---
title: "LM Studio"
description: "Aider can connect to models served by LM Studio."
type: skill
canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/lm-studio
source: "Claudary"
difficulty: intermediate
author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack"
date: 2026-07-10T11:30:39.342Z
license: CC-BY-4.0
attribution: "LM Studio — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/lm-studio)"
---

# LM Studio
Aider can connect to models served by LM Studio.

## Overview

---
parent: Connecting to LLMs
nav_order: 400
---

# LM Studio

Aider can connect to models served by LM Studio.

First, install aider:

{% include install.md %}

Then configure your API key and endpoint:

```
# Must set a value here even if its a dummy value
export LM_STUDIO_API_KEY=dummy-api-key # Mac/Linux
setx   LM_STUDIO_API_KEY dummy-api-key # Windows, restart shell after setx

# LM Studio default server URL is http://localhost:1234/v1
export LM_STUDIO_API_BASE=http://localhost:1234/v1 # Mac/Linux
setx   LM_STUDIO_API_BASE http://localhost:1234/v1 # Windows, restart shell after setx
```

**Note:** Even though LM Studio doesn't require an API Key out of the box the `LM_STUDIO_API_KEY` must have a dummy value like `dummy-api-key` set or the client request will fail trying to send an empty `Bearer` token.

Start working with aider and LM Studio on your codebase:

```bash
# Change directory into your codebase
cd /to/your/project

aider --model lm_studio/<your-model-name>
```

See the [model warnings](warnings.html)
section for information on warnings which will occur
when working with models that aider is not familiar with.

---

Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/lm-studio) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com