Setup guide - Documented by Cline
Use LM Studio in Cline
Cline has a built-in LM Studio provider, documented on its Local models page. You start the LM Studio server, select LM Studio as the provider, keep the base URL http://localhost:1234 and pick a model.
Last verified 5 steps2 official sources
Steps
- Step 1.
Install LM Studio from lmstudio.ai and launch the app. Open Discover and download a model.
- Step 2.
Open the Developer tab and start the server (default:
http://localhost:1234). - Step 3.
Open Cline Settings, select provider: LM Studio, keep Base URL as
http://localhost:1234, and select your model from the dropdown. - Step 4.
Enable Use Compact Prompt in Cline Settings -> Features (recommended for local inference).
- Step 5.
Troubleshooting: ensure the LM Studio server is running, ensure a model is loaded, and if the connection fails verify
http://localhost:1234.
Caveats
- Cline's page names no specific model id. Models are picked from a dropdown populated by LM Studio.
- The old URL docs.cline.bot/provider-config/lmstudio now returns 404. The current page is running-models-locally/overview.
More setup guides
Same tool, other providers
Related reading
- LM Studio Bionic: A Local-First AI Agent for Open ModelsLM Studio launches Bionic, a standalone agent harness for open models with local inference, voice input, and zero data retention cloud options.
- Ollama vs LM Studio vs vLLM vs llama.cpp: Picking a Local Runtime for Coding AgentsOllama vs LM Studio vs vLLM vs llama.cpp for coding agents: what each local runtime is for, where they overlap, and which to pick for your setup.
- What Is Cline? The Open-Source AI Coding Agent for VS CodeCline is a free, open-source VS Code extension for agentic AI coding. Bring your own model, a cloud API or a local one via Ollama, with no vendor lock-in.
- Every AI Coding Tool Compared: The 2026 MatrixEvery AI coding tool compared: 15 terminal, IDE, cloud and browser tools side by side on pricing, model surface, strengths, weaknesses and best use cases.
FAQ
How do I use LM Studio in Cline?
Cline has a built-in LM Studio provider, documented on its Local models page. You start the LM Studio server, select LM Studio as the provider, keep the base URL http://localhost:1234 and pick a model.
What base URL does Cline use for LM Studio?
Point Cline at http://localhost:1234.
Is this an official LM Studio and Cline setup?
Cline documents this setup in its own docs. It was last checked against 2 official pages on October 17, 2026.
Sources
Last verified against 2 official pages.
- docs.cline.bothttps://docs.cline.bot/running-models-locally/overview.md
- docs.cline.bothttps://docs.cline.bot/llms.txt
Newsletter
New models, set up the day they ship
One email per week. New model releases, the coding tools that support them and how to wire them up.