How to install LM Studio on Mac and run your first AI model
Easiest for beginners. A normal app with a chat window: you search for a model, click download, and start typing. No commands. These steps use Gemma 3 12B as the example; swap in any model.
Step by step
You need: A Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer) and a recent version of macOS. Intel Macs are not supported.
- Go to lmstudio.ai and click Download for Mac.
- Open the downloaded file and drag LM Studio into your Applications folder, then open it from there.
- If it offers to download a first model, you can skip that. Click the search (magnifying glass) icon in the left sidebar to open Discover.
- Type Gemma 3 12B in the search box. On a Mac you may see both MLX and GGUF versions: either works, and MLX is often a little faster.
- Choose the 4-bit (or Q4_K_M) version if a list appears, then click Download.
- Open the Chat tab, click Select a model to load at the top, pick Gemma 3 12B, and type your first message.
That's it: you're running AI on your own Mac. If something goes wrong, see the fixes below.
Not sure which model?
Answer two questions and get the model that fits your hardware, with these steps filled in for it.
Prefer Ollama?
One command downloads and runs a model. Good if you are comfortable with a terminal, or want other apps and coding tools to use your local model.
Which model to try first
The best everyday chat model that runs at a comfortable speed for each amount of Mac memory. Search for the name in LM Studio's Discover tab.
| Your Mac | Model | Download size |
|---|---|---|
| Mac with 16 GB |  Qwen3 8B | about 5 GB |
| Mac with 24 GB |  gpt-oss 20B | about 12.7 GB |
| Mac with 36 GB | Qwen3 32B | about 19.9 GB |
| Mac with 48 GB | gpt-oss 20B | about 12.7 GB |
| Mac with 64 GB | Qwen3 32B | about 19.9 GB |
| Mac with 128 GB | gpt-oss 120B | about 70.8 GB |
If something goes wrong
The four problems beginners hit most, and how to fix them.
Out of memory or won't load
The model plus its working memory doesn't fit in your graphics memory. Here is how to make it fit, from the easiest fix to the most advanced.
It's really slow
Most slowness comes from the model not fitting fully in graphics memory, or from "thinking" models reasoning before they answer.
It's not using my GPU
If your graphics card sits idle while the CPU does all the work, one of these is usually the reason.
Weird, wrong or repeating answers
Local models can be excellent, but small or badly configured ones make mistakes that paid assistants don't. Here is what to check.
Frequently asked questions
Is LM Studio free?
Yes. LM Studio is free to download and use, and so are the models in this guide.
Does LM Studio on Mac need the internet?
Only to download the app and the model. After that, chats run entirely on your computer and work offline.
How much space do I need for LM Studio?
The app itself is small. Each model is a separate download, typically 2 to 20 GB; Gemma 3 12B is about 7.4 GB.