Offline AI: Chat with Documents Without Internet
With Local AI selected and a local model available, LocalRAG! can answer questions about documents already on your phone or tablet without an internet connection. The app extracts, indexes, and searches original files on-device, then can generate answers there too. Claude is a separate mode: it sends your question and retrieved excerpts to the API, not the original file.
The cloud dependency problem
An internet connection is not always available when you need to check a contract, manual, ebook, or report. Travel, field work, and low-connectivity locations can interrupt cloud workflows. For sensitive documents, it also matters to understand whether a tool uploads the original file or processes it on the device.
How LocalRAG! works completely offline
LocalRAG! extracts text, builds the index, and retrieves relevant passages from original files on your device. When you select Local AI and the local model is available, answer generation also happens on-device and can work offline. This lets you ask questions from imported documents without connecting to a cloud model. If you select Claude instead, LocalRAG! sends your question and retrieved excerpts to the API, not the original file.
Make Local AI available
In Settings, make a local model available on a compatible device before you need to work offline.
Import your documents
Add PDFs, EPUBs, Word files, or any of the 25 supported formats. Documents are indexed on-device using local embeddings.
Ask questions offline
Select Local AI and ask questions from the documents already on your device, including while in airplane mode.
Why go offline with LocalRAG!
Local AI processes content on-device
With Local AI selected, document content, questions, and answers are processed on your device. Separately, LocalRAG! sends anonymous usage statistics with no file content, question text, or answer text; see the Privacy Policy for details.
Works everywhere
Airplanes, remote job sites, underground facilities, rural areas with no signal — LocalRAG! works wherever you are. No Wi-Fi or cellular data required.
No cloud-model request in Local AI mode
When Local AI is selected, answering does not require a cloud-model API request. Current usage limits and subscription options are shown in the app and stores.
A clear local option
Use Local AI when you want document content, questions, and answers on-device. Your organization remains responsible for evaluating its own security, device-management, and compliance needs.
Example offline questions
“What are the key terms in this contract?”
With Local AI selected, LocalRAG! retrieves passages from the on-device index and can highlight clauses, obligations, and deadlines without an internet connection.
“Summarize chapters 3 through 5 of this textbook”
With Local AI selected, LocalRAG! retrieves relevant EPUB sections and can generate a summary from the document already on your device.
“What safety procedures does this manual describe?”
With Local AI selected, LocalRAG! can search an imported manual and list relevant procedures with page references while offline.
“Compare the financial projections in these two reports”
With both documents in the same collection, LocalRAG! retrieves relevant figures and can compare cited passages when Local AI is selected.
Verdict
LocalRAG! gives you an explicit local option for document Q&A. With Local AI selected and a local model available, it can retrieve from imported files and answer on-device while offline. For Claude mode, the original file remains on-device while the app sends your question and retrieved excerpts to the API.
FAQ
What do I need to use Local AI offline?
Make a local model available in Settings on a compatible device, import the document, then select Local AI. Once those are ready, you can ask about the imported document while offline.
Can I use LocalRAG! on a flight?
Yes. With Local AI selected and a local model available, LocalRAG! can answer from documents already on your device in airplane mode.
Does offline mode upload my original files?
No. LocalRAG! extracts, indexes, and searches original files on-device. With Local AI selected, answer generation is also on-device. Claude mode is separate and sends your question and retrieved excerpts to the API, not the original file.
Will Local AI work on every device?
Local AI availability depends on the device. LocalRAG! shows the available choices in Settings; if Local AI is unavailable, you can still use the supported cloud model options.
How does Local AI affect battery and speed?
Results depend on the device, selected model, document size, and question. Check your device’s available storage and battery before relying on Local AI for an extended offline session.
Try LocalRAG! Free
Free tier with 5 questions per day. No account required.