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You can generate images offline on a computer and use your phone to control the process through a browser—but the computer must already have the image-generation software and model files, and the phone still needs a local connection to reach the computer. The computer performs the image generation; the phone is a controller and viewer, not the offline image-generation engine.
What “without internet” means
Local image generation does not require cloud inference: once the software, model files, and required dependencies are on the computer, the computer can generate images locally. Stability AI lists offline image generation as a benefit of local deployment, and ComfyUI says its core “Runs fully offline: core does not download anything unless you request it.” Stability AI describes local deployment; see also the ComfyUI repository documentation.
Phone control is a separate issue. A phone cannot control a separate computer if every communication path between them is disabled. To use the phone as a controller, both devices need a local connection—such as a network that works without internet service—and the generation software must expose an interface the phone can reach. That local network can carry traffic between devices even when it cannot reach the internet.
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ComfyUI and InvokeAI are two options for running image-generation workflows locally. Stability AI characterizes ComfyUI as modular and suited to experimentation, and InvokeAI as a dashboard with workflow and post-processing features. Its overview also describes Automatic1111 as a widely used traditional web interface. These are workflow distinctions, not evidence that one produces better images or runs faster.
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| Model and example output size | InvokeAI guidance for Windows/Linux | What the figure means |
|---|---|---|
| Stable Diffusion 1.5 at 512×512 | 4 GB VRAM and 8 GB RAM | Approximate requirements listed on InvokeAI’s system requirements page; not a speed or compatibility guarantee. |
| SDXL at 1024×1024 | 8 GB VRAM and 16 GB RAM | Approximate requirements listed on InvokeAI’s system requirements page; actual needs can vary. |
| FLUX.1 at 1024×1024 | 10 GB VRAM and 32 GB RAM | Approximate requirements listed on InvokeAI’s system requirements page; actual needs can vary. |
These are model-specific guidance figures, not a universal minimum for every local image generator. InvokeAI supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, but the cited requirements figures are specifically for Windows/Linux. Requirements can change with software and model versions, and a computer meeting a listed figure is not thereby guaranteed to generate quickly.
Prepare the computer while internet is available
Before disconnecting, install your chosen interface and download the model files and dependencies it requires. Some model downloads may be large or gated, so obtain them while the necessary network access is available. There is no single preparation checklist that applies to every model and installation.
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- Check compatibility. Compare your computer with the current requirements for the exact interface, model, and intended output size. If you plan to use InvokeAI, start with its current system requirements.
- Install and download. Install the image-generation software and obtain the model files and any dependencies it needs. Confirm that the model is present locally rather than relying on a download at generation time.
- Test offline generation on the computer. Start the interface and generate an image before setting up phone control. This helps distinguish a model or installation problem from a local-network problem.
- Check the interface instructions. Find the current directions for starting its browser interface and allowing access from another device on your operating system. Settings and network behavior can vary by installation.
Use the phone as a local browser controller
ComfyUI provides a browser interface. An NVIDIA tutorial describes accessing that interface in a browser on port 8188 and says GPU-accelerated inference runs on the local hardware. Together, these facts make opening the computer’s interface from a phone browser a practical approach, but the cited official instructions do not provide a phone-specific networking setup. See NVIDIA’s ComfyUI tutorial and ComfyUI’s repository documentation.
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- Connect the phone and computer to a local network that remains available without internet service.
- Start the image-generation interface on the computer, following its current instructions for local-network access.
- In the phone’s browser, open the computer’s local interface address. The exact address, port, and access settings depend on the software and installation; use the interface’s current instructions rather than assuming a particular setup.
- Submit a prompt and view the result in the phone browser. The computer still performs the inference and stores or serves the output according to its software configuration.
If the phone cannot open the page, first confirm that image generation works on the computer. Then check that both devices can communicate on the local network and that the interface is configured to accept access from another device. The reviewed official sources do not establish a universal USB, hotspot, or isolated-network procedure, so follow the relevant software and operating-system instructions for those configurations.
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Keep the local interface private
Limit access to trusted devices. Stability AI recommends securing endpoints with a firewall or VPN and following model licenses and ethical-use policies. Do not expose an unauthenticated generation interface to the public internet simply to reach it from your phone; remote access over the internet is not required for the local-network workflow described here. Stability AI’s local-deployment guidance discusses endpoint security.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which setup should you choose?
- Choose ComfyUI if a modular interface and experimentation-oriented workflow suit you, and you are comfortable configuring workflows and following its setup instructions.
- Consider InvokeAI if you prefer a dashboard with workflow and post-processing features, and want model-specific hardware guidance in its published requirements.
- Consider Automatic1111 if you want the traditional web-interface style described by Stability AI; check its current installation and model requirements before preparing an offline setup.
No controlled speed or image-quality comparison is established by these descriptions. Choose based on interface and workflow preference, then verify that your chosen model and installation work locally before relying on the phone connection.
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