Show download button for cloud edited assets that also exist locally

[simonhunter87]

I have searched the existing feature requests, both open and closed, to make sure this is not a duplicate request.

• Yes

The feature

On the android app. When editing an image. Allow me to save as copy. Otherwise it doesnt seem to edit the original if I crop. It just creates a view. But this view isn't visible by other apps.

I want to keep the original and save a copy of my cropped image.

steps to recreate:

1 open immich
2 tap image saved on android device and backed up to immich
3 edit
4 crop
5 tick

results:
immich app now shows the cropped image only
immich server now shows the cropped image only

commentary:
edit in immich app again - full uncropped image appears

result i would like:
optional step (save as copy) - immich app and service both to have both the original and cropped image

Platform

• Server
• Web
• Mobile

[bo0tzz]

The edit happens on the Immich server; it's not visible by other apps because it isn't anywhere they could see it. You can use the download button if you want that.

[simonhunter87]

that makes sense the edit happens on the immich server. but doesn't help resolve as there is no "download button" showing on this image on the android app

[simonhunter87]

Please can this be reopened as per comments above

[awnumar]

@bo0tzz that doesn't help at all if I want to keep both the edited and the original copies of the photo, which is normally what I want whenever I'm editing or cropping a photo.

[simonhunter87]

i'd also flag that the mobile upload symbols confuse matters too

https://docs.immich.app/FAQ
"Asset was uploaded from this device and is now backed up to the server; the original file is still on the device"
this implies the image you see in immich is "backed up" and also "on the device". it isn't clear that the "original file" could now be a completely different image if you have drawn all over it or annotated it or cropped it a lot.

[awnumar]

Could this be reopened please?

Right now I have to use Google Photos every time I even crop something. It would be great to be able to have an edited copy of a photo saved when editing.

Google photos does this by default.

[simonhunter87]

#31517

[simonhunter87]

reopened 🥰

[mmomjian]

Title should be edited to “FR: show download button for cloud edited assets that also exist locally”

[awnumar]

I think that's a separate issue. It doesn't solve the need for a Save as Copy button, which should also download the edited copy as part of saving it.

[mmomjian]

As discussed above, we don’t plan to add that.

[simonhunter87]

i agree with @awnumar - this is only part of a fix. im leaving the title more open deliberately.

when you edit an image with the immich app - the image is edited on the server. the original no longer is visible in the immich android app or on the web app. only the edited version is visible.

however on my android device - if i open the samsung gallery app or google photos app - i can only see the original. not the edit.

i would suggest the expected behaviour of the average user is that when making an edit - the device file is edited - and you get an option to keep the original as a copy or not. i can see the argument for it edits on the server - but there should still be a prompt at that point to keep the original too (even if it's only on the server). this is the feature being requested.

a download button (whilst missing) would not fix this issue. the server would still only have the edit and not the original image.

[awnumar]

As discussed above

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but where was that discussed? I don't see that decision anywhere.

Without the save as copy button, Immich's editing functionality is almost never useful, since it only makes sense if you want a permanent change to a file. 99% of the time, I want a new copy, preserving the original.

For example, suppose I want a cropped version for a specific use-case. Immich wants you to destroy the original in order to do that. Or suppose I want a few different copies of the image with different effects applied. That's not even possible currently.

Google photos recognises this which is why they make the Save as Copy button the default now.

[mmomjian]

An admin will rename the thread ( @bo0tzz )

TBD, we do have the share image option, which may be suitable to cover this use case already.

[simonhunter87]

I dont believe it does cover the multiple use cases mentioned. But please give step by steps if you think it does.
These were mentioned

1. Crop an image and keep both old and new on the server
2. Crop an image and keep both old and new on the android device
3. Crop an image and share only the cropped version with another person but keep the original on device and server

[awnumar]

The new title doesn't represent the requested feature or any of the discussion on this thread. Instead it reads like a bug fix for a separate issue.

It's not been communicated anywhere on this thread why the requested feature is unplanned. Was this decided elsewhere, or in private? What's the rationale?

[bo0tzz]

My understanding of the request is to have a local copy of an edited asset. As I already explained at the start, edits happen on the server, not locally. So logically all that remains is a download button for edited assets, which is what we've landed on now.

[awnumar]

That's not the feature requested in this thread. The requested feature is to be able to retain the original photo, and the edited photo as a separate file, when editing pictures.

The fact that the photos should be on both the server and client after editing is self evident and kind of just an implementation detail.

The fact that right now edited pictures can't be accessed locally is a separate bug affecting the current way that photo editing works in Immich.

[simonhunter87]

I didn't understand that it was edited and saved only on the server when making the request. The request is that when editing an item on the mobile app, you should have the option to either:

1. keep both old and new on both the server and the device
2. keep only new on both the server and the device

I these are the behaviours most users would expect. an outcome where the server and the device have different versions of the same image (even when backup is turned on) is the current situation and not the outcome I (or anyone I have asked) would expect.

do you disagree?