Recently, we shared a post on how to run Stable Diffusion locally using the AUTOMATIC1111 web interface. ComfyUI is a slightly advanced version that works in your browser and can generate AI images.
If you find other backend models too basic, you’ll be delighted to know that ComfyUI does it better. It supports LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation Models), which shortens the prompting effort as you can pick a model that aligns with your image theme.
Like the AUTOMATIC1111, installing ComfyUI is a tedious process involving many elements to get it working. But it’s possible to run it on an Intel Arc GPU (earlier, only NVIDIA support existed). Let’s begin.
Requirements
- Intel CPU and ARC GPU
- Python
- Git
- Stable Internet Connection
Installing ComfyUI on Intel Arc
Firstly, you’ll need the latest version of Python. Download the installer from the official page and click Next to finalize the installation on your PC.
Next, you need to install Git, which we’ll use to clone the ComfyUI repository on the PC. It has a long installation phase, but stick to the default settings and install it.
Note: Adding models to the folder will need more space. So, pick a drive that has at least 50GB available storage space.
Before initiating the repository cloning process, you must disable the iGPU (integrated GPU). Most Intel processors have an embedded GPU unit that handles the graphics tasks in the absence of a discrete GPU. Since you have an Intel Arc GPU, you don’t need the iGPU.
Open the Device Manager and expand the Display Adapters section. Right-click on the iGPU and select the Disable device option. Click on Yes and manually reboot the PC.
Now, open File Explorer and create a folder called ComfyUI on the C or any other drive. Open the folder and then click on the address bar. Type CMD and hit Enter to open the Terminal.
Paste the following command and hit Enter to download all the ComfyUI files on your PC. It will take a while to do so.
https://github.com/comfyanonymous/ComfyUI.gitAfter that, download the following requirements file that’ll help run ComfyUI on Intel Arc. This is the link for the discrete Arc GPUs. Copy the downloaded file and paste it into the ComfyUI folder, where the rest of the downloaded files are available.
Reopen the Command Prompt from the ComfyUI folder and then execute the following commands sequentially:
cd comfyui
python -m venv comfyui_env
comfyui_env\scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements-ipex.txt
Now, run the following command to launch ComfyUI:
python main.py --bf16-unet
Your installation is complete. If you want to relaunch the app, you’ll need to open the Command Prompt from the ComfyUI folder and then run the following two commands:
comfyui_env\scripts\activate
python main.py --bf16-unet
Downloading and Using Checkpoints and LoRA models
The next step is adding a checkpoint that will act as a base for processing your prompt. Visit CivitAI and use the Checkpoint filter to find and download checkpoints.
Once done, copy the file and paste it to the following path:
ComfyUI\models\checkpoints
Now, download a LoRA from HuggingFace to refine the output. You must paste it inside the LoRa folder in the Models subfolder. After that, you can start inserting prompts in the Clip window. You can play around with other local models if the current one doesn’t match your standards.
The major difference between ComfyUI and other interfaces is that it looks a lot complicated. Node-style interfaces aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there are a lot of tutorials that can help with that. Just remember that you’ll have to start with a checkpoint and then add a LoRA if necessary.
Thereafter, it works like a normal AI image generator with a lot more customization options. You don’t need to spend bandwidth or wait for a long time to generate images. Everything happens on your device, and there’s no delay. You don’t need to pay a subscription to access it like the several online tools.
ComfyUI is indeed for slightly advanced users. Adding a LoRA gives a significant edge while producing complicated image designs. Hunt for new checkpoints on CivitAI because that gives you the flexibility to pick an art style that matches your needs. Don’t forget to disable the iGPU because that can cause problems while installing ComfyUI.
Related Articles:
- How to Install and Use Intel Graphics Software to Boost Gaming Performance
- How to Install and Use Stable Diffusion Web UI with Intel ARC GPUs
- How to Install Intel AI Playground 2.0 on Intel Arc PCs
- How to Install and Run Fooocus AI on Intel Arc GPU PCs
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