Home on PixelUnion - Free your photos from American tech platforms

General FAQ

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Common questions about PixelUnion, our company, and how to get support.

What is PixelUnion?

We are a privacy-first photo storage platform tailored for European consumers, offering a secure and private alternative to major tech platforms.

In light of recent geopolitical developments between the United States and Europe, the need for robust European solutions has become evident. We were created to address this gap, providing a reliable and privacy-focused option for photo storage within the EU.

Getting Started

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to PixelUnion! This guide will help you get started with your new photo and video storage platform.

Step 1: Register Your PixelUnion Environment

Before you can start using PixelUnion, you need to register your environment and create your account.

Visit the PixelUnion Portal: Go to https://portal.pixelunion.eu
Create Your Account: Sign up with your email address and choose a secure password
Choose Your Subdomain: During registration, you’ll be asked to select a subdomain for your personal PixelUnion environment (e.g., yourname.pixelunion.eu)
- Your subdomain will be your unique access point to your PixelUnion instance
- Choose something memorable and personal to you
- The subdomain must be unique and available

Step 2: Access Your PixelUnion Instance

Once your registration is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email with:

Troubleshooting

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Having issues? Here are solutions to common problems.

Can’t log in

Double-check your server URL (should be https://yourname.pixelunion.eu)
Verify your username and password
Clear your browser cache and try again

Forgot password

Contact our support team at support@pixelunion.eu to reset your password.

Upload Issues

Uploads are slow

Check your internet connection
Try uploading smaller batches
Use the desktop CLI for large uploads

Upload fails

Ensure the file format is supported
Check if you have enough storage space
Try refreshing the page and uploading again

Mobile App Issues

App won’t connect

Verify the server URL is correct
Check if you’re on the same network
Try disabling VPN if enabled

Still Need Help?

Visit our support page to contact our team.

Uploading Photos

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

There are several ways to upload your photos and videos to PixelUnion. Choose the method that best fits your needs. You can find an overview of supported file formats here.

Web Upload

The easiest way to upload photos for small to medium collections:

Log in to your PixelUnion domain (e.g., https://yourname.pixelunion.eu)
Click the Upload button in the top navigation
Select files from your computer or drag and drop them
Wait for the upload to complete

Best for: Uploading a few photos or videos at a time, quick uploads from your computer.

Account Settings

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Learn how to manage your PixelUnion account settings. PixelUnion uses two different interfaces for different types of settings: Immich (your photo library) and the Account Portal (your account security).

Settings in Immich (PixelUnion)

You can manage these settings directly within your PixelUnion instance:

Accessing Immich Settings

Log in to your PixelUnion domain (e.g., https://yourname.pixelunion.eu)
Click on your profile icon in the top right corner
Select “Settings” or “Account Settings”

Available Settings in Immich

Within your PixelUnion instance, you can configure:

Mobile App

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

The Immich mobile app lets you access your photos on the go and automatically back up new photos and videos from your device to your PixelUnion server.

The Immich app is available for:

iOS: App Store
Android:
- PixelUnion App: Google Play - PixelUnion provides a custom Android app specifically for our users. This app is optimized for our infrastructure and provides the best experience when connecting to PixelUnion servers.
- Official Immich App: Google Play - The official Immich app is also available and fully compatible with PixelUnion servers.

PixelUnion App vs. Immich App

The differences between the two apps are minimal at the moment. However, with our own app we can eventually:

Privacy & Security FAQ

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Common questions about how PixelUnion protects your data and ensures your privacy.

How do you ensure my data is private?

Your data finds its cozy home in Germany, where it’s protected by some of the strongest privacy laws in the world. We use encryption both at rest and in transit.

For a detailed look at how we protect your data — including encryption, access controls, and our defenses against bad actors — check out our How We Keep Your Data Safe guide.

Albums

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Albums help you organize your photos and videos into collections.

Creating an Album

Go to the Albums section
Click “Create Album”
Give your album a name
Add photos by selecting them or dragging

You can share albums with others:

Open an album
Click the share icon
Choose to share with:
- Other PixelUnion users
- Via a public link

Smart Albums

PixelUnion can automatically organize photos based on:

Faces - People recognized in your photos
Places - Locations where photos were taken
Dates - Timeline view of your memories

Tips

Use descriptive album names for easy searching
Add photos to multiple albums without duplicating
Set cover photos to personalize album thumbnails

How We Keep Your Data Safe

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

At PixelUnion, protecting your memories is our top priority. We understand that your photos and videos are deeply personal, and we take that responsibility seriously. Here’s a detailed look at the three layers of protection we use to keep your data safe and private.

Encryption

Pricing & Features FAQ

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Common questions about PixelUnion pricing, storage plans, and feature usage.

Is your platform free to use?

Yes, we offer a free forever plan with 16GB of photo storage—1GB more than Google Photos! While it may seem like a small difference, we take pride in providing that extra space for your memories. And it’s funny.

When you’re ready to upgrade to a larger plan, we’ll be here to help you seamlessly transition to a premium option that fits your needs.

Reset Your Password

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Forgot your password? No problem! Follow these steps to reset your PixelUnion account password.

Reset Your Password

If you’re already logged in and want to change your password:

Go to the PixelUnion Account Portal
Log in with your current credentials
Navigate to Account Security → Signing In
Click Update Password
Enter your current password and your new password
Click Save to confirm the change

Didn’t Receive the Reset Email?

If you didn’t receive the password reset email:

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your PixelUnion account. Even if someone knows your password, they won’t be able to access your account without the second factor.

What is Two-Factor Authentication?

Two-factor authentication (2FA) requires two things to log in:

Something you know – your password
Something you have – a code from an authenticator app on your phone

How to Enable 2FA

Follow these steps to enable two-factor authentication:

Migrate from Google Photos

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Transfer all your photos and videos from Google Photos to PixelUnion

Ready to bring all your memories from Google Photos to PixelUnion? It’s easier than you think! With our friendly in‑browser migration tool, you can seamlessly transfer your entire photo and video library—no technical skills required, no extra apps to install. Our servers handle everything for you, and because we use immich-go, your important details like dates and albums come along for the ride.

Migrate from iCloud Photos

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Transfer all your photos and videos from iCloud Photos to PixelUnion

Want to switch from iCloud Photos to PixelUnion? Good news: it’s very easy to bring your entire photo and video archive with you. On this page, we’ll explain step by step how to export all your media from iCloud Photos and import it into PixelUnion.

There are two ways to do this:

Method 1 – Quick and easy:
This method is easier, but you risk that some dates and album structures may not be transferred perfectly.

Reporting Abuse

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

We’re here to help. If you’ve seen something on PixelUnion that doesn’t feel right — content that’s harmful, unlawful, or just against our rules — you can report it. We take every report seriously, and we want to keep our platform safe and respectful for everyone. You’re not alone in this; we’ll review what you send and take action when needed.

What you can report

Our Acceptable Use Policy and Terms of Service describe what isn’t allowed. In short, you can report things like:

Sustainability at PixelUnion 🌱

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

At PixelUnion, we believe in building technology that not only respects your privacy but also protects our planet. Sustainability is a core value of our company, and we take concrete steps to minimize our environmental impact while delivering a high-quality, privacy-focused service.

100% Renewable Energy

All our servers and storage infrastructure are hosted in data centers that run exclusively on 100% renewable energy sources. This ensures that PixelUnion operates efficiently, responsibly, and resiliently while keeping our carbon footprint as low as possible.

Download All Photos and Videos

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Immich Go is a powerful tool that allows you to download your entire PixelUnion photo and video library to your computer. This is especially useful when you want to:

Create a local backup of your media
Download your data before deleting your account
Transfer your library to another service
Keep an offline copy of your memories

Known bug in immich-go: broken filenames

Managing Your Storage

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Keep track of your photo and video storage to make the most of your PixelUnion plan.

Checking Your Storage Usage

Your storage usage is displayed in the bottom left corner of your PixelUnion interface. You can see it at any time while logged into your account.

The storage display shows:

Used storage – How much space your photos and videos are taking (e.g., “269.9 GiB of 1 TiB used”)
Total storage – Your plan’s storage limit
Visual progress bar – A visual representation of your storage consumption

You can also view detailed storage information by:

Pricing Plans

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

PixelUnion offers three standard plans as well as custom plans for larger storage needs. All prices are in euros and include VAT.

Plans and Pricing

Plan	Storage	Monthly	Yearly
Free	16 GB	€0	€0
Standard	150 GB	€2.95	€29.50
Pro	1,000 GB (1 TB)	€9.95	€99.50

Paying yearly saves you the equivalent of about two months compared to monthly billing.

Custom Plans

Need more than 1 TB? We offer custom plans ranging from 2 TB up to 20 TB. Please contact us for pricing and availability.

Supported File Formats

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

PixelUnion supports a wide range of image and video formats. Below is a comprehensive list of what you can upload to our platform.

Changing Your Email Address

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Need to update the email address associated with your PixelUnion account? We’re here to help.

Current Process

Changing your email address is not currently available as a self-service option. To update your email address, please contact our support team.

How to Request an Email Change

Send us an email from your current registered email address to support@pixelunion.eu
Include in your request:
- Your current email address
- Your new email address
- Your PixelUnion username or domain
Verification: For security, we may ask you to verify your identity before making the change

Migrate from another Immich server

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

If you are already running a self-hosted Immich server and want to move your library to PixelUnion, you can do so directly using Immich Go. The migration transfers your photos, videos, and album structure from one Immich instance to another, without going through your local computer.

What you will need

Access to your existing Immich server (it must be reachable over the network)
An API key from your existing Immich server
An API key from your PixelUnion account
Immich Go downloaded on your computer

Step 1: Create an API key on your source server

Log in to your existing Immich server
Click your profile icon (top right) and go to Account Settings
Navigate to API Keys and click New API Key
Give it a name (e.g. “Migration”) and make sure the asset.read and asset.copy permissions are enabled
Copy the generated key and keep it somewhere safe

Step 2: Create an API key on PixelUnion

Log in to your PixelUnion domain (e.g. https://yourname.pixelunion.eu)
Click your profile icon (top right) and go to Account Settings
Navigate to API Keys and click New API Key
Give it a name (e.g. “Migration”) and copy the generated key

Step 3: Download Immich Go

Go to the Immich Go releases page and download the version for your operating system:

Deleting Your Account

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

If you’ve decided to delete your PixelUnion account, this guide explains the process and what happens to your data.

Before You Delete

Before requesting account deletion, please consider:

1. Download Your Data First

Once your account is deleted, your photos and videos cannot be recovered. We strongly recommend downloading your data before deletion.

We recommend using Immich Go for downloading all your photos and videos. This tool allows you to download your entire library efficiently while preserving metadata, dates, and album structures. See our guide on downloading your photos and videos with Immich Go for detailed instructions.

Managing Active Sessions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Keep your account secure by monitoring and managing the devices that are signed into your PixelUnion account.

What Are Active Sessions?

An active session represents a device or browser that’s currently logged into your account. This could include:

Your computer’s web browser
The Immich mobile app on your phone
The mobile app on a tablet
Other browsers or devices you’ve used

Viewing Your Active Sessions

To see all devices currently logged into your account:

Users, Sharing & Independent Accounts

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

PixelUnion supports two distinct ways to give someone access to your photos. Understanding the difference helps you set things up the right way from the start.

Two Ways to Set Things Up

Shared instance (users on your account) When you create a user account for someone via Administration, they join your instance at your subdomain (e.g., yourname.pixelunion.eu). They have their own login and their own private library, and can be given a personal storage limit. Your subscription covers their storage. Sharing features such as shared albums and partner sharing work between users on the same instance.

Account FAQ

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Common questions about managing your PixelUnion account, subscriptions, and account settings.

How can I delete my account?

We’re sorry to see you go. To delete your account:

Click on your account icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
Select Billing from the dropdown menu.
Cancel your subscription via the billing portal.

Once your subscription period ends, your account will become inaccessible and will be scheduled for deletion.

If you change your mind before the deletion date, feel free to reach out to our support team.

Immich FAQ

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Common questions about using Immich with PixelUnion, API support, and troubleshooting.

How do I connect the Immich app to your platform?

Enter your subdomain (e.g., myphotos.pixelunion.eu) in the Immich app’s server address field. For more information on how to get going with the app, visit this page.

Does your platform support the Immich API?

Yes, we fully support the Immich API, allowing you to use it with any compatible software or tools you prefer. This means you can integrate our platform into your workflows, build custom apps, or automate tasks using the Immich API.

DigiD and the fight for our digital sovereignty

Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

At PixelUnion, we have a clear mission: to free your precious photos from the big American tech platforms and store them safely on European soil. Recently, our vision of digital independence received a powerful endorsement from the Dutch government. The cabinet decided to block the takeover of Solvinity the company that manages the infrastructure behind DigiD by the American IT company Kyndryl.

What is DigiD, exactly?

For our international friends and followers, it is worth explaining what DigiD actually is. DigiD (short for Digitale Identiteit, or Digital Identity) is the central digital identification system for virtually all residents of the Netherlands. It is commonly referred to as the “digital key to the government.”

On This Day: How Immich Brings Your Memories Back to the Surface

Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Most photos meet a sad fate: they are taken, backed up, and then forgotten. We scroll past them once, move on to the next day, and that photograph might as well not exist. Years later, you discover a cache of old images and suddenly remember a trip, a person, a moment you thought was lost.

Immich’s Memories feature changes this dynamic. Every day, it surfaces photos from your library taken on this same date in previous years. It is a small but surprisingly powerful tool for rediscovering your own life.

Your Whole Life in One Map: Browsing Photos by Location in Immich

Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

You’re scrolling through thousands of photos from the past five years. You remember roughly where a photo was taken, maybe a beach from that holiday two summers ago, but you have no idea when. Or perhaps you want to relive a trip by looking at photos in geographical order rather than chronological. Without a map, finding that specific moment means scrolling endlessly. With Immich’s map view, all of this changes.

Albums Without Limits: How Immich Lets You Organise and Share Your Photos Your Way

Sun, 03 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A photo library without organisation is just a pile. If you’ve ever stored thousands of photos in a flat timeline, you know the feeling: moments are there somewhere, but finding them takes time you don’t have. Albums are the most natural way to bring order to chaos, and Immich makes them work the way you’d expect, then adds something more: the ability to share them privately, on your own terms.

PixelUnion turns one: we're celebrating!

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

One year ago, our first server in Europe went live! No big team, no big office - just two friends from Alkmaar with a clear conviction: your memories belong to you, not to an American tech company.

This day is dedicated to PixelUnion’s first birthday. And when it’s your birthday, you celebrate!

A year to be proud of

A lot has happened over the past year. We have welcomed thousands of users who made the conscious decision to leave Google Photos, iCloud and Dropbox. People who understand that digital independence matters and are genuinely willing to act on it.

Find Any Photo With Words: How Immich's AI-Powered Smart Search Works

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

You have five thousand photos on your server. One evening, you want to find a photo from last summer: a sunset over the water with someone holding a red umbrella. You scroll through your library. An hour passes. You’ve got nothing.

This is the problem that traditional photo search - and most photo management systems - have never really solved. They want you to tag everything. Keyword search requires you to remember what you typed when you uploaded the photo. Location and date filters help, but they’re not enough when you’re searching for a feeling, a scene, or a specific colour.

Faces You Know, Photos You Can Find: How Immich's Facial Recognition Works

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We all have the same problem: you want to find all the photos of your daughter’s first birthday party, or every picture your partner appears in, or how your mum looked ten years ago. Scrolling through hundreds or thousands of photos one by one is exhausting. Immich solves this with facial recognition, a powerful feature that groups people together and lets you search by who is in the photo. The catch? It does all of this entirely on your own server, keeping your biometric data exactly where it belongs.

Immich v2.7.5: Stability Improvements and Deduplication Enhancements

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We are rolling out Immich v2.7.5 to all PixelUnion users today. This release focuses on stability, enhanced deduplication features, and improvements to the underlying infrastructure. Below is a detailed look at what’s new.

Smarter Deduplication

The duplicate detection and resolution system continues to get smarter. In previous releases, the deduplication feature required manual decisions about which photo to keep. Now, the system automatically analyzes image size and EXIF metadata to suggest which asset should be retained—saving you time and reducing the need for manual intervention.

Adieu Windows: Why the French Government Is Choosing Linux

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A fresh digital wind is blowing through Europe, and this time it’s coming from Paris. France recently announced a historic decision: the government is officially switching from Microsoft Windows to Linux. With this move, the French state wants to reclaim control over its digital future and end years of dependency on American technology.

At PixelUnion, we applaud this development. Why? Because the values France is now embracing at the national level (digital sovereignty, privacy, and open source) are precisely the values on which our platform is built.

Background Backup: The Feature That Makes Your Photo Safety Actually Work

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Everyone understands that backups are important. Most people also know, from experience, that they rarely remember to do them. This is the core problem with any backup strategy that depends on your memory or initiative: the gap between when you mean to back up and when you actually do is exactly where disasters live.

Background backup is the answer. It is the mode that makes backup happen without any deliberate action — while your phone sits on your nightstand, while you watch television, while you do anything else. The photos are already safe before you have a chance to forget.

Big Tech's Compliance Record: How Often Google, Apple, and Microsoft Hand Over Your Data to Governments

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Every year, Big Tech receives hundreds of thousands of requests from governments around the world asking for data about their users. Most of the time, they comply. This isn’t conspiracy - it’s documented fact, published in official transparency reports by Google, Apple, and Microsoft themselves. If you use their services and assume your data is protected by privacy policies alone, this reality may surprise you.

The Numbers: A Data-Driven Reality

According to Google’s Transparency Report, the search giant received over 50,000 government data requests in 2023. Apple reported approximately 232,000 device requests in its 2022 - 2023 reporting period. Microsoft received over 24,000 law enforcement requests in 2023 according to their official law enforcement requests report.

Your Photos Are One Dropped Phone Away From Gone: Why Automatic Backup Matters

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Phones get dropped, stolen, and soaked. Storage fills up. Accidents happen at the worst moments. And yet most people’s photo libraries live exclusively on a single device with no copy anywhere else. Until something goes wrong, this feels fine. After something goes wrong, it feels like a disaster.

Automatic mobile backup is the solution to this — and in Immich, it is built in, thoughtful, and runs quietly in the background while you get on with your life.

What if America Leaves NATO?

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The headlines are impossible to miss: Donald Trump openly says NATO is a “paper tiger.” Sure, he may not be able to legally dismantle the alliance, a 2023 US law took care of that, but there are plenty of ways to hollow it out from within. Pull back troops. Stop sharing intelligence. It happens quietly.

At the same time, we’re asking ourselves a far more fundamental question: can we actually manage without America? Or better yet, shouldn’t we finally stand on our own two feet?

Faces You Know, Privacy You Keep: Facial Recognition Done Right

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Type a name into Google Photos and the app finds every photo of that person across thousands of images in seconds. It is impressive - and most people never stop to think about how that works. The answer is that your face is analyzed, mapped, and compared against a model Google has refined for years using the photos of billions of users. It works so well because you, and everyone you know, have quietly helped train it.

How to Use Tags in Immich to Finally Bring Order to Your Photo Library

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Most of us have been there: a photo library that started out tidy and somewhere along the way became a sprawling archive of folders, unnamed files, and the vague memory that the photo you are looking for is definitely in there, somewhere. Albums help. Dates help. But neither is quite flexible enough to capture the way you actually think about your memories.

Tags are the missing piece. And in Immich - the open-source platform powering PixelUnion - they are a genuinely powerful tool for bringing your library under control.

The US CLOUD Act Explained: What It Means for Your Photos and Privacy

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Your photos are in “the cloud.” But whose cloud? And whose laws apply?

If you’re storing pictures on Google Photos, iCloud, OneDrive, or Dropbox, you probably assume your data is protected by the privacy laws where those servers live. If your photos are stored in Europe, you might think European privacy rules - like GDPR - keep you safe. But there’s a US law you’ve probably never heard of that can override all of that. It’s called the CLOUD Act, and it matters more than you think.

Immich as a Service: Everything You Love About Immich, Without Running It Yourself

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

If you have been following the self-hosting community for the past few years, you have probably heard of Immich. It is the open-source photo and video manager that has become the go-to alternative to Google Photos - fast, feature-rich, and free of the surveillance economy that powers most consumer photo apps.

But here is the honest truth: running Immich yourself is not trivial. And for most people - even technical ones - the gap between “I want to try Immich” and “I have a production-ready, backed-up, always-updated Immich instance” is wider than expected.

Google Is Closing Android: And Taking Your Freedom With It

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Android was supposed to be different. Unlike Apple’s tightly controlled iPhone ecosystem, Android promised openness: a platform where anyone could write software, distribute it freely, and run it on any compatible device, no gatekeeper required. Billions of people chose Android partly on that premise. That premise is now being quietly retired.

Starting September 2026, Google will require every Android developer to register centrally with Google before their apps can run on certified Android devices, regardless of whether those apps ever touch the Play Store. The Keep Android Open coalition, backed by more than 37 organisations including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, F-Droid, and the Free Software Foundation, is calling this what it is: the end of Android as an open platform.

Immich v2.6.0: What's New and Rolling Out to PixelUnion Users Now

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We are rolling out Immich v2.6.0 to all PixelUnion users today. This release is packed with meaningful improvements across the web interface, mobile apps, and the underlying platform. Below is a detailed look at everything that is new.

Map View Gets a Side Panel

The web map interface received a notable upgrade. When you click on a cluster of photos on the map, a side panel now opens showing a mini-timeline of the assets in that cluster. From there you can browse directly, mark photos as favourites, or add them to an album without leaving the map view.

How to Export Your Google Photos or iCloud Library: A Step-by-Step Guide

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

You’ve decided to take back control of your photos. Maybe you’ve read about data sovereignty, or you’re concerned about the US CLOUD Act and how governments can access your data. Or maybe you simply want your memories stored somewhere designed for privacy, not surveillance. Whatever brought you here - you’re taking the right step.

The good news: migrating your photos is easier than you might think. Whether you’re on Google Photos or iCloud, we have a dedicated migration guide that walks you through every step - from your first export to your last photo landing safely in PixelUnion.

Every PixelUnion Plan Comes With a Family Plan - No Extra Cost

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The family plan has become one of Big Tech’s favourite upsells. Sign up, hit your storage limit, and then discover that sharing your subscription with a partner or child costs extra - often on top of an already tiered pricing structure. Streaming services did it first, and cloud storage followed. The implicit message is clear: sharing with the people you love is a premium feature.

At PixelUnion, we disagree.

The Hidden Cost of “Family Features”

When you think about where your family’s photos actually live, the picture gets a bit uncomfortable. Most households use a single provider: Google Photos, iCloud, or Amazon Photos. One parent has the account; the other either shares a login (against the terms of service) or pays for a separate one. Kids get their own account at some point, on a different plan, with separate storage, billed separately.

Goodbye Passwords: PixelUnion Now Supports Passkeys

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Passwords are a 1960s invention. They were designed for a world where computers were room-sized machines accessed by a handful of scientists. Today, the average person has over 100 online accounts, and data breaches expose billions of credentials every year. The humble password was never designed for this, and it shows.

We’re happy to announce that PixelUnion now supports passkeys: a modern, fundamentally safer way to log in. No passwords to remember, no SMS codes to type, and no way for attackers to steal what you never had in the first place.

The Window Is Closing: Get Your Data Out of the US While You Still Can

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The news this week is about bombs and drones. But buried underneath the headlines about the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran and Trump’s demand that NATO allies spend 5% of GDP on defence is a quieter story - one that affects every European who stores their photos, documents, or memories with an American tech company.

That story is about leverage. And right now, the US has an enormous amount of it over you.

Social Media Addiction: The Dangers of Social Media

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

It’s probably happened to you: you open Instagram or TikTok for “just five minutes” and before you know it, thirty minutes have passed, leaving you feeling tired, empty, and unmotivated. In 2024, the term ‘brain rot’ was named word of the year by Oxford University Press to describe the mental effects of this excessive phone use. But what truly lies behind this endless scrolling? It’s not a lack of discipline; it’s the result of a multibillion-dollar industry designed to hijack your brain.

Our Reddit AMA

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Our digital memories are at a crossroads. The dominance of American tech giants over our most personal data raises questions not only about privacy, but also about power and dependency. How safe is your photo archive under U.S. legislation? And what happens to sovereignty when your memories are reduced to training data for AI algorithms?

During a recent Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) on the influential subreddit r/BuyFromEU, the PixelUnion team opened up for discussion. PixelUnion, based in the down-to-earth Dutch city of Alkmaar, is building a European alternative to Google Photos and iCloud. No empty marketing talk-just a deep dive into the tech, the ethics, and the messy reality of a startup taking on Silicon Valley.

Finally: Leave Google Photos with a Few Clicks

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Imagine: all your precious memories, from those first baby photos to that one legendary vacation, reside on the servers of a tech giant. You pay monthly for extra storage, your data is analyzed, and you actually have no idea what happens if your account ever gets blocked. Many people want to leave Google Photos, but the technical barrier was always too high. Until today. Meet the new PixelUnion Migration Tool.

Data breach on Flickr

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

If you’ve built a serious photo library on Flickr, you’ve probably felt the tension: massive scale and convenience versus privacy, jurisdiction, and long-term control. The question isn’t just “where do I store my photos?”-it’s who governs them, how portable they are, and what happens when a platform’s incentives shift.

This post breaks down what the recent Flickr incident signals for European users, and how a privacy-first, EU-hosted approach (like PixelUnion, built on Immich) changes the trade-offs.

European alternatives

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

At PixelUnion, we notice that the wind is turning. We are increasingly being asked: “What are truly good European alternatives to the American services I use every day?”. It is a question that arises from a growing awareness of privacy, digital sovereignty, and the desire to support our own economy. For years, we have become accustomed to the dominance of American “Big Tech,” but dependence on these platforms brings risks, especially in times of geopolitical tension.

Immich v2.5

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction: A Milestone Worth Celebrating

The core open-source team behind Immich has just hit an incredible milestone: 90,000 stars on GitHub! In their own words, this latest release is their “fireworks to celebrate” this achievement, and we want to extend a huge congratulations to them for this well-deserved recognition.

GitHub stars are more than just a number; they represent immense community trust, widespread adoption, and a project’s powerful momentum. This achievement signals Immich’s evolution from a niche self-hosted tool into a major force in the world of private media management. We’re thrilled to announce that their celebratory update, v2.5, packed with highly-requested features, is now available on our platform.

Why PixelUnion is the safe and reliable alternative to WeTransfer in 2026

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Tired of your personal photos and videos ending up in a legal gray area as soon as you hit ‘send’? The days when WeTransfer was the undisputed king of file sharing are over. At PixelUnion, we offer a modern European platform that’s not only easier to use, but also takes your privacy and control over your data seriously.

The problem with WeTransfer: Less for the user, more for the shareholder

WeTransfer is no longer the trusted Dutch company it once was; it’s been acquired by an Italian firm and the focus seems to have shifted to profit maximization. This has led to what users on Reddit describe as the “degradation” of the service.

Why Europe Can No Longer Blindly Trust America (And Neither Can Your Photos)

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Long the choice for American technology was the “safe” path, but in 2026 the world has changed drastically. From unpredictable trade wars to a growing crisis in digital autonomy: the reality is that America is no longer the self-evident ally it once was.

At PixelUnion, we believe that privacy and security are not optional. That is why we explain why it is time to free your data from American tech platforms.

Our Digital Colony: Why Europe's Dependence on the US is a Threat We Can No Longer Ignore

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Cracks in Our Digital Foundation

In an era defined by digital transformation, the infrastructure that underpins our governments, economies, and daily lives has become a matter of strategic survival. Yet, across Europe, we have built our modern society upon a digital foundation that is not our own.

At a time when the transatlantic alliance shows signs of unprecedented strain, Europe’s near-total reliance on American technology has evolved from a commercial convenience into a critical and unacknowledged vulnerability. This is not hyperbole. When a sitting US president openly threatens a NATO ally over territory and uses economic statecraft to sanction an international court on European soil, the theoretical has become tangible.

2026: take back your digital freedom, start with your photos

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

2026: take back your digital freedom - start with your photos

New year, new resolutions. But let’s make 2026 practical:
take back your digital freedom. And start with something that’s deeply personal for almost everyone: your photos.

2025 is full of memories. From spontaneous moments to major milestones. Only… for many people those memories are still stored in places you’d rather avoid: a US company, services that happily “read along,” or apps that are mainly designed to collect data.

2025: The year Europe woke up

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

2025: The year Europe woke up

For years, we told ourselves the internet belonged to everyone. We clicked ‘Accept’ without thinking, stored our most precious memories in the cloud of American giants, and ignored the warnings. “I’ve got nothing to hide,” was the excuse. But in 2025, the uncomfortable truth can no longer be ignored: when it really matters, here in Europe we handed over the keys to our digital home a long time ago.

Immich v2.4.0

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Immich team has done it again! Just weeks after the previous release, they’ve delivered version v2.4.0 - an update that may focus on polish and quality-of-life improvements, but packs several highly anticipated features that make managing your self-hosted photo library more intuitive than ever.

This release brings power-user capabilities like the new Command Palette, addresses a long-standing request for ownership visibility in shared albums, and significantly refines the mobile experience with smarter button placement. Let’s explore what’s new.

Scaling Immich: How We Re-engineered Reverse Geocoding for Massive Photo Libraries

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction: The Magic of Knowing “Where”

For home lab enthusiasts and data privacy advocates, Immich has emerged as a premier self-hosted solution for photo and video management. It offers a powerful, private alternative to cloud-based services. One of its most compelling features is a piece of background magic: reverse geocoding. This process automatically analyzes the GPS coordinates embedded in a photo’s EXIF data and enriches it with human-readable location context-the City, State, and Country where the image was captured.

ImmichFrame

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Our most cherished photos-the candid smiles, the breathtaking landscapes, the milestone moments-are often trapped on our phones. Immich is a powerful, private, self-hosted alternative to services like Google Photos, but organizing your memories is only half the battle; enjoying them is what truly matters. This is where ImmichFrame enters the picture. It is a community-driven way to liberate your photos and display them beautifully throughout your home, turning your digital archive into a living gallery and highlighting the passion of the self-hosting community.

From trend to ownership: how Big Tech profits from your photos

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

From muppet transformations to banana portraits: in recent years AI photo trends have washed over our timelines in waves. They seem harmless and funny, and that’s precisely their strength. You just upload a selfie; one click later a charming, shareable version of yourself appears. But behind that simplicity is a reality far less friendly to your privacy. What you join today for fun can tomorrow, unintentionally, help build an infrastructure that collects biometric data, builds profiles and reuses images in ways you never intended.

Migrating to Keycloak: Our Journey to Enhanced Security

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Migrating to Keycloak: Our Journey to Enhanced Security

As we continue building PixelUnion-your privacy-focused Google Photos alternative from Europe-we’re constantly working to improve security and user experience. Today, we want to share an important update about our identity provider migration and what it means for you.

Why We Need an Identity Provider

Our platform is built on Immich, an incredible open-source photo management solution. However, Immich is designed with a specific philosophy: it focuses on being the best photo management software, not on reinventing identity management.

HELP SUDAN

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

As the holidays approach and the world prepares for a season of togetherness, today at PixelUnion we make a deliberate choice. Starting Sunday 24 November and running through Christmas Day, we are putting our technology to work for a goal bigger than ourselves.

Today we launch our emergency relief campaign: 20% of all our revenue goes directly to humanitarian aid in Sudan via the Netherlands Red Cross.

We’d like to explain why we are doing this-and why the link between our software and the situation in Sudan makes more sense than you might first think.

Immich Kiosk

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

1.0 Setting the Scene: The Power of Immich and a New Opportunity

In the world of open-source software, few projects have captured the attention of tech enthusiasts quite like Immich. As a self-hosted photo and video backup solution, it offers a powerful, private alternative to cloud-based services, putting users firmly in control of their digital memories. For those who value data ownership, Immich is the gold standard. However, once your cherished photos are securely stored, a new challenge emerges: how do you easily and elegantly display them in your physical space? This post explores a new open-source project designed to solve this exact problem.

While the Web Waits: Why PixelUnion Remains Online During Today's Cloudflare Outage

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

If you have been browsing the web today, you have likely encountered more than a few “502 Bad Gateway” errors or endless loading spinners. As widely reported, the Cloudflare Global Network is currently experiencing a significant outage, impacting millions of websites and services across the globe.

However, if you are reading this, you have already noticed that PixelUnion.eu is fully operational.

This isn’t an accident. It is the result of a strategic infrastructure decision we made to ensure our uptime isn’t tied to a single point of failure that affects half the internet. Our secret? We use bunny.net to serve our static content.

PixelUnion: Hosted Immich for Hassle-Free Photo Backup and Management

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Managing a growing collection of photos and videos can be complicated. Immich is a popular open-source solution for self-hosted photo backup and management, but running it yourself requires technical setup, server maintenance, and ongoing updates.

PixelUnion solves this problem by offering Immich as a fully-hosted service. With PixelUnion, you get all the benefits of Immich-automatic backups, device syncing, and secure storage-without the overhead of managing your own server.

What is Immich?

Immich is an open-source platform designed for private, self-hosted photo and video backup. Its main goal is to provide a secure, local alternative to cloud services like Google Photos while giving users full control over their media.

PixelUnion donates 20% to aid in Sudan (Nov 24 – Dec 25)

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

From November 24 to December 25, We will donate 20% of all revenue to humanitarian aid in Sudan via the Netherlands Red Cross. This means: every new subscription, every upgrade, and every switch to an annual plan during this period makes a direct difference on the front lines of a forgotten crisis.

Why are we doing this? PixelUnion stands for secure, European storage without data sales or dependence on US cloud platforms. But protection goes beyond data. This holiday season, we’re connecting our core-privacy and security-to concrete assistance for people who need safety the most right now. Below you’ll find why the need is so great and how your choice helps.

Away from Big Tech: reclaim your privacy and data

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Let’s be honest: Big Tech often feels like magic. Everything is fast, slick and tightly integrated. But behind that shine is a business model where you aren’t the customer - you are the product. Your behaviour is endlessly measured, profiled and fed into advertising ecosystems and partners. The more accurate the picture of you, the more valuable you become in the attention economy. That’s not a side effect - that’s the model.

Immich v2.2

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

“The month following our stable release 🎉 has flown by!” and the energy within the Immich project is more palpable than ever. In an open-source landscape where many projects struggle to maintain a consistent cadence, Immich’s development pace continues to set an impressive standard. Building on the momentum of its major milestone, the team has delivered version v2.2.0, an update packed with highly-requested features and significant enhancements designed to make your self-hosted photo and video library more powerful, faster, and easier to use.

Google blocks Immich site

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

It’s a scenario that every website owner, developer, and administrator dreads: your site, running perfectly one minute, is suddenly inaccessible to the world. Users are met not with your content, but with a terrifying, full-page warning. The natural assumption is a server crash, a DDoS attack, or a malicious hack. But what if the culprit isn’t an outside attacker, but a silent, automated decision from one of the internet’s most powerful gatekeepers?

Immich v2.0.0. Immich's Stable v2.0.0 Release and What It Means for PixelUnion Users

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A Milestone for Your Memories: Immich’s Stable v2.0.0 Release and What It Means for PixelUnion Users

Introduction: A New Era of Stability

We are thrilled to announce a landmark achievement for the entire privacy-focused photo storage community. Immich, the powerful open-source project that serves as the foundation for the PixelUnion platform, has officially launched its first stable version: v2.0.0.

Our platform is built on a forked version of this incredible software, and this milestone marks a new era of maturity and reliability. In this post, we’ll break down what this new era of stability means for the security, reliability, and long-term safety of your memories on the PixelUnion platform.

Google's Gemini Update Will Access Your Texts and Calls-Even When It's 'Off'

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Google’s Gemini Update Will Access Your Texts and Calls-Even When It’s “Off”

1.0 Introduction: The Double-Edged Sword of AI Assistants

AI assistants like Google’s Gemini are becoming incredibly powerful, weaving themselves into the fabric of our daily lives to offer unprecedented convenience. We can draft emails, plan trips, and get instant answers with a simple voice command. Yet, this convenience comes at a cost, shadowed by the critical question: how much of our private lives are we surrendering for these features?

The Keys to Our European Castle: Why We Picked Authentik for PixelUnion (and Immich!)

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Keys to Our European Castle: Why We Picked Authentik for PixelUnion (and Immich!)

As you know, we’re running PixelUnion-your privacy-focused Google Photos alternative from Europe. Our whole operation is founded on the belief that Europe should fend for itself, and the tech we build here can hold up to its American counterparts.

When you’re building a platform, there’s one service that is absolutely non-negotiable for security: the Identity Provider (IDP). This cornerstone holds the identity of our users and the keys to the castles. For us, it’s a core value that critical services like this must be based in Europe.

European Alternative to Google Photos: PixelUnion

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In a world where privacy and digital sovereignty are becoming more important, it’s time to take a critical look at the services we use every day. Many people use Google Photos to store, manage and share images without considering the impact on privacy or the location of their data. Fortunately, there is now a full European alternative: PixelUnion.

Why switch to PixelUnion?

1. Privacy and data protection

Google is an American company and often stores data on servers outside Europe. This means your personal photos fall under US legislation and may be accessible to third parties. PixelUnion, by contrast, is fully European and complies with strict European privacy regulations (GDPR). Your photos stay in Europe-under your control.

Immich v1.142.0: Timeline Becomes Default, Geolocation Upgrades, and More!

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We’re excited to announce the release of Immich v1.142.0, packed with features and improvements that make managing your photo library smoother and more powerful than ever. Here’s what’s new:

Beta Timeline Is Now Default

Starting with v1.142.0, the beta timeline becomes the default experience in Immich. On your first launch after updating, the app will migrate your data to the new timeline. This upgrade brings a more intuitive, faster, and visually appealing way to browse your memories. Thanks to everyone who tested and provided feedback!

Nederlands duo lanceert Europees alternatief voor het online opslaan van foto’s en video’s

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0200

Nederlands duo lanceert Europees alternatief voor het online opslaan van foto’s en video’s

De technologie is in principe vergelijkbaar, maar de plek waar de server staat, maakt het grote verschil: PixelUnion is een platform voor het opslaan van foto’s en video’s op Europese bodem. Oprichters Jochem Bruijns en Bram Koch uit Alkmaar dragen uit hoe belangrijk het is om onafhankelijk te worden van de Amerikaanse techreuzen en bieden de Europese consument een alternatief voor het opslaan van hun mooiste herinneringen.

FTC Undermines the DSA: A New Front in Data Security Policy

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

FTC Pushes Back Against the DSA

On August 21, 2025, FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson sent letters to major US tech companies, warning them not to weaken data security or censor Americans at the request of foreign governments. The timing and tone of these letters make it clear: the FTC is pushing back against the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and similar laws, which aim to regulate online platforms and protect users-but also require companies to moderate content and, in some cases, weaken encryption.

Immich v1.140.0 Release Highlights

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Immich v1.140.0 is here, bringing exciting new features and improvements to your photo management experience! This release continues the push towards feature parity for the beta timeline and introduces several enhancements based on community feedback.

🚀 New Features

[Beta] Background Sync

Immich now supports background sync in beta. New assets are detected and automatically queued for upload, handled by your device’s OS. Local and remote data sync tasks also run periodically in the background, ensuring your latest photos are available as soon as you open the app.

Privacy Washing: Why Big Tech Doesn’t Really Care About Your Privacy

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the age of “Privacy Washing.” Big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple suddenly seem to care deeply about privacy. But looks can deceive: behind the polished language there’s often a clever marketing trick. What exactly is “Privacy Washing,” why does it happen, and how can you spot it? Let’s break it down.

What Is “Privacy Washing”?

“Privacy Washing” is a marketing strategy where tech giants present themselves as champions of privacy while mainly protecting their own business interests. With polished stories and convenient dashboards they make you feel in control of your data. But look closer and you’ll notice how limited your real choices are-and how your data is still being collected, analyzed and monetized at scale. Even with every setting cranked to “maximum privacy,” you can’t be sure you’re actually out of the tracking net.

Google to Restrict Android Sideloading

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Google to Restrict Android Sideloading: What This Means for European Users

Google has announced a major change for Android users: new restrictions on sideloading apps are coming soon. According to a recent TechSpot article, Google will begin blocking the installation of unverified Android apps, dramatically limiting the freedom users have enjoyed for years. For European users-and anyone who values digital autonomy-this is a significant development.

What is Sideloading?

Sideloading lets users install apps on their Android devices from sources other than the official Google Play Store. It’s a feature that has always set Android apart from Apple’s tightly controlled ecosystem, giving users the flexibility to access apps that might not be available on the Play Store, including open-source projects, region-specific tools, and privacy-focused alternatives.

WhatsApp’s Mandatory AI: Why It’s Time to Consider Signal

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

WhatsApp’s Mandatory AI: Why It’s Time to Consider Signal

Recently, WhatsApp-owned by Meta-has begun a major rollout of its AI chatbot and bot menu. But what’s especially important for European users is the timeline: the mandatory AI integration started appearing in 2024 in some regions, but its official launch and requirement for Europe is happening in 2025 [source]. This isn’t just another feature update; it’s a fundamental shift in how big tech interacts with users, raising crucial questions about privacy, control, and digital autonomy.

Immich v1.139 & v1.138

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Immich continues to evolve rapidly-PixelUnion Immich instances are now rolling out versions v1.138.0 and v1.139.2! These releases bring a host of new features to make your media management experience even better.

Let’s dive into the highlights of these updates:

Key Features in v1.139.2

[Beta] New Image Rendering Pipeline: The mobile app now uses a custom image loading and rendering pipeline with multithreading and optimizations, greatly improving thumbnail quality and loading speed-especially on Android.
[Beta] Show Assets Pending Backup: You can now view which assets are still pending backup, making it easier to track down problematic uploads.
Option to Skip Entries in Duplicate Resolution Utility: The duplicate resolver tool now lets you skip entries and navigate the duplicate list more flexibly.
Add to Multiple Albums Action: On the web, assets can now be added to multiple albums at once from the album selection modal.

Key Features in v1.138.0

Reset PIN Code with Password: Users can now reset their own PIN code by providing their password, without needing admin intervention.
Reset OAuth ID: A new option allows users to reset their OAuth ID, useful when migrating to a new authentication provider.
[Beta] Swipe to Delete Album: The beta timeline now supports swipe-to-delete for albums.
[Beta] Improved Upload and Sync Process: Enhancements to the upload and sync process in the beta timeline.
[Beta] Map View with SQLite: The beta timeline introduces a map view powered by SQLite.
Create Shared Link for Albums (Mobile): Mobile users can now create shared links for albums.
Remove from Album in Asset Viewer Bar (Mobile): Assets can be removed from albums directly from the asset viewer bar.
Album Shared User Editing (Mobile): Edit shared users for albums on mobile.
Batch Change Date and Time Relatively: Change the date and time of multiple assets in batch, relatively.
Edit Image in Beta Timeline: Edit images directly in the beta timeline.

We thank all contributors for their ongoing work and dedication to making Immich better with every release.

Immich v1.137

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Immich updates are happening quickly-just days after the last release, PixelUnion Immich instances have started rolling out version v1.137.0! This release brings a wave of improvements, bug fixes, and new features to keep your media management experience at the cutting edge.

Let’s dive into the highlights of this rapid update:

Key Features and Enhancements in v1.137.0

Beta Timeline Improvements: Building on user feedback, the beta timeline now offers more feature parity with the classic timeline, smoother navigation, and fixes for grouping, migration, search, animations, and more. Many bugs have been squashed to make the experience even better.
Custom Shared Link URLs: You can now create shared links with custom, easy-to-read URLs (e.g., /s/<slug>), making sharing albums and photos simpler. Use with care, as these links are less secure than the default long random strings.
Find Large Files Utility (Web Only): A new utility on the web lets you quickly find and review your largest files. Visit the Utility page and click “Review large files” to see the top 250 largest originals for your user.
Improved API Key Permissions: API endpoints now have even more fine-grained permissions, and the New API Key form includes a search bar for easier access. The auto-generated API documentation has also been updated.
Default Media Location Change (Docker Compose): The default docker-compose.yml now uses /data for media storage instead of /usr/src/app/upload. This is an optional change for new deployments and not a breaking change.
Other Enhancements: Add to album on the new beta timeline, scroll to top & view in timeline, map modal improvements, backup onboarding card, people page/sheet/detail, network requirement option for uploads, and more.

We thank all contributors for their ongoing work and dedication to making Immich better with every release.

Immich v1.136

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We’re excited to announce that PixelUnion Immich instances are now rolling out the upgrade to version v1.136.0! This midsummer release brings a host of innovative features and improvements, making your media management experience smoother and more delightful than ever.

Let’s explore the highlights of this feature-packed update:

Key Features and Enhancements in v1.136.0

Beta Timeline, Sync, and Upload Mechanism: Immich introduces a completely reworked timeline, sync, and upload system in beta mode. The new data sync runs in a background thread, keeping the app responsive even during large synchronizations. Data is now streamed for faster loading, and sync calculations are performed server-side for improved speed and lower mobile CPU usage. The timeline and album views have been rebuilt for smoother navigation, lively animations, and better offline support. Uploads are now managed by the OS, allowing for reliable background uploads and parallel processing, with a new upload detail page to monitor progress and issues.
Android Home Screen Widgets: Following the popular iOS widgets, Immich now brings home screen widgets to Android! Display random images, memories, or favorites directly on your Android device’s home screen, with many improvements from the iOS version incorporated.
iOS Widget Improvements: iOS widgets now support servers using insecure HTTP connections and WebP thumbnails, cache the latest image for offline use, and offer direct deep linking to images in the app. You can also choose to show images from your Favorites in the Random Widget, and enjoy improved error descriptions and rendering on tinted home screens.
Deep Links: Immich now supports deep linking, allowing you to open specific assets, albums, or memories directly in the app using supported URLs (e.g., immich://asset?id=<asset id> or https://my.immich.app/photos/<asset id>). This enables seamless navigation from browsers, automation frameworks, or Apple Shortcuts.

We are grateful to all contributors for their hard work and dedication to making Immich better with every release.

Microsoft Admits No Sovereignty: A Critical Analysis

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Recent revelations about Microsoft highlight the challenges of ensuring data sovereignty in the cloud. Documents show that Microsoft cannot guarantee sensitive law enforcement data will remain within the UK, despite public claims to the contrary. This raises serious concerns for individuals and organizations relying on hyperscale cloud providers for their data storage needs.

Why This Matters

When you store your data on global cloud platforms like Microsoft OneDrive or Google Photos, it might be transferred and processed overseas. This makes it harder to comply with local laws like GDPR, which protect your privacy. For European users, this lack of control over where their data goes is a growing concern.

Switzerland’s New Surveillance Law: A Privacy Crisis for Encrypted Services

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Switzerland, long admired for its tradition of privacy, is on the brink of passing surveillance legislation more intrusive than the United States. A proposed revision of the country’s VÜPF (Ordinance on the Surveillance of Postal and Telecommunications Traffic) could dramatically reshape the landscape for anyone relying on VPNs, encrypted chat, or email providers based in Switzerland.

Why This Law Is a Game Changer

The proposed VÜPF update would require Swiss VPN and email providers with as few as 5,000 users to log IP addresses and keep that data for six months. For comparison: in Germany, such data retention is outright illegal for email providers. The law would also mandate ID verification-think driver’s license or phone number-making anonymous access to digital services nearly impossible.

PixelUnion Surpasses 3,000 Users

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We are thrilled to announce that PixelUnion, our privacy-first photo startup from Europe, has reached an incredible milestone: 3,000 users! What makes this achievement even more special is that every single user joined organically-without ads, outside funding, or even an official launch. This is a testament to the growing demand for tools that prioritize privacy and simplicity.

PixelUnion offers a clean, web-based alternative to Big Tech photo hosting, hosted entirely in the EU with no ads, no tracking, and no data mining. Built on open-source foundations, our platform is designed for users who value privacy and control without the hassle of technical complexity. Our users enjoy up to 16GB of EU-hosted storage completely free, with paid plans available for those who need more space.

Why Self-Hosting Immich Can Be Risky: The Importance of Professional Photo Storage

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Immich is a great self-hosted alternative to Google Photos, giving users control over their photo collections. However, self-hosting comes with responsibilities and risks, especially for those without much experience. While self-hosting appeals to tech enthusiasts and privacy advocates, it can be challenging for amateurs, particularly regarding storage.

The Hidden Dangers of Self-Hosting

Running your own photo storage isn’t as simple as plugging in a hard drive. Storage is more complex than it appears, and the risks are often underestimated. Here’s why managing your own storage can be difficult:

Immich v1.135

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We’re thrilled to announce that the PixelUnion Immich instances have been upgraded to version v1.135.0, a significant update that introduces a host of exciting new features, powerful enhancements, and crucial bug fixes across all platforms. This release arrives after a busy period, incorporating approximately 200 merged Pull Requests, marking another major step forward in providing you with a seamless and efficient media management solution. Furthermore, subsequent patch releases, including v1.135.1, v1.135.2, and v1.135.3, have further refined the experience with additional fixes for even greater stability.

immich-folder-album-creator

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Effortlessly Organize Your Photos with immich-folder-album-creator

If you’re like most of us, your photo collection is a sprawling collection of folders, albums, and images scattered across your devices. The PixelUnion based on the open-source Immich platform makes it easier to manage your photos privately and efficiently-but what if you want your carefully organized folder structure to translate seamlessly into albums within PixelUnion?

Enter immich-folder-album-creator, a powerful command-line tool that bridges the gap between your local folders and Immich albums.

PixelUnion on heise

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PixelUnion on heise

Last week, Heise published an article about PixelUnion. We really appreciate the support - thank you, Heise!
If you’d like to read the article, you can visit their website (it’s in German) or check out the translated version below.
Only the publicly available part of the article is visible unless you’re a subscriber.

Link to the article:
ARTICLE

Translated excerpt

PixelUnion in Review: EU-Based Photo Cloud as an Alternative to Google and Apple

Getting out of the US cloud: PixelUnion offers an alternative to Apple iCloud and Google Photos, with 16 GB of free cloud storage hosted in the EU.

Update at PixelUnion: Immich v1.134.0 is Live!

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Our fork of Immich has recently been upgraded to version v1.133.0 and v1.134.0.

These updates bring exciting new features, major enhancements, and resolve several minor bugs reported by our users.

🚀 Key Features and Enhancements

🔒 Private Folder (v1.134.0)

Users can now create a private folder secured with a unique access code - ideal for storing sensitive or personal media safely.

🧠 VectorChord Database Extension (v1.133.0)

The new VectorChord extension significantly improves performance in vector-based search, enabling faster and more accurate object and face recognition across your media library.

Escaping the Cloud Trap: Time for a European Alternative

Sun, 25 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Arjen Lubach asked a pressing question last Thursday in his TV show LUBACH: could Trump digitally shut down the Netherlands? Spoiler alert: yes, he could.

In the episode, Arjen Lubach clearly explains how our reliance on American cloud services (Microsoft, Google, Amazon) makes us vulnerable. Turmp has the option to block all your acces to the American cloud. Did you know that Microsoft recently cut off email services for the International Criminal Court in The Hague? That real-world example shows just how high the stakes are.

PixelUnion Surpasses 1,000 Users – Thank You!

Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We are thrilled to announce a major milestone: PixelUnion has officially welcomed over 1,000 users! This achievement marks an exciting chapter in our journey, and it would not have been possible without the trust and enthusiasm of our amazing users.

From the very beginning, our mission has not just been about making photo management simple, secure, and enjoyable. At PixelUnion, we are committed to helping our fellow Europeans degoogle their lives and reduce their dependence on American big tech. We believe in digital sovereignty, privacy, and giving you control over your own data-right here in Europe.

PixelUnion is Now Live on Product Hunt!

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We’re excited to share that PixelUnion is now officially featured on Product Hunt! This is a major milestone for our team and a fantastic opportunity to introduce our media management tools to a wider audience.

What is Product Hunt?

Product Hunt is a leading platform where makers and tech enthusiasts discover and share the latest products in tech, productivity, and beyond. Being featured here means our solution is now visible to a global community of early adopters, creators, and industry leaders.

Getting Started with PixelUnion

Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PixelUnion is designed to make managing your photos seamless and intuitive. Whether you’re using the web interface or the mobile app, getting started is quick and easy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you begin your journey with PixelUnion.

Uploading Photos Using the Web Interface

When creating your own PixelUnion environment you choose your username. Access your environment using this username, like: https://(your-username).pixelunion.eu.

PixelUnion Featured on GoEuropean.org

Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We are thrilled to announce that PixelUnion is now officially featured on GoEuropean.org! This recognition marks an exciting milestone for our team and highlights the value we bring to the European tech and media management community.

What is GoEuropean.org?

GoEuropean.org is a trusted platform dedicated to showcasing innovative products and services that cater to the needs of European consumers and businesses. It serves as a hub for discovering cutting-edge solutions across various industries, from technology to lifestyle. With a focus on quality, sustainability, and user-centric design, GoEuropean.org connects users with products that make a difference.

Responsible Disclosure

Thu, 15 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Responsible Disclosure Policy for PixelUnion

At PixelUnion, we prioritize the security of our systems and those of our customers. Despite our best efforts, vulnerabilities may still exist. To address this, we have established a Responsible Disclosure Policy.

If you discover a vulnerability in any of our ICT systems, we encourage you to report it to us so that we can take immediate action. We appreciate your collaboration in protecting our customers and our systems.

Immich v1.132

Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Our fork of Immich has recently been upgraded to version v1.132, a major step forward in our mission to provide a seamless and efficient media management solution. This release introduces significant updates, new features, and essential fixes to enhance your experience across all platforms.

Key Features and Enhancements

1. Database Overhaul for Improved Performance

The server now uses a custom schema and migration management tool integrated with Kysely, replacing TypeORM.
The mobile app transitions to SQLite, setting the stage for faster sync implementation and smoother performance, especially for large media collections.

2. Opt-in Web-Mobile Delete Synchronization (Android Only)

Synchronize delete actions between the web and Android platforms for a more cohesive experience.

3. Enhanced Mobile App Features

Improved map performance and added search functionality on the places page.
Migration of translations to Weblate, enabling community-driven localization efforts.

4. Web Interface Improvements

Enhanced responsive design for better usability on mobile devices.
Support for browser download managers for single file downloads.

5. Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements

Resolved issues with EXIF data synchronization and album asset exclusions in shared links.
Fixed glitches in the mobile app’s timeline and video playback during device rotation.
Addressed various UI inconsistencies and performance bottlenecks.

Breaking Changes

This release includes a refactor of the notification-admin controller, which may require adjustments for developers integrating with our fork.

Special Launch Offer: PixelUnion.eu – A European Alternative to Google Photos

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of PixelUnion.eu, a secure and private European alternative to Google Photos. 🎉

In today’s world, privacy and data sovereignty are more important than ever. That’s why we created PixelUnion - a platform designed to store your photos securely on European soil, ensuring your memories are safe and your data stays private.

🎁 Special Launch Offer

To celebrate our launch, we’re offering an exclusive deal:
The first 100 users get 50% off for 3 months with the code: TRUMPISALOSER

Using the Immich API

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What’s an API? (And Why Should You Care?)

Imagine you’re at a restaurant. You look at the menu, pick your favorite dish, and tell the waiter what you want. The waiter takes your order to the kitchen and brings your food back to you. Easy, right?

In the tech world, an API (Application Programming Interface) is like that waiter. It helps two systems talk to each other and share information. Without APIs, apps wouldn’t know how to fetch your favorite cat videos, send messages, or even show you the weather. (And who wants to live without cat videos?)

Privacy Policy

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

This privacy policy explains how we handle your personal data and uploaded media. We’re committed to keeping your information safe, secure, and private—just the way it should be!

We've reach BETA stage

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

PixelUnion went into BETA a week ago for anyone who wants to try it out. So far, we’re very happy with how everything is going. We’re already managing over 1 terabyte of storage for our BETA users. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from our BETA users, which we really enjoy hearing and reading.

Our website (pixelunion.eu) is also now live, where we provide information about our platform and where it’s also possible to join the BETA. If you participate in the BETA, you can use up to 1 terabyte of storage for free. After the BETA, our users will receive a special offer to thank them for supporting the platform.

From Google Photos to PixelUnion: Our Journey to a European Tech Alternative

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In this post, I shared my quest to ‘de-Americanize’ my digital life. With recent geopolitical shifts between the US and EU, I’ve been motivated to reduce my reliance on big tech. I’ve swapped Google Drive for Nextcloud, replaced Google Search with Ecosia, and even switched to Zoho Mail. But one major service remained: Google Photos.

Finding a European alternative to Google Photos has been challenging. While there are other drive options, and Nextcloud could technically store my photos, none of them offer the same seamless experience for viewing and storing memories.

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

PixelUnion Press Kit

Privacy and safety are not optional. Free your photos from American tech platforms.

What is PixelUnion? Assets FAQ

Contact

Bram Koch · Co‑owner

About Open Source

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is Open Source?

Our platform is built on a forked version of a trusted open-source project called Immich. This foundation allows us to provide users with a secure, private, and efficient way to store their memories. By leveraging open-source technologies, we ensure transparency, innovation, and community-driven development. Additionally, we financially support Immich where possible to help sustain its development and growth.

About PixelUnion

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Two friends, one beer and a challenge

It started in early 2025 in Alkmaar. As the political landscape shifted and the influence of American Big Tech giants grew by the day, Bram and Jochem sat at the kitchen table with a beer. They asked themselves a simple but challenging question: “How far could we get without American Big Tech?”

They decided to put it to the test. Instagram, Chrome, Google Drive, Google Photos: everything had to go, to see how long they could manage without the tech giants. For email and search engines they found good alternatives, but when it came to their photos and videos, they hit a wall.

Acceptable Use Policy

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Welcome to PixelUnion! We’re excited to have you here, but we need to set a few ground rules to keep things safe, respectful, and fun for everyone. Here’s the gist of our Acceptable Use Policy:

Account Misuse: Keep your account secure—no hacking, sharing credentials, or spamming.
Service Abuse: Use the platform responsibly—don’t overload or misuse it.
Prohibited Content: No illegal, harmful, or offensive content.
Adult Content: Private uploads are fine, but public sharing of explicit material isn’t allowed.
Gore: No graphic or violent content meant to shock or disturb.
Privacy: Respect others’ privacy—don’t upload photos of others without consent or misuse AI features.
Compliance: Follow all applicable laws when using the platform.
Consequences: Breaking the rules may result in account suspension, content removal, or legal action.

Let’s dive into the details!

Frequently asked questions

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

What is PixelUnion?

We are a privacy-first photo storage platform tailored for European consumers, offering a secure and private alternative to major tech platforms.

Legal Contact

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Legal Inquiries

If you need to contact us regarding legal matters, such as reporting unlawful content, intellectual property concerns, or compliance requests, please use the form on the right. Our legal team will review your inquiry and respond as soon as possible.

Please ensure that you provide all necessary details to help us process your request efficiently. The information you submit will be handled securely and in accordance with our privacy policy.

Support

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Need Assistance?

If you ever need assistance, our support team is here to help! Simply fill out the form on the right, and one of our team members will get back to you via email shortly. We are committed to providing you with the best support experience possible.

Please note: The details you provide in the form will be securely shared with our servicedesk software, Zoho Desk, to ensure a smooth and efficient support process.

Terms of Service

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Welcome to PixelUnion! We’re here to help you store your photos safely and securely, but there are a few rules to keep in mind. Let’s break it down:

Home on PixelUnion - Free your photos from American tech platforms

General FAQ

What is PixelUnion?

Getting Started

Step 1: Register Your PixelUnion Environment

Step 2: Access Your PixelUnion Instance

Troubleshooting

Login Issues

Can’t log in

Forgot password

Upload Issues

Uploads are slow

Upload fails

Mobile App Issues

App won’t connect

Still Need Help?

Uploading Photos

Web Upload

Account Settings

Settings in Immich (PixelUnion)

Accessing Immich Settings

Available Settings in Immich

Mobile App

Download the App

PixelUnion App vs. Immich App

Privacy & Security FAQ

How do you ensure my data is private?

Albums

Creating an Album

Sharing Albums

Smart Albums

Tips

How We Keep Your Data Safe

Table of Contents

Encryption

Pricing & Features FAQ

Is your platform free to use?

Reset Your Password

Reset Your Password

Didn’t Receive the Reset Email?

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

What is Two-Factor Authentication?

How to Enable 2FA

Migrate from Google Photos

Transfer all your photos and videos from Google Photos to PixelUnion

Migrate from iCloud Photos

Transfer all your photos and videos from iCloud Photos to PixelUnion

Reporting Abuse

Table of Contents

What you can report

Sustainability at PixelUnion 🌱

100% Renewable Energy

Tags

Enabling Tags

Download All Photos and Videos

Managing Your Storage

Checking Your Storage Usage

Pricing Plans

Plans and Pricing

Custom Plans

Supported File Formats

Changing Your Email Address

Current Process

How to Request an Email Change

Migrate from another Immich server

What you will need

Step 1: Create an API key on your source server

Step 2: Create an API key on PixelUnion

Step 3: Download Immich Go

Deleting Your Account

Before You Delete

1. Download Your Data First

Managing Active Sessions

What Are Active Sessions?

Viewing Your Active Sessions

Users, Sharing & Independent Accounts

Two Ways to Set Things Up

Account FAQ

How can I delete my account?

Immich FAQ