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Flux AI is an open-source tool that lets you create detailed art from text prompts. You can use it on your Mac with the Draw Things app – no cloud needed, no subscriptions, and no tricky setups. Thanks to the simple Flux AI Mac setup, even beginners can get started in minutes.
What is Flux AI?
Flux AI is a top-notch open-source model that turns text into images. Users can easily make detailed, realistic, and stylized images just by typing in prompts. Unlike many paid options, Flux AI is free, giving creators full control without limits or censorship.
The good news? You can run Flux AI on a Mac without complicated installations or cloud services. OnePeople love Flux AI because it can run on regular computers, including Apple Silicon Macs.
It’s fine-tuned for M1, M2, M3, and M4 chips, so Mac users can create AI art offline quickly, without relying on the cloud or extra hardware.
Tools You Need: Draw Things App
If you want to install Flux AI on your Mac, the Draw Things app is one of the reliable ways to go. It’s an app designed specifically for running AI image models right on your computer.
- Works on both Mac and iOS devices (like iPhone and iPad)
- Perfectly set up for Apple’s M1, M2, M3, and M4 chips
- Comes with a built-in downloader for Flux AI and other models
- Super easy to use, no tech skills needed
You can download Draw Things straight from the App Store, the steps for which we cover up next.
How to Run Flux AI on Mac, Step-by-Step
- Download and install Draw Things on your Mac.
- Open the app and go to the model downloader section.
- Download the selected Flux AI model from the list.
- Load and run the model locally.
Now let’s examine each of these steps carefully.
Step 1: Download Draw Things
First, download the Draw Things: Offline AI Art app directly from the App Store.
For the best results, it’s a good idea to use a Mac with Apple Silicon (like M1, M2, M3, or M4). Having at least 16GB of RAM helps with loading models and generating images smoothly.
Step 2: Open the App and Load the Flux Model
After installing, launch the Draw Things app. You’ll see the following interface, with three options:
Choose the second option: Download a model via Draw Things. Then, look for “Flux” in the models section.
You’ll find different versions of the Flux model, like:
- FLUX.1 Schnell – this one generates images faster but with slightly lower quality.
- FLUX.1 dev – this one is a bit slower but gives you higher-quality images.
Pick the version you want and start the download. The model weights will download and install automatically.
Step 3: Adjust Settings (Optional)
Before you create your first image, you can tweak some settings in Draw Things:
- Sampling Steps – Using a higher number of sampling steps gives you better details, but it takes longer. The Flux models usually work well with 1 to 150 steps.
- Image Size – You can choose from different suggested measurements. For best results, we suggest using 1:1 / Normal size.
- Strength – A high value of strength allows more artistic freedom from the original, ranging from 0% to 100%.
Step 4: Start Creating Images
Once your model is downloaded and ready, you can run Flux locally by entering text prompts directly in Draw Things.
- Type your text prompt in the prompt field.
For example: “Create an image of a guy drinking a cocktail.”
- Hit Generate and wait for Draw Things to create your image.
- Your AI-generated image will save right on your Mac.
Since everything runs locally, you won’t need an internet connection to create images after your initial setup.
Optional: Use the iPhone/iPad Version
Along with working on Mac, Draw Things is also available for iPhone and iPad. This means you can run Flux AI models right from your phone or tablet. You can create AI art on the go, even without an internet connection, as long as you have one of the newer iOS devices.
Why Run Flux AI Locally on Your Mac?
Running Flux AI on your Mac has some great perks compared to using cloud-based services: full control, privacy, no subscription fees, and the ability to run Flux locally without any internet connection after setup.
- Full control over your model – There’s no content censorship or limits on what you create.
- Skipping cloud costs – You can use your Mac’s Apple Silicon, so you won’t need to rent cloud GPUs.
- Privacy – Everything runs on your machine, so your prompts and data remain private.
- Optimized for Apple Silicon – Flux AI works well on M1, M2, M3, and M4 chips, making the most of Apple’s tech.
- Cost savings – After you install it, there aren’t any subscription fees or rental costs, so it’s cheaper to use AI locally in the long run.
Thanks to Apple Silicon’s solid performance for AI tasks, Mac users can create top-notch AI art offline without worrying about costs or privacy.
With Apple Silicon, Macs are now powerful enough to handle complex AI tasks, whether generating text or creating images with models like Flux, as seen with various LLMs running on Mac.
Conclusion
In just a few steps, you can fully complete your Flux AI Mac setup and run Flux AI on Mac completely offline. Once you’ve got it installed, you’ll have complete privacy, offline access, and great AI art generation, all without needing any tech expertise.
FAQs
- Can I run Flux AI on any Mac?
Flux AI works best on Macs that have Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4). Older Intel Macs can run some versions, but they’ll be slower and less stable.
- Do I need coding skills to install Flux AI?
Not at all, you don’t need any coding skills. You can easily install and use Flux AI with the Draw Things app, which has a simple interface – no techy setup or command line stuff involved.
- Is Flux AI free to use?
Yes, Flux AI is totally free. Just download the model weights and make sure you have enough storage on your Mac.
