[Feature] Detect assets removed from upload/library or allow mobile uploads directly to External Libraries

[tomhnatt]

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

• Yes

The feature

Description

I want to use the Android app both for photo backup and as a convenient way to transfer photos from my phone to my main photo library.

Uploaded photos are stored in:

/upload/library/...

After upload, when I have the time, I move the files from the upload-folder to their desired location:

• Folders outside of Immich (typically document or archive storage).
• Folders that are configured as an External Library in Immich (my main photo library).

Current behavior

When files are moved out of /upload/library, Immich continues to show the assets even though the original files no longer exist at their recorded location. This leaves stale assets in the library.

However, when files are moved or removed from an External Library, Immich detects the change during library scans and moves the assets to Trash.

Expected behavior

When a file no longer exists in /upload/library, Immich should ideally detect this and either:

Move the asset to Trash, or
Remove it according to the configured deletion policy.

This would make upload/library work better as a temporary ingestion or staging area before files are organized elsewhere.

Alternative proposal:
Another approach would be to allow mobile uploads to be stored directly in an External Library.

Many users use Immich uploads primarily for ingesting files and prefer to manage their folder structure themselves. If uploads could target an External Library location, Immich would automatically benefit from the existing External Library behavior, including detection of moved or removed files during scans.

This would make it easier to use Immich as an upload frontend while keeping the filesystem as the source of truth for long-term organization.

Use case
The Android app uploads files to upload/library.
The user reviews and organizes the files on the NAS.
The files are moved to their permanent location, often within an External Library.
Immich should no longer show assets whose original files have been moved/removed from upload/library.

This would help users who use the upload folder as a temporary landing zone rather than as permanent storage.

Platform

• Server
• Web
• Mobile

[tomhnatt]

Thanks. I was aware of the missing files integrity check, but my request is slightly different.

The integrity check detects missing files, but the assets remain visible in the library. My suggestion is that missing files originating from upload/library could optionally be handled similarly to deleted assets in External Libraries, for example by automatically moving them to Trash.

The reason I am asking is that I have ended up with the following workflow:

1. Copy all files out of upload/library to their permanent location.
2. Search in Immich for assets whose path still points to upload/library.
3. Manually delete all matching assets from the search results.

This works, but it feels like something Immich already has enough information to automate, since it can detect that the original files no longer exist.

Alternatively, allowing mobile uploads to be stored directly in an External Library would also solve this use case, as the existing External Library scan logic already handles moved or deleted files gracefully.

[bo0tzz]

Duplicate of #5453 and #4747