up in other gallery apps as well.

Consider this use case:

I will spam the shutter button on my camera to get a "keeper" (non-blurry) photo. This is especially important for kids who don't stop moving for photos. 😄 I will often sit down at the computer and prune the duplicates. I've enjoyed how Google Photos would remove the images from my mobile device. It helps reclaim a good bit of internal storage.

Thank you.

[markussiebert]

My use case is similar but different. As the sharing feature is crap at the moment, my wife and I use the same account. I would like to "remote delete" fotos on my wifes phone. They should not instantly get deleted - I think each client should as wether the files trashed should be deleted also on the client, or reuploaded (and if you confirm reupload, they should get restored from trash).

[benmccann]

The default gallery app gets permission to the file system whereas other apps can only access after a user interaction. That means Google Photos works differently for deletes on Pixels (where it's the default) and non-Pixels (where it normally isn't). You can't change the default gallery app without invoking ADB. This info is from https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/02/03/how-to-get-rid-of-google-photos-out-of-sync-changes-prompt-on-android-11/

That means that we have one of two choices on Android:

• request access to manage all files. This is discouraged, but allowed for things like backup and restore apps, which fits our usecase. It seems that we currently have these permissions via a legacy flag, so that's probably enough to allow this.
• emulate the workflow of Google Photos on non-Pixel phones, which looks something like this: https://github.com/Dilanwizzy/immich/blob/how-google-deletes-assets/HowGoogleDeletsImages.md. We can perhaps document how to connect ADB to remove that user interaction step for advanced users if we go this route

On iOS, it uses the non-Pixel behavior

Update 2/19/2025: the maintainers have decided that the review screen should occur on all devices by default, but Android can have an option to do automatic syncing

[benmccann]

The server sends an event via web socket when the mobile app is opened and otherwise you utilize the sync mechanism in sync.service.dart. on_asset_trash event when an item is sent to trash and an on_asset_delete event when an item is deleted. Currently when the Immich mobile application receives these events from the server, it only deletes the item from the local database, but doesn't delete them from the file system.

On Android, when a photo is being deleted here, also delete it from the file system:

immich/mobile/lib/services/sync.service.dart

Line 191 in b21572c

Future<void> handleRemoteAssetRemoval(List<String> idsToDelete) {

To convert from ID to file path there, see this example:

immich/mobile/lib/services/search.service.dart

Line 106 in 6b6d2a6

return _db.assets

On Android, for trashing a photo, make a new method _handleOnAssetTrash here:

immich/mobile/lib/providers/websocket.provider.dart

Line 162 in b21572c

socket.on('on_asset_trash', _handleServerUpdates);

When we get a trash event on android, rename the file in the manner that android does. I.e. .trashed-1720292136-PXL_20240606_185506468.jpg, which is the original photo name prepended with .trashed followed by a timestamp 30 days in the future (the time at which the photo should be removed from the trash and permanently deleted)

To test, upload some photos, delete them using the web application, and verify that they are then renamed to trashed or deleted on the file system after your change, so that they no longer appear in Google Photos: #3594 (comment)

[jhoyle7]

Are you saying this is how it should work with the current version? It doesn't work this way for me. When I use the server to delete a photo it doesn't show up in mobile app anymore but it remains in the file system and the filename doesn't change. When I empty the trash on the server it reappears in the mobile app then re-uploads to the server.

[NicholasFlamy]

Are you saying this is how it should work with the current version? It doesn't work this way for me. When I use the server to delete a photo it doesn't show up in mobile app anymore but it remains in the file system and the filename doesn't change. When I empty the trash on the server it reappears in the mobile app then re-uploads to the server.

The behavior you experienced is intended.
What @benmccann described was how it could theoretically be done.
My guess is this request will be fulfilled closer to stable similar to the free up space on mobile option.

[jhoyle7]

Ah ok thanks

[benmccann]

I am not having the photo re-uploaded to web after deleting it as some have described here. However, I was able to reproduce it with the following steps:

• I selected an album with 3 photos for backup on the mobile app and backed it up
• I then deleted one of those three photos from the web instance
• The app still says "3 assets" under the backup section when I'd expect it to be 2 now and I can use Google Photos to find the deleted photo on my phone still when I would expect it to have been deleted

[mamerrem]

did you delete the photos from another device than the one with the backub job running?

[benmccann]

Yes. The backup was on mobile and I did the delete via the web

[przemhb]

For me personally such a function is essential and a deal breaker at the same time. I'd like to know what's the status of the feature request - has it been accepted, added to roadmap or maybe it is already being implemented?

[kiwijunglist]

Thanks would be keen on this too.

I deleted a bunch of photos on the web and then my phone added them back again.

[kiwijunglist]

The work around is to archive photos you don't want any more in the web instance and favorite your best photos.

In the future when the feature is available you can delete all the archive photos.

[ghan1t]

I tried this but went a step further for a workaround:

1. On the web: move all unwanted photos into the archive
2. On mobile, go to Library -> Archive -> select all photos --> Delete -> Confirm to delete from device
3. On the web: empty trash

I also would like if immich would either auto delete on my device or prevent duplicate uploads.

[DanTulovsky]

In my case, I deleted photos on the webapp but I can still see them in ios app. The photos are not actually on my phone. And selecting one of the deleted ones shows me an empty gray screen. How do I update the ios thumbnail view?

[DanTulovsky]

fwiw, logging out of the app, and back in, refreshes the view and no longer shows the deleted photos. Is this working as intended?

[chrisscotland]

Just to add that this kind of bidirectional sync would be an important feature for me too. The prompt approach that Google photos takes to 'review out of sync changes' seems appropriate as long as sufficient detail is then provided to accurately review what changes are proposed and which you would like to accept. This would help catch any accidental deletions etc

[MikeFez]

Lack of this feature is the only thing holding me back from using Immich. I've tried a variety of different services (paid and self-hosted) to back up photos from my iPhone. Similar to what others have mentioned, I take pictures of notes, serial numbers, etc. for temporary usage. All services (other than Apple's iCloud from what I can tell, for iOS devices at least), simply sync from device to server, and then that "link" between photos is forgotten. Unfortunately, this means when I do my rounds and delete recent "temporary" images from my phone's default photo app or other 3rd party utility, they remain on the synced service.

Realistically, I'd like to be able to delete a photo from my phone or immich, with the two left in sync.

I understand that the synced photos on immich can be considered a backup, and that this adds a bit of "danger" to that concept. However, the app could certainly present a "preview" of what would be deleted from where when deviations between the two occur. Also, said deleted images could persist in a "X day trash" for reversal if needed.

[simone-viozzi]

Sorry, I do not understand the point of viewing two different set of photos from web and mobile. The photo library is one, it should be the same everywhere you view it, no?

Then every change to a photo needs to be propagated to every device that hold that photo, no?
and this of course should include deletion of a photo from the server.

Sorry, maybe it's me that I'm missing something here...

[blublub]

Sorry, I do not understand the point of viewing two different set of photos from web and mobile. The photo library is one, it should be the same everywhere you view it, no?

Then every change to a photo needs to be propagated to every device that hold that photo, no? and this of course should include deletion of a photo from the server.

Sorry, maybe it's me that I'm missing something here...

Imagine u run out of storage space on your phone, so your 512gb phone storage is full.
When u delete images and video on the phone to free up space via the Immich app do u also want to delete them on the sever? - I guess not

As I explained in a previous post there is a whole industries who stores images long term in originating from multiple source and belive me they know why and there is a reason why deletions on end devices aren't synced to server and vice versa - but I guess just everyone on the internet knows better than GE Siemens Sectra Infinitt and Al the other companies...

[dgsardina]

Imagine u run out of storage space on your phone, so your 512gb phone storage is full.
When u delete images and video on the phone to free up space via the Immich app do u also want to delete them on the sever? - I guess not

I believe this feature request is aimed to exactly the opposite, to allow a way to delete the pics everywhere when on the web. Right now, the only way of deleting the pics on both phone and server is via the phone app, which is far from convenient.

[MikeFez]

When u delete images and video on the phone to free up space via the Immich app do u also want to delete them on the sever?

I use iCloud Photos (as many iOS users do now), so yes, I'd want them removed from the server since I never remove photos to free up space - I'm just removing them because I don't want them.

I guess just everyone on the internet knows better than GE Siemens Sectra Infinitt and Al the other companies...

The issue here is that you're assuming the use case. The ability to delete from my phone is certainly an option that could at the very least be offered. With iCloud Photos, none of my media are on my phone (other than a select portion); they all persist in iCloud storage, with portions being downloaded as I access them. The "photo library" contents on my phone are essentially just pointers to the cloud, which are downloaded on demand.

If implemented neatly, I can envision a "Review" pane which shows which items would be removed from the server/phone, with people being able to selectively choose which ones they do want deleted.

Also, as @dgsardina mentioned, the feature being requested is the ability to detect what was deleted on the server in order to have it deleted from my phone. Realistically, I'd want it bi-directional though; with Immich mirroring my iCloud/mobile library.

[NicholasFlamy]

Imagine u run out of storage space on your phone, so your 512gb phone storage is full. When u delete images and video on the phone to free up space via the Immich app do u also want to delete them on the sever? - I guess not

#165

Edit:
So deleting from mobile to free up space is a highly requested feature. So even if this discussion's sync deletes from web to mobile and/or vice-versa comes into effect, I would expect that it would be an option such that the current functionality is still an option.

[blublub]

Immich needs to be easy to use and to be fool proof.

This means that as the standard behavior a delete on web should not delete the image on the phone and vice versa.
The whole setup is a simple source to server model where where the source devices will always have less storage than the server.

To avoid missing/lost images on the server and to have the ability to recover an image from the phone deletions should not be synced as the standard behavior.

As I already mentioned this isn't a new problem and a whole industry doesn't sync deletion for good reasons.

I don't care about An advanced feature where ppl set an option and know what they are doing - however most ppl when immich is stable won't know what they are doing and a fool proof method is to keep deletion on device and server seperate

[chrisscotland]

The way this is handled by gphotos seems to work well and cover a variety of use cases. A prompt on the phone when photos have been deleted from the web allows any changes to be reviewed and synced to the phone as desired. This way nothing is deleted by default but the option to remove photos on the phone exists.

For me personally I use the web to review images full screen, check for focus and quality and delete any that I don't like. So personally for me if I delete on the web I would like that propagated to the phone in most cases.

Removing images from the phone to free up storage space should not be called 'delete'. I think we should introduce different terminology for that use case where the images will remain on the server and use delete only where data will be removed permanently (from all sources).

[benmccann]

As I already mentioned this isn't a new problem and a whole industry doesn't sync deletion for good reasons.

They absolutely do. If you delete a photo from Google photos web it will delete it on your phone.

A prompt on the phone when photos have been deleted from the web allows any changes to be reviewed and synced to the phone as desired.

Note that Google Photos only does this when forced to. Google Photos doesn't do it on Pixel devices because they have the permissions to avoid it there as the default photo gallery

[srmncnk]

I would also very much appreciate this feature. I use web for culling and managing my albums, it's a magnificent tool for that!

They way syncing works however is not clear and it behaves differently when someone uploads to one server from multiple devices (which is my use case - multiple phones).

My suggestion is an option to sync one way (upload everything that has not been uploaded, don't touch local photos on phones). And add a date at when to start uploading (upload everything after a certain point of time - like Dropbox for instance).

[benmccann]

If file is deleted on web, it is uploaded from mobile again (not expected, I want to do my culling on web).

Yeah, I agree that should not happen.

If file is deleted on mobile and it's from that device, it's also deleted on the device (certainly did not expect that, also it's a bit confusing since I share the account with my wife and we both upload to the same account).

This part I disagree with. I think that's what should happen and it's how most other photo management systems work. E.g. if you delete a photo in Google Photos it will be removed from the file system. What's your use case for "deleting" a photo and leaving it on the file system? To me, that would make it very difficult to manage photos as you end up with orphaned files taking up storage space and you don't know which are ones you actually want and which aren't. Without knowing what you're trying to accomplish, would another solution like adding those photos to an album and hiding that album from the timeline work?

[srmncnk]

Fair enough, second part we can agree on. For culling, only the first part is relevant.

[benmccann]

FWIW, happy to help, flutter developer here.

Would love to get some help on this. I did a pretty detailed write-up above of what would need to change (#3594 (comment)). I think for Android the solution is quite simple and so maybe just implementing it there first would make sense. For iPhone, I haven't investigated as much how their file system permissions would work, but it sounds like Apple Photos users are used to a more complex UI than Pixel users are. Feel free to hop into the #contributing channel on Discord for questions or help getting started

[mfradcourt]

I'm using Synology Photo on web + iphone for a while now and my experience with the sync feature they implemented is quite smooth.
They have a section "Out-of-sync changes" on the iphone app, which list all photos/videos deleted from the server or moved to another space on the server. You can then choose yourself to delete those photos/videos from your phone.

I'm also currently testing immich and it is indeed surprising to have photos/videos that I deleted on the server being re-uploaded by the phone app (note that they of course re-upload only when emptying the trash bin on immich web).

It seems also that the behavior is a bit different if the immich app is open while deleting (and emptying trash) on the server versus if the immich app is closed. If the app is open, the photo is deleted immediately from the phone, if the app is closed then the photo will be considered to be uploaded again when the app is launched on the phone.

It gives the feeling that the phone app is the master and will always overwrite anything happening on the server if the app is not running, it this really what is expected ?

[bo0tzz]

It seems also that the behavior is a bit different if the immich app is open while deleting (and emptying trash) on the server versus if the immich app is closed. If the app is open, the photo is deleted immediately from the phone, if the app is closed then the photo will be considered to be uploaded again when the app is launched on the phone.

When you delete on the web, the asset is moved into Immich's trash. The app also receives that event which is why you see it disappear from the timeline immediately. It's not actually deleting it from the device, and if you continue to fully delete it from the trash on the web you'll see it reappear on the mobile timeline as not uploaded.

[ciezczakmichal]

Today I deployed immich on server and it really lacks syncing of media deletion.

The only temporary solution I see is to use an external library and synchronize media using Syncthing, instead of using mobile app backup feature. Then regardless of where I delete a photo - whether on my phone, computer, or in the immich web app - the changes will be applied to other devices by Syncthing. From what I read in docs, the photo in immich app should end up in the trash when file is gone.

[dionorgua]

Same here. Just decided to try it and was confused that some photos that I deleted from web interface were automatically added again.

I see a few possible workarounds for now:

• Never empty Immich trash and Increase automatic cleanup to very big value
• Make Immich at keep list of 'deleted' photos forever. Just metadata (optionally with checksums).

I think that second options safe enough. App still never deletes anything

[dionorgua]

Same here. Just decided to try it and was confused that some photos that I deleted from web interface were automatically added again.

I see a few possible workarounds for now:

• Never empty Immich trash and Increase automatic cleanup to very big value
• Make Immich at keep list of 'deleted' photos forever. Just metadata (optionally with checksums).

I think that second options safe enough. App still never deletes anything

PS. I think it's even more risky to 'delete' files manually from native gallery app or other file manager

[aleksandrsovtan]

A PR has been created implementing the synchronization of local media files on Android with the remote server.

#16153

[svenstaro]

Oh, good point.

[srmncnk]

Can we at the very least delete from server and acknowledge it on mobile (not upload again)? This is one of the main reasons this feature request exists.

[benmccann]

We will work on adding an implementation for iOS, which will have a review screen allowing you to select which trash events to sync to mobile. This will also likely become the default on Android. The just merged implementation that automatically syncs deletes on Android will continue to be available at that point as an option for people who want to skip the review screen on Android.

The remaining work on this feature is temporarily on hold while the team works on migrating the mobile app to Sqlite as that will make implementing this feature easier.

[geforcefan]

@benmccann Is there any news on this (iOS)?

[benmccann]

Currently working on getting the Android code ported to the beta timeline: #20473

That's close to done and then work can switch to iOS.