We built PhoneDiffusion to explore a local workflow on iOS: local AI image generation directly on iPhone.
It's accountless iOS app that runs curated Stable Diffusion model packs converted for Apple Core ML. After downloading a model pack, prompts, negative prompts, generations, metadata, history, and model files stay on the device unless you choose to export or share them.
The goal is simple: make private, offline image generation on iPhone feel usable.
What It Is
PhoneDiffusion has two main parts:
Generate: choose a model, pick a style, write a prompt, adjust settings, and render locally
Gallery: review, compare, save, share, or delete local generations
At launch, we are testing a mix of fast SD 1.5-style models and heavier SDXL Lightning-style packs, including DreamShaper, Realistic Vision, CyberRealistic, RealVisXL, DreamShaper XL, and VegaRT-style experiments.
This is not meant to replace a full desktop Stable Diffusion workstation. Apps like Draw Things already cover the advanced power-user lane with LoRAs, ControlNet, inpainting, model imports, and deep settings.
PhoneDiffusion is focused on a narrower idea: curated, private, phone-native generation that normal creators can use without learning the entire Stable Diffusion stack first.
What We Learned
The biggest lesson from benchmarking is that mobile diffusion is all about tradeoffs.
SD 1.5-class models are currently the most reliable path for fast local generation. They load faster, recover better, and are more practical across more devices.
SDXL can produce better images, especially with strong packs like RealVisXL and DreamShaper XL, but it comes with heavier cold starts, more memory pressure, and bigger thermal/runtime tradeoffs on iPhone.
We also learned that building a real local generator is very different from shipping a cloud API wrapper. Model downloads are large, iOS can kill apps under pressure, Core ML execution paths can fail depending on device state, and the phone’s thermal condition changes generation behavior.
A good screenshot does not show any of that. The app has to survive it.
Who It Is For
PhoneDiffusion is for people who want local AI image generation on iPhone without a desktop setup or a cloud credit system.
It is especially useful for:
private visual brainstorming
anime avatars
tattoo concepts
wallpapers
thumbnails and poster ideas
product-shot concepts
character ideas
interior moodboards
fast style exploration
The creative workflow matters more than exposing every technical knob first. CFG, steps, schedulers, and model families are important, but they should support the user instead of becoming the first barrier.
Try It
PhoneDiffusion is our attempt to make local Stable Diffusion on iPhone feel practical, private, and creator-friendly.
Website: phonediffusion.com
iOS app: PhoneDiffusion on the App Store