LM Studio is large language model inference software for running and using large language models locally on personal computers. It provides tools for downloading and managing models, interacting with them through a chatbot interface, and serving locally running models to other applications through an application programming interface (API).
LM Studio uses llama.cpp as an inference engine for models in the GGUF format and also supports Apple's MLX framework on Apple silicon. In addition to its graphical interface, the platform includes command-line tools, software development kits for Python and TypeScript, and a local inference server with native, OpenAI-compatible, and Anthropic-compatible APIs.
LM Studio was launched in May 2023. It was initially developed as a desktop environment combining local model inference with model discovery, a chat interface, local model management, and an API server.
What is LM Studio?
LM Studio is a free ai assistants & llm program for Windows from LM Studio. It ranks 34th by popularity among ai assistants & llms in this catalogue. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and ARM64 as EXE (NSIS). The main installer is 618.8 MB. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation.
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.4.26+4, released on October 8, 2026. 67 versions are listed since August 31, 2024, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 29 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 13,424 times. Wikipedia has an article about it in 2 of our languages. Similar programs include Claude Code, Codex CLI and Jan.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Free to use
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Frequent updates (about 29 a year)
- Also runs on Linux
Cons
- Large download (618.8 MB)
In short: LM Studio is a free ai assistants & llm tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Key features
- Run Local LLMs Offline — Execute open-weight models entirely on your own device without cloud dependency.
- Cross-Platform Support — Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Model Discovery & Download — Browse and download GGUF/MLX models directly from Hugging Face.
- Built-in Chat Interface — Interact with local models through a clean ChatGPT-like UI.
- OpenAI-Compatible API Server — Serve local models via OpenAI-style REST endpoints for app integration.
- Document Chat (RAG) — Chat with local documents privately and offline.
- Model Management — Organize models, prompts, presets, and configurations in one place.
- Developer Tooling — Includes CLI, Python SDK, TypeScript SDK, and REST
- Headless Mode — Run LM Studio without GUI for servers or CI environments.
- MCP Integration — Connect MCP servers and external AI workflows.
- Privacy-First Design — Prompts and conversations stay on the local machine.
- Hardware-Aware Optimization — GPU offloading and memory controls for better performance on limited hardware.
- Multi-Model Support — Supports Llama, Qwen, Mistral, Gemma, Phi, DeepSeek, and more.
- Local Network Serving — Expose local models across devices on the same network.
AppStream · Flathub
Is LM Studio safe to download?
- The file is served by installers.lmstudio.ai, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
6D307BC8C4C9FC92D4CB18508B4919BEB1A76D2174165A95BEF9E13B11317BE9· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 67 versions ›67 versions over 2 years · about 29 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4.26+4Latest | October 8, 2026 | 618.8 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 0.4.25+1 | September 19, 2026 | 616.7 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 0.4.24+1 | September 8, 2026 | 617.6 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 0.4.23+1 | August 28, 2026 | 615.9 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 0.4.22+1 | August 27, 2026 | 616.1 MB | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 0.4.21+2 | August 12, 2026 | 605.2 MB | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 0.4.20+1 | July 22, 2026 | 617.2 MB | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 0.4.19+2 | July 7, 2026 | 616.8 MB | ARM64 EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id ElementLabs.LMStudio -echoco install lmstudio -yscoop install extras/lmstudioLM-Studio-0.4.26-4-x64.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask lm-studioflatpak install flathub ai.lmstudio.lm-studioInformation
- Publisher
- LM Studio
- Category
- AI assistants & LLMs
- Licence
- Freeware
- Price
- Free
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 0.4.26+4
- Released
- October 8, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- August 31, 2024
- Versions listed
- 67
- Updates / year
- 28.9
- Chocolatey downloads
- 13,424
- Website
- lmstudio.ai
- winget ID
- ElementLabs.LMStudio
- Chocolatey package
- lmstudio
- Scoop package
- extras/lmstudio
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is LM Studio free?
Yes. LM Studio is free to use.
Is LM Studio safe to download?
The download comes from installers.lmstudio.ai, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install LM Studio with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can LM Studio be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does LM Studio run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of LM Studio?
The versions page lists all 67 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 31, 2024.
Can I use LM Studio without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to LM Studio?
Claude Code, Codex CLI, Jan, ChatGPT and Ollama. The alternatives page compares them.