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External library

An external library shows a folder of photos you already have, without copying them. Mediarr only reads it, so nothing there is ever changed or deleted.

Setting it up​

  1. Add the path to .env:

    EXTERNAL_LIBRARY_PATH=/path/to/your/photos

  2. Apply it:

    docker compose up -d

  3. Under Admin → Settings → External library, choose whose photos these are, then press Save and scan.

The user set by PUID must be allowed to read the folder. Once a scan has imported files, the owner can no longer change.

Changes​

Changes on a local disk are noticed at once. On a network share such as SMB that does not work, so changes appear after the scan that runs every 6 hours, or when you press Scan now.

A file that disappears is marked as unavailable, not deleted, because a disk may only be disconnected for a while. Files you already have in your library do not get a second entry.