Self-host Lynavo Drive
v1.0.2Local-LAN incremental photo backup from mobile to desktop
- Stars
- 531
- Ports
- 39593 (LMUP file transport (TCP)), 39594 (HTTP API & WebSockets)
What is Lynavo Drive?
Lynavo Drive is a self-hosted photo backup solution that automatically scans mobile photo libraries and incrementally syncs unsynced photos and videos to a desktop computer over the local LAN. It uses mDNS for discovery, QR code or six-digit pairing for authentication, and a custom LMUP protocol over TCP for resumable file transfers. The desktop app runs on macOS and Windows with an Electron frontend and Go sidecar handling HTTP API (port 39594) and LMUP file transport (port 39593). Mobile apps are built with React Native and native Swift/Kotlin sync engines. The open-source edition provides source builds and local-LAN foreground sync only; remote access, background sync, signed installers, and auto-updates are part of a commercial edition. The project is licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Should you self-host Lynavo Drive?
Lynavo Drive scores 47/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #27 of 41 in Photo Management. It has 531 GitHub stars.
It shipped 2 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v1.0.2, came out on 31 July 2026. New versions land roughly every 10 days.
Setup is advanced: plan for several services and some ongoing maintenance. It is AGPL-3.0-licensed and written mostly in Typescript.
Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Immich (93/100, 117 498 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See Lynavo Drive vs Immich side by side.
Features
- Automatic incremental media sync
- Foreground LAN sync onlyBackground sync and remote access are not included in the open-source edition.
- Local diagnostics
- Local discovery and pairing
- Read-only queue and history
- Resumable serial transfers
- Shared-file access
Lynavo Drive README
FAQ
Can I manually select which photos/videos to sync?
No. Automatic upload is driven by the mobile photo-library scan and strictly read-only pending queue. Checkbox picking is not part of the OSS workflow.
Why are some of my iCloud photos stuck/not transferring?
Photos marked with iCloud must be exported from the Apple Photos cloud repository before transfer. While in cloud_downloading or preparing states, the phone is downloading the high-res original asset to local storage. Transfer begins automatically once complete.
The mobile app cannot find my desktop client (mDNS discovery failure)
Ensure both mobile and desktop are on the same local LAN. On Windows, verify that Windows Defender Firewall allows incoming traffic for ports 39593 (TCP/LMUP file transport) and 39594 (HTTP API). The OSS build doesn't redistribute Apple Bonjour; ensure Bonjour is installed on Windows or rely on the zeroconf-compatible fallback.
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