ComfyUI Installation Guide on Mac with ARM Chip (Apple Silicon)

This README provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to installing ComfyUI on a Mac with an ARM chip (Apple Silicon). It incorporates all necessary fixes and adjustments to ensure a smooth installation, including the specific command to create a virtual environment with Python 3.10.

Hugginface Token:

export HF_TOKEN="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"
./setup_comfyui_models.sh

ComfyUI Manager

Installation Installation[method1] (General installation method: ComfyUI-Manager only) To install ComfyUI-Manager in addition to an existing installation of ComfyUI, you can follow the following steps:

goto ComfyUI/custom_nodes dir in terminal(cmd) git clone https://github.com/ltdrdata/ComfyUI-Manager.git Restart ComfyUI

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Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites
2. Step 1: Install Homebrew
3. Step 2: Install Git
4. Step 3: Install Python 3.10
5. Step 4: Install Rust
6. Step 5: Install Xcode Command Line Tools
7. Step 6: Clone the ComfyUI Repository
8. Step 7: Set Up a Python Virtual Environment
9. Step 8: Upgrade pip
10. Step 9: Install Required Python Packages
11. Step 10: Install PyTorch with MPS Support
12. Step 11: Download Stable Diffusion Model Files
13. Step 12: Run ComfyUI
14. Troubleshooting
15. Additional Tips
16. Conclusion

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Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following before starting:

• Administrator access to install software.
• Internet connection.
• macOS Monterey 12.3 or later for full Apple Silicon support.

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Step 1: Install Homebrew

Homebrew is a package manager that simplifies software installation on macOS.

1. Open Terminal:

   • Find it in Applications > Utilities > Terminal or use Spotlight Search (Cmd + Space) and type Terminal.

2. Install Homebrew:

   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
   
   	3.	Add Homebrew to Your PATH:
   After installation, execute the commands displayed at the end. Example:

echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zprofile eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

Step 2: Install Git

Git is necessary to clone the ComfyUI repository.

1.	Install Git via Homebrew:

brew install git

2.	Verify Git Installation:

git --version

•	Expected Output: git version 2.x.x

Step 3: Install Python 3.10

ComfyUI requires Python 3.10.

1.	Install Python 3.10 via Homebrew:

brew install [email protected]

2.	Locate the Python 3.10 Executable:

Homebrew installs Python 3.10 at /opt/homebrew/bin/python3.10. Verify this:

/opt/homebrew/bin/python3.10 --version

•	Expected Output: Python 3.10.x

3.	(Optional) Add Unversioned Symlinks to PATH:

Homebrew installs unversioned symlinks in /opt/homebrew/opt/[email protected]/libexec/bin. To use python3 and pip3 commands easily, add this directory to your PATH.

echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/[email protected]/libexec/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zprofile source ~/.zprofile

4.	Verify the python3 Command:

which python3

•	Expected Output: /opt/homebrew/opt/[email protected]/libexec/bin/python3

python3 --version

•	Expected Output: Python 3.10.x

Step 4: Install Rust

Rust is required for compiling some dependencies.

1.	Install Rust:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

2.	Follow Installation Prompts:
•	Type 1 for the default installation.
3.	Update Environment Variables:

source $HOME/.cargo/env

4.	Verify Rust Installation:

rustc --version

•	Expected Output: rustc x.x.x

Step 5: Install Xcode Command Line Tools

These tools are necessary for building packages.

1.	Install Command Line Tools:

xcode-select --install

2.	Follow On-Screen Prompts:
•	Click Install when prompted.

Step 6: Clone the ComfyUI Repository

1.	Navigate to Desired Installation Directory:

cd ~

2.	Clone the Repository:

git clone https://github.com/comfyanonymous/ComfyUI.git

Step 7: Set Up a Python Virtual Environment

A virtual environment isolates project dependencies.

1.	Navigate to the ComfyUI Directory:

cd ComfyUI

2.	Create the Virtual Environment with Python 3.10:

Use the specific command to create the virtual environment:

/opt/homebrew/bin/python3.10 -m venv venv

3.	Activate the Virtual Environment:

source venv/bin/activate

•	Your terminal prompt should now start with (venv).

4.	Confirm the Python Version in the Virtual Environment:

python --version

•	Expected Output: Python 3.10.x

Step 8: Upgrade pip

Ensure you have the latest version of pip.

pip install --upgrade pip

Step 9: Install Required Python Packages

1.	Install Dependencies from requirements.txt:

pip install -r requirements.txt

•	If you encounter any errors during this step, see the Troubleshooting section below.

Step 10: Install PyTorch with MPS Support

For GPU acceleration on Apple Silicon, install PyTorch with Metal Performance Shaders (MPS) support.

1.	Install PyTorch Nightly Build:

The nightly build includes the latest MPS optimizations.

pip install --pre torch torchvision torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/nightly/cpu

2.	Verify MPS Availability:

python -c "import torch; print(torch.backends.mps.is_available())"

•	Expected Output: True

3.	Verify MPS is Built:

python -c "import torch; print(torch.backends.mps.is_built())"

•	Expected Output: True

Step 11: Download Stable Diffusion Model Files

Due to licensing, you must manually download these files.

1.	Create Models Directory:

mkdir -p models/checkpoints

2.	Register on Hugging Face:
•	Go to Hugging Face.
•	Create an account or log in.
3.	Agree to Model License:
•	Visit the Stable Diffusion v1-4 model page.
•	Read and accept the license terms.
4.	Download the Model File:
•	Download sd-v1-4.ckpt or a compatible .ckpt or .safetensors file.
5.	Place the Model in the Correct Directory:

mv /path/to/downloaded/model.ckpt models/checkpoints/

•	Replace /path/to/downloaded/model.ckpt with the actual path to your downloaded model file.

Step 12: Run ComfyUI

1.	Start ComfyUI:

python main.py

2.	Access the Web Interface:
•	Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost:8188.
3.	Verify Operation:
•	You should see the ComfyUI interface.
•	Test generating an image to ensure everything works.

Troubleshooting

Package Installation Errors During pip install -r requirements.txt

•	Ensure Xcode Command Line Tools are installed (see Step 5).
•	Install problematic packages individually. For example, if you get an error with psutil:

pip install psutil

•	Install additional build tools if necessary:

brew install cmake

PyTorch Does Not Recognize MPS

•	Ensure you’re running macOS Monterey 12.3 or later.
•	Reinstall PyTorch nightly build with MPS support (see Step 10).
•	Verify Python is using the virtual environment:

which python

•	Expected Output: Path within your virtual environment, e.g., /Users/yourusername/ComfyUI/venv/bin/python

Rust Compiler Errors

•	Update Rust to the latest version:

rustup update

Python Version Issues

•	Ensure you’re using Python 3.10 in your virtual environment.
•	If not, recreate the virtual environment using the specific command:

/opt/homebrew/bin/python3.10 -m venv venv

python or python3 Commands Point to the Wrong Version

•	Ensure you have added the unversioned symlinks to your PATH (see Step 3).
•	Reload your shell configuration:

source ~/.zprofile

•	Verify the python3 command:

which python3

•	Expected Output: /opt/homebrew/opt/[email protected]/libexec/bin/python3

Additional Tips

•	Stay Updated:
•	Regularly check the ComfyUI GitHub repository for updates and new releases.
•	Use Native ARM Versions When Possible:
•	Prefer installing ARM-compatible versions of software to optimize performance.
•	Manage Environment Variables Carefully:
•	Be cautious when modifying global PATH variables to prevent conflicts with the system Python or other tools.
•	Explore Community Resources:
•	Visit forums like Reddit or GitHub Issues for solutions to common problems.

Shortcuts

Keybind	Explanation
Ctrl + Enter	Queue up current graph for generation
Ctrl + Shift + Enter	Queue up current graph as first for generation
Ctrl + Alt + Enter	Cancel current generation
Ctrl + Z/Ctrl + Y	Undo/Redo
Ctrl + S	Save workflow
Ctrl + O	Load workflow
Ctrl + A	Select all nodes
Alt + C	Collapse/uncollapse selected nodes
Ctrl + M	Mute/unmute selected nodes
Ctrl + B	Bypass selected nodes (acts like the node was removed from the graph and the wires reconnected through)
Delete/Backspace	Delete selected nodes
Ctrl + Backspace	Delete the current graph
Space	Move the canvas around when held and moving the cursor
Ctrl/Shift + Click	Add clicked node to selection
Ctrl + C/Ctrl + V	Copy and paste selected nodes (without maintaining connections to outputs of unselected nodes)
Ctrl + C/Ctrl + Shift + V	Copy and paste selected nodes (maintaining connections from outputs of unselected nodes to inputs of pasted nodes)
Shift + Drag	Move multiple selected nodes at the same time
Ctrl + D	Load default graph
Alt + +	Canvas Zoom in
Alt + -	Canvas Zoom out
Ctrl + Shift + LMB + Vertical drag	Canvas Zoom in/out
P	Pin/Unpin selected nodes
Ctrl + G	Group selected nodes
Q	Toggle visibility of the queue
H	Toggle visibility of history
R	Refresh graph
Double-Click LMB	Open node quick search palette
Shift + Drag	Move multiple wires at once
Ctrl + Alt + LMB	Disconnect all wires from clicked slot

Ctrl can also be replaced with Cmd instead for macOS users

Frontend Development

As of August 15, 2024, we have transitioned to a new frontend, which is now hosted in a separate repository: ComfyUI Frontend. This repository now hosts the compiled JS (from TS/Vue) under the web/ directory.

Reporting Issues and Requesting Features

For any bugs, issues, or feature requests related to the frontend, please use the ComfyUI Frontend repository. This will help us manage and address frontend-specific concerns more efficiently.

Using the Latest Frontend

The new frontend is now the default for ComfyUI. However, please note:

1. The frontend in the main ComfyUI repository is updated weekly.
2. Daily releases are available in the separate frontend repository.