Local AI can work without mobile data after setup, but the model files still have to reach your phone. Downloading several large models before choosing a task can use more data than you intended.
OGAM (Off Grid AI Mobile) lets you select local models and manage their downloads. Start with one task, check the displayed file sizes, and complete the needed downloads on a connection you choose. Then test the task with mobile data and Wi-Fi off.
| Download OGAM | Mobile release 0.0.111 |
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The useful result is a small setup you actually use. You can add models later when you know which capability is missing, instead of treating the whole catalog as a download list.
Which task should you prepare first?
Choose the task that matters most during a disconnected period. For writing and questions about saved text, start with a local text model. Image generation, vision, and speech need their own appropriate resources.
Suppose you want to draft short notes and review a saved workshop document while travelling. A suitable local chat model and readable source files may cover that work. You do not need an image model merely because it is available.
| Task | What to check before downloading |
|---|---|
| Text chat | Model size and fit for the phone |
| Document questions | Local text model and readable saved documents |
| Photo analysis | Compatible vision model and required files |
| Audio transcription | Speech model and language support |
| Image generation | Complete image-model package and device support |
Some model packages need several files. Check the full task setup, not just the size of one component.
How do download size and memory differ?
Download size affects data transfer and storage. Running the model needs working memory as well. A file that fits in storage may still be too demanding for the phone to load comfortably.
Use the app’s model information to choose a modest first option. Leave enough storage for the installed package and your documents. Do not fill the phone with several untested alternatives before checking one.
The mobile app supports local workflows on compatible Android and iPhone devices. Actual model fit depends on the device and workload, so use a short test rather than assuming that one hardware minimum covers every model.
This article does not promise a fixed data cost for the complete setup. The app, runtime components, and model files can have separate downloads, and future updates can require more data.
How do you control what enters the download queue?
Open Models, choose the first model you need, and start its download. Use the download-manager control in Models to inspect its state before adding more work.
The 0.0.111 model screen links to the download manager. The queue can include downloading, waiting, paused, and completed work; a queued item is not necessarily transferring bytes yet.
A practical sequence is:
- Connect to the network you intend to use for setup.
- Check the model’s displayed size and compatibility information.
- Start one required download.
- Open the download manager and check its state.
- Add another model only when the task needs it.
If you use Settings > Storage > Auto Setup, review the offered plan before starting. Guided setup is convenient, but your chosen plan still needs its model files downloaded.
How should you use pause, resume, and retry?
Use Pause or Resume when the item offers those controls. Use Retry after checking the reported failure and available storage. Remove waiting work you no longer need so it does not start later.
The download item controls expose these actions according to state. Do not assume every interrupted file can resume from exactly the same byte; the provider and partial file determine what is possible.
Before leaving your preferred network, inspect the queue. A paused download is different from a fully installed model. If the phone may switch to mobile data, use your operating system’s network controls to enforce your own data preference. Do not assume an unverified app-wide Wi-Fi-only setting exists.
Can downloads continue in the background?
The app has background download support, but the operating system still controls execution and network access. Leaving the model screen does not itself cancel the queue. It also does not guarantee that every queued item will finish after the app is force-closed or connectivity changes.
Android uses a foreground download service, and iOS uses its native background-download mechanism. Return to the download manager and check actual completion before relying on the model offline.
Keep the phone powered and give the download time to finish on the network you chose. If a package contains several files, verify that the complete package is ready rather than treating the first finished component as success.
How do you test the setup without mobile data?
Load the downloaded local model and send a short prompt while still connected. Then turn off mobile data and Wi-Fi and repeat the useful task.
For the travel-writing example:
Turn these notes into a clear reminder list. Use only the supplied facts and keep missing dates marked as unknown.
If you prepared project documents, ask a question whose answer you know and check the source. Make sure the file is a real local copy, not a cloud placeholder.
A remote model on another computer still needs a reachable network. Select an on-phone model for a fully disconnected test. Private server addresses do not remove that connectivity requirement.
How do you decide what to download next?
Use the first model for a real task before adding another. Record what it does well and what fails. A larger model may not solve unclear prompts, poor source text, or missing information.
| Problem | Check before another download |
|---|---|
| The answer is vague | Give a more specific task and source |
| The model cannot load | Memory fit and other device workload |
| A document question fails | Readable text and completed indexing |
| Speech is unavailable | The speech model and runtime, not just chat |
| The queue appears stalled | Waiting state, connection, storage, and error message |
Download another model when you have a clear reason, such as a language or modality the current setup does not support. That keeps both storage and data use tied to useful work.
Leave the network with a working task
Download OGAM, choose one local model, and complete its setup on your preferred connection. Check the queue, load the model, and repeat a real task with network connections disabled.
The initial downloads need data. Once the required resources are ready, supported local tasks can run without mobile data. The useful result is knowing exactly what your phone can do offline before you need it.