https://localllmguide.com/ https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/home/preview-16x9.webp Find the local AI setup your computer can actually run. Start with your hardware and task. Get a realistic model class, app, and setup path. https://localllmguide.com/guides https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/guides/preview-16x9.webp Get one local AI setup working before adding complexity. Answer-first installation, document, privacy, and workflow guides. https://localllmguide.com/software https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/software/preview-16x9.webp Pick local AI software by the job it performs. Desktop apps, local APIs, browser workspaces, document platforms, and inference engines. https://localllmguide.com/models https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/models/preview-16x9.webp Choose a model for the machine and task you actually have. Start with a curated shortlist. Open the full catalog only when you need the deeper record. https://localllmguide.com/hardware https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/hardware/preview-16x9.webp Turn RAM, GPU memory, and unified memory into a model decision. Direct recommendations for common Mac, Windows, Linux, and GPU configurations. https://localllmguide.com/compare https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/compare/preview-16x9.webp Compare the choices that materially change a setup. Use-case verdicts first. Detailed matrices only when the first decision does not settle it. https://localllmguide.com/troubleshooting https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/troubleshooting/preview-16x9.webp Fix the exact local AI failure instead of reinstalling everything. Start with the symptom, isolate the failing layer, and change one thing at a time. https://localllmguide.com/tools/ram-vram-calculator https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/ram-vram-calculator/preview-16x9.webp Calculate whether a local LLM leaves enough memory headroom. Separate model weights, context, runtime overhead, and memory reserved for normal work. https://localllmguide.com/guides/what-local-llm-can-my-computer-run https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/what-local-llm-can-my-computer-run/preview-16x9.webp What local LLM can my computer run? The useful answer is the model that leaves room for context, documents, and normal work. https://localllmguide.com/compare/ollama-vs-lm-studio https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/ollama-vs-lm-studio/preview-16x9.webp Ollama vs LM Studio Choose LM Studio for the easiest graphical path. Choose Ollama for a lightweight runtime and API. https://localllmguide.com/guides/local-llm-ram-vram-requirements https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/local-llm-ram-vram-requirements/preview-16x9.webp RAM, GPU memory, and unified memory are not interchangeable. Identify the memory pool, choose a sensible model size, and leave headroom. https://localllmguide.com/compare/best-local-ai-setup-for-mac https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/best-local-ai-setup-for-mac/preview-16x9.webp Best local AI setup for an Apple Silicon Mac Choose the first app and model class from the Mac's unified-memory tier. https://localllmguide.com/compare/best-local-ai-setup-for-windows https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/best-local-ai-setup-for-windows/preview-16x9.webp Best local AI setup for a Windows PC Start with dedicated GPU memory when present; otherwise choose a smaller CPU or integrated-graphics path. https://localllmguide.com/guides/install-ollama https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/install-ollama/preview-16x9.webp How to install Ollama Install the runtime, run one sensible model, and confirm a normal response before adding other tools. https://localllmguide.com/guides/install-lm-studio https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/install-lm-studio/preview-16x9.webp How to install LM Studio Choose a model that fits, load it with ordinary settings, and get a successful chat working first. https://localllmguide.com/guides/open-webui-with-ollama https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/open-webui-with-ollama/preview-16x9.webp Use Open WebUI with Ollama Get Ollama working first. Then connect the browser interface to the local model service. https://localllmguide.com/guides/chat-with-pdfs-locally https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/chat-with-pdfs-locally/preview-16x9.webp How to chat with PDFs locally Extract the text, index it, retrieve the right passage, and answer from that passage. https://localllmguide.com/local-ai-privacy https://localllmguide.com/images/seo/local-ai-privacy/preview-16x9.webp Where data can go in a local AI setup Map models, embeddings, documents, sync, tools, logs, and network exposure—not just the model runner.