Setup045 steps

Private AI on your own PC

You'll end up with: Chat with an AI that runs on your computer, offline, so nothing leaves your machine

Good for private notes, client documents or just curiosity. A local model is smaller and slower than ChatGPT or Claude, but it's free, works offline and keeps your data at home.

Personal Developers

Level: Intermediate
Setup time: 40 min
Monthly cost: Free

Tools you'll use

Monthly, for the whole setup. Most people can start on the free tiers.

No paid tools needed.

We're still checking the prices and steps in this setup. Confirm on each tool's official site before you pay.

0 of 5 steps done

Check your computer
Local AI needs memory. As a rough guide: 8 GB RAM runs small models slowly, 16 GB is comfortable, and a Mac with Apple silicon or a PC with a recent graphics card is faster. You'll also need 5–10 GB of free disk space.
Check it worked: You know how much RAM your computer has (System Information or About This Mac).
Install LM Studio
Download LM Studio from its official site, lmstudio.ai, for Windows, Mac or Linux, and install it like any other app. It's a free desktop app for downloading and chatting with local models.
Check it worked: LM Studio opens and shows a search or discover screen for models.
Download a small model
Search for a small, recent instruction-tuned model (around 3–8 billion parameters) from a well-known family such as Qwen, Gemma or Llama. LM Studio marks which versions fit your computer; pick one marked as a good fit. If you'll use Arabic, prefer a model family known for good multilingual support.
Check it worked: The download finishes and the model appears in My Models.
Test it offline
Load the model in the chat tab, then turn off Wi-Fi and send the prompt below. If it answers, everything is happening on your computer.
Copy-ready prompt
```
In three short bullet points, explain what you are and why you can answer me without the internet.
```
Check it worked: It answers with Wi-Fi off.
Use it with your own documents
Attach a document in the chat (PDF, Word or text) and ask questions about it. The file is read on your computer. Small models can miss details, so check important answers against the document.
Copy-ready prompt
```
Using only the attached document, list the 5 most important points and quote the sentence each one comes from.
```
Check it worked: The quotes really appear in your document.

When it breaks

It's very slow

Choose a smaller model or a more compressed version (LM Studio shows sizes; smaller files run faster). Close browsers and other heavy apps while you use it.

"Not enough memory" or the app crashes

The model is too big for your RAM. Unload it and pick a version LM Studio marks as fitting your machine.

Answers in Arabic are weak

Small models vary a lot by language. Try a different model family, and write your question in clear Modern Standard Arabic.

Prices change often and can differ by country. Always check the official site before you pay.