Migration guide

How to migrate from OpenAI API to LocalAI

AI chat conversations rarely migrate between different platforms — what usually matters is your history of useful prompts, not the full conversation.

1. 1

   Export your conversation history from OpenAI API

   If OpenAI API allows it, export your conversations (usually as JSON) before switching — at least as a reference file, even if it can't be re-imported as-is.

2. 2

   Set up your model provider in LocalAI

   LocalAI needs you to connect an API key (OpenAI, Anthropic, or a local model) — decide whether to use a cloud provider or local models based on your budget and privacy needs.

3. 3

   Recreate your saved prompts and flows

   Review your exported history and re-save the prompts, templates or "custom instructions" you used most often in LocalAI.

4. 4

   Validate response quality with real cases

   Test LocalAI with 3-5 real tasks you used to solve in OpenAI API before relying on it fully — quality varies depending on the model you connect.

These steps are a general guideline — the exact export menu can vary depending on OpenAI API's plan and version.