# Run local AI on a Mac

Apple silicon Macs can use the Hugging Bay app, Ollama or LM Studio; Intel Macs can use Ollama on a supported macOS version.

Sources checked: 2026-10-17

## 1. Check your Mac

Open Apple menu → About This Mac. Note Chip or Processor, Memory and macOS version. Use the [memory guide](/learn/choose-a-model) before choosing a model.

## 2. Install the Hugging Bay app on Apple silicon

The live download page checked on 17 October 2026 lists Apple silicon and macOS 11 or later. Open [our download page](/desktop), download the Mac disk image, and compare its SHA-256 using the command on that page.

Open the disk image, put the app in Applications, and launch it. Follow the machine check. Continue with the [first-chat steps](/learn/hugging-bay-app). If macOS blocks an unrecognized or damaged copy, download it again from that page; do not disable Gatekeeper.

## 3. Or use Ollama or LM Studio

Ollama requires macOS 14 or later. Download it from [Ollama](https://ollama.com/download), open its disk image, drag it to Applications, and launch it. Complete its command-line setup, then open Terminal and follow [the Ollama chat steps](/learn/ollama). Intel Macs use CPU processing.

For a point-and-click alternative, [LM Studio](https://lmstudio.ai/download) requires Apple silicon and macOS 14 or later. Install the Mac app and follow [the LM Studio steps](/learn/lm-studio). LM Studio does not currently support Intel Macs.

## Prefer the terminal?

The native [hbay guide](/learn/hbay) covers macOS and Linux. Its installer requires OpenSSL 3 or newer; the system LibreSSL on a Mac does not meet that requirement.

## Sources

- [Hugging Bay desktop downloads](https://huggingbay.xyz/desktop)
- [Ollama on macOS](https://docs.ollama.com/macos)
- [LM Studio system requirements](https://lmstudio.ai/docs/app/system-requirements)
- [Hugging Bay install status](https://huggingbay.xyz/install)

[Next: choose your chat app](/learn#runner)