LM Studio
LM Studio is a free desktop app for finding, downloading and chatting with AI language models on your own computer. No command line is needed; searching for models, downloading and chatting all happen in one window.
installers.lmstudio.ai · Official website
- ✓ Official source (winget)
- ✓ SHA256 taken from the official repository
- ✓ Last checked: Nov. 4, 2026
- This is not a virus scan. Check on VirusTotal
- Version
- 0.4.27+2
- Release date
- Oct. 29, 2026
- License
- Freeware
- Installer type
- nullsoft
How do I use this?
Type Terminal in the Start menu and open it, paste the command (Ctrl+V or right-click) and press Enter. It uses winget, Windows' own package manager, to install the program from its official source.
winget install --id ElementLabs.LMStudio -eSHA256 (file verification)
6689fb083d0309692d0b3f8d741ec215098d5c2d2321019bdacc3d1628cff189installers.lmstudio.ai · Official website
- ✓ Official source (Homebrew)
- ✓ SHA256 taken from the official repository
- ✓ Last checked: Nov. 4, 2026
- This is not a virus scan. Check on VirusTotal
- Version
- 0.4.28,2
- License
- Freeware
- Installer type
- dmg
How do I use this?
This command needs Homebrew; if you don't have it, first run the install command from brew.sh. Then open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal), paste the command and press Enter.
brew install --cask lm-studioSHA256 (file verification)
f8be634f1eeabaa19d9004d6de8b8bf8cd805a22e34b1f9538d4d702cf884775flathub.org · Official website
- ✓ Community package (Flathub)
- ✓ Last checked: Nov. 4, 2026
- Version
- 0.4.23-1
- Release date
- Aug. 28, 2026
- License
- Freeware
- Installer type
- flatpak
How do I use this?
Open a terminal, paste the command and press Enter. Flatpak and Flathub must be set up; Linux Mint has them by default, for other distributions see flathub.org/setup.
flatpak install flathub ai.lmstudio.lm-studioWe couldn't find a Android version of LM Studio in the official repositories; check the publisher's website.
LM Studio 0.4.27+2: what's new?
Highlights
- Search and download open models from Hugging Face inside the app
- Familiar chat interface
- Chats stay on your computer
- OpenAI-compatible local server for other programs
- Hints about which model sizes your computer can handle
Who is it for?
For people who want to try AI models on their own computer without using the command line.
Good to know before installing
- Large models need lots of memory and a strong graphics card.
- The app is not open source.
Screenshots
How to install
Windows
- Click the official download button on this page or use the winget command.
- Run the installer.
- Open the app, pick a model in the search section and download it.
- Load the model in the chat tab and start typing.
macOS
- Use the Homebrew command or download from the official site.
- Move the app to the Applications folder and open it.
- Download a model and load it in the chat tab.
Linux
- Run the Flatpak command in a terminal.
- Open the app from the application menu.
- Download a model and load it in the chat tab.
Alternatives
- Ollama
- GPT4All
- Jan
Frequently asked questions
Is LM Studio free?
Yes. The app is free; it is not open source. Each model you download has its own license.
How is it different from Ollama?
LM Studio does everything through a graphical interface, while Ollama is mostly used from the command line. Both run models on your computer.
Does it need an internet connection?
Only for searching and downloading models. Chatting with a downloaded model runs on your computer.