TL;DR
Faced with limited shared storage and rising file sizes from modern phones, the author exported their Google Photos archive, repaired metadata, and moved media to a self-hosted system. They used a Mini PC, Immich (open-source photo manager), and network tunneling to keep automatic phone backups without a subscription.
What happened
By 2026 the default 15GB of Google storage felt inadequate as phone cameras and 8K video quickly produce multi-gigabyte media packs. The author used Google Takeout to extract their photos and discovered Takeout often separates image metadata into JSON sidecar files, which can break original dates and locations when files are copied. To restore metadata they used a commercial tool called Metadata Fixer and note the open-source immich-go as an alternative. Rather than buy a consumer NAS, they opted for a repurposed Mini PC (an Intel N100) with a 2TB external drive. For photo management and features similar to Google Photos — automatic mobile backups, face and object search, and mobile apps — they deployed Immich inside a containerized environment (Linux or via Docker Desktop on Windows). To avoid router port forwarding, they connected devices with Tailscale. The author emphasizes the privacy benefits but warns self-hosting requires ongoing technical work.
Why it matters
- Stock cloud storage (15GB) struggles with modern high-resolution photos and 8K video, increasing the chance people hit caps.
- Extracting archives from Google Photos can lose important metadata unless sidecar JSON data is merged back into image files.
- Self-hosting returns control and local custody of images, reducing reliance on subscription services and third-party platforms.
- Building and maintaining a local backup solution requires technical skill and ongoing troubleshooting, creating a time and effort trade-off.
- There are alternatives — paying for cloud storage remains a practical choice for many; self-hosting is primarily for those prioritizing privacy and control.
Key facts
- The article frames 15GB of shared Drive/Gmail/Photos storage as insufficient in 2026.
- Modern phones can produce large files (200MP sensors, 8K video at 60fps), and a short trip can easily generate multiple gigabytes of media.
- Google Takeout exports photos along with separate JSON metadata sidecars that can result in incorrect dates/locations if not merged.
- Metadata Fixer is a paid tool the author used to stitch JSON metadata back into image files; a lifetime license is around $40.
- immich-go is an open-source command-line tool that addresses the Takeout sidecar metadata problem.
- Two hardware approaches exist: buy a consumer NAS or DIY with a repurposed PC/Mini PC; recommended minimum specs include roughly 4GB RAM and a 2-core CPU.
- The author used a used Mini PC with an Intel N100 CPU and a 2TB external drive rather than a commercial NAS.
- Immich is an open-source photo management platform with iOS and Android apps and automatic backups; it runs in a containerized environment rather than as a simple Windows .exe.
- Windows users can run Immich via Docker Desktop, but Immich’s setup and troubleshooting support on non-Linux OSes is limited.
- Tailscale was used to create a secure tunnel between the home server and mobile devices, avoiding manual router port forwarding.
What to watch next
- Whether Google changes storage tiers, pricing, or policies that affect how aggressively users hit caps — not confirmed in the source.
- Development of Immich’s official support and tooling for non-Linux environments (Windows/macOS) — not confirmed in the source.
- Ongoing maintenance burden for DIY vaults: expect to troubleshoot updates, container issues, and device sync problems (confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Google Takeout: A Google service that exports copies of your Google account data, including photos, into downloadable archives.
- JSON sidecar: A separate metadata file (in JSON format) stored alongside media files that can contain dates, locations, and other attributes.
- NAS (Network Attached Storage): A consumer device with built-in storage and networking that provides centralized file storage and media services on a local network.
- Docker: A platform that runs applications in isolated containers, allowing software built for Linux to run consistently across systems.
- Tailscale: A mesh VPN service that creates secure connections between devices without manual router port forwarding.
Reader FAQ
How difficult is it to build a local photo vault?
Building a self-hosted vault requires comfort with command lines, GitHub repositories, forum troubleshooting, and ongoing maintenance; expect repeated fixes and learning.
How do I export photos from Google Photos without losing metadata?
Use Google Takeout, then merge JSON sidecars back into images with tools like Metadata Fixer (paid) or the open-source immich-go.
Is paying for Google storage a reasonable option?
The article says that for most people, paying for cloud storage makes sense and that Google’s paid tiers can be a practical choice.
Will my photos be used to train AI models?
not confirmed in the source
How much does Metadata Fixer cost?
The article cites a lifetime license price of about $40.
Google Photos is holding my storage hostage, so I built my own local backup Credit: Lucas Gouveia / Android Police By Ben Khalesi Published 2 minutes ago Ben Khalesi writes about…
Sources
- Google Photos is holding my storage hostage, so I built my own local backup
- Free Up More Google Drive Space at No Cost With These …
- How to create my own photo UNLIMITED storage site …
- This is how I keep my Google Photos storage low to avoid …
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