FAQ ​

Common questions and troubleshooting for OpenBin.

General ​

What is OpenBin? ​

OpenBin is an open-source inventory system that uses QR codes, photo recognition, and multi-user collaboration to make physical storage searchable. See What is OpenBin? for an overview.

Is OpenBin free? ​

Yes. OpenBin is open source and free to self-host. OpenBin Cloud is a paid hosted option if you prefer not to manage your own server.

Where is my data stored? ​

All data is stored locally in a SQLite database inside the Docker container at /data. Mount a volume to persist it across container restarts. No data leaves your network unless you configure an external AI provider.

Installation ​

The container won't start ​

Check that port 1453 isn't already in use and that the /data volume is writable:

sh
docker logs openbin

If the logs show a permission error, ensure the volume mount has correct ownership.

How do I update to the latest version? ​

Pull the latest image and recreate the container:

sh
docker pull ghcr.io/akifbayram/openbin:latest
docker stop openbin && docker rm openbin
docker run -d --name openbin -p 1453:1453 -v openbin_data:/data ghcr.io/akifbayram/openbin:latest

Your data is preserved in the openbin_data volume.

Can I run OpenBin behind a reverse proxy? ​

Yes. OpenBin works behind nginx, Caddy, Traefik, or any reverse proxy. See the Docker guide for example configurations.

QR Codes & Scanning ​

The QR scanner isn't working ​

The scanner requires camera permissions and a secure context (HTTPS or localhost). If you're accessing OpenBin over HTTP on a non-localhost address, your browser will block camera access. Set up HTTPS via a reverse proxy.

Can I use my own QR scanner app? ​

Yes, if your QR code mode is set to url. In URL mode, QR codes encode a web address that any scanner app can open. In app mode (the default), codes use the openbin:// scheme which only works with OpenBin's built-in scanner.

AI Features ​

AI isn't analyzing my photos ​

AI is optional and requires configuration. You need to set an AI provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google Gemini) with a valid API key. Check AI Features for setup instructions.

Which AI provider should I use? ​

All supported providers work well. Choose based on what you already have access to:

  • OpenAI — gpt-5-mini (good balance of speed and accuracy)
  • Anthropic — claude-sonnet-4-6 (strong at detailed descriptions)
  • Google Gemini — gemini-3-flash-preview (fast and cost-effective)

Does AI data leave my network? ​

Yes — photos are sent to the AI provider's API for analysis. If this is a concern, you can skip AI configuration entirely. Everything else in OpenBin works without it.

Data & Backup ​

How do I back up my data? ​

Two options:

  1. Copy the SQLite database — back up the /data directory from the container volume
  2. Use the export feature — Settings → Data → Export as JSON or ZIP (includes photos)

See Import & Export for details.

Can I import from a spreadsheet? ​

Yes. OpenBin supports CSV, TSV, and XLSX imports with column mapping. Imports always create new bins. See Import & Export.

Still stuck? ​

Open source on GitHub

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