TorchPhoto - NAS Gallery

TorchPhoto turns photos and videos stored on your own server into a private gallery you can browse comfortably on iPhone and iPad. Add a NAS or personal server with FTP, SFTP, SMB, or WebDAV, keep your existing folder structure, and explore each folder visually instead of digging through a file list.

Uploading or backing up media to a server is useful, but finding those memories again should be just as easy. TorchPhoto is built for that second half of the workflow: fast thumbnails, album-like folder browsing, original file access, iPhone uploads, Shortcuts automation, offline thumbnail review, and private viewing without moving your library to a separate cloud service.

Key features
• Add servers using FTP, SFTP, SMB, or WebDAV
• Browse NAS and personal-server photos and videos as a gallery
• Keep your existing folder structure and view folders like albums
• Generate lightweight thumbnails for faster browsing of large libraries
• Review prepared thumbnail caches when the server is offline or the network is unstable
• Upload and back up iPhone and iPad photos and videos to your own server
• Build automated upload flows with the Shortcuts app
• Skip items that were already uploaded to reduce duplicate backups
• Use favorites, folder tags, server colors, persistent filters, widgets, and slideshows
• Download, share, and inspect metadata for server media

Why TorchPhoto helps
A personal server or NAS is a great place to store original files, but a traditional file browser can make photo archives feel buried. Folder names and filenames are not enough when you want to find a trip, family event, screenshot, video, or older memory. TorchPhoto adds a visual layer to your existing storage. Generate thumbnails once, scan folders by image, return to familiar albums, and open originals only when needed.

For backup workflows
Use TorchPhoto to upload selected media from your iPhone or iPad to the folder you choose. Shortcuts support lets you build routines around charging, Wi-Fi, time of day, selected albums, or recent media. The upload destination is the server connection you configure in TorchPhoto, whether that server uses FTP, SFTP, SMB, or WebDAV.

For private viewing and sharing
Originals remain on storage you control. You can browse cached thumbnails for prepared folders, open originals when the server is reachable, share media when needed, and use Wi-Fi Gallery Share to view a prepared gallery from a browser on the same Wi-Fi network. QR sharing can simplify server setup, and thumbnail sharing can provide lightweight sample images while preserving folder paths.

Recommended for
• People who store photos and videos on a NAS or personal server
• Users who want a gallery experience without reorganizing folders
• Anyone replacing a cloud-first workflow with storage they control
• iPhone and iPad users who want both backup and comfortable browsing

Access to originals and transfers depends on your server and network. Some features and limits differ between