Offline helper · Updated
Offline helper: put Wikipedia, first-aid help and an AI chat on a laptop
How do I use Wikipedia and an AI assistant on a laptop with no internet?
Install Kiwix and download Wikipedia, WikiMed and iFixit files onto a portable SSD. Then install a local AI app such as Ollama and download a small open model while you are still online. Turn Wi-Fi off and test everything. Update the files every few months.
The short answer
You can carry a huge library and a small AI helper in your bag. Kiwix shows offline copies of Wikipedia and other sites. A local AI app answers questions from a model that lives on your own laptop. You download everything once, while the internet works, and then it keeps working when the internet does not.
This takes about two hours, most of it waiting for downloads. Do it on home Wi-Fi.
What you are building
- Kiwix is a free reader. It opens files ending in
.zim, which are offline copies of websites. - Wikipedia for general knowledge.
- WikiMed, a medical encyclopedia (the "medicine" Wikipedia files), for health questions.
- iFixit, free repair guides for things around the house.
- A local AI chat app, such as Ollama or LM Studio, with one small downloaded model.
- Offline maps on each phone.
Put the big files on a portable SSD so they do not fill the laptop.
Offline helper
Pocket AI
Pocket AI drive
SanDisk · Extreme Portable SSD 1TB
Turns the laptop you already own into an offline AI and library: small AI models, all of Wikipedia and a medical encyclopedia, with no internet.
Step 1: Install Kiwix
Go to kiwix.org and download Kiwix Desktop for Windows or Mac. Install it like any other app.
Step 2: Download the library files
Open the Kiwix download listing. File names show what is inside. As of November 2026, the listing shows these sizes:
| File | What it is | Size |
|---|---|---|
| wikipedia_en_all_maxi | Full English Wikipedia with pictures | about 119 GB |
| wikipedia_en_all_nopic | Full Wikipedia, no pictures | about 49 GB |
| wikipedia_en_all_mini | Short intro of every article | about 13 GB |
| wikipedia_en_top_maxi | Most-read articles, with pictures | about 6.5 GB |
| wikipedia_en_top_nopic | Most-read articles, no pictures | about 2.6 GB |
| wikipedia_en_medicine_maxi | Medical articles (WikiMed), with pictures | about 1.7 GB |
| wikipedia_en_medicine_nopic | Medical articles, no pictures | about 1.0 GB |
| ifixit_en_all | iFixit repair guides | about 3.3 GB |
Each file name ends with a date. Pick the newest date. Sizes grow over time, so check the listing before you start.
A good plan for a 1 TB drive is the full maxi Wikipedia, WikiMed maxi and iFixit. If you have less space, choose the nopic or top versions. The "top" file is a fine start on a small laptop.
Save the files to the SSD. In Kiwix, choose to open a file and point it at the SSD.
Step 3: Install a local AI app
The AI part is optional but handy for plain-language explanations, drafting a message, or planning a meal from what you have.
Ollama (Windows and Mac): download the installer from ollama.com, install it, then open a terminal (Command Prompt or PowerShell on Windows, Terminal on Mac) and run:
ollama pull llama3.2
ollama run llama3.2The Llama 3.2 3B model is about 2.0 GB. It runs on most laptops with 8 GB of memory. For a stronger model on a laptop with 16 GB, try:
ollama run qwen3:8bThe Qwen3 8B model is about 5.2 GB. Models change quickly, so look at the Ollama library for what is current when you set this up.
If you prefer a regular app with buttons instead of a terminal, LM Studio and Jan do the same job. Download the app and one small model while you are online.
Step 4: Offline maps on phones
Install a map app that supports offline maps, such as Organic Maps or OsmAnd, and download your home region, work and school areas, and your evacuation route. Do this on every adult phone.
Step 5: Test with Wi-Fi off
This is the step people skip.
- Turn Wi-Fi off on the laptop. Also unplug the network cable if you have one.
- Open Kiwix and search for "tourniquet" in WikiMed.
- Open a Wikipedia page with pictures.
- Ask the AI: "Explain how to boil water safely, in five short steps."
- If anything fails, fix it now, while you are still online.
Be honest about what the AI can do
- It can be wrong. It may sound sure and still be incorrect, especially about medicine, doses and safety.
- For health questions, use WikiMed, your first-aid book and a trained medical person.
- For a medical emergency, call 911 whenever phones work. Offline help is for when you cannot reach anyone.
- Small models are slower on old laptops. A short answer may take half a minute.
Keep it working
- Keep the laptop charged. A power bank or a portable power station can top it up.
- Every few months, plug in, check for new library files and new model versions, and re-run the Wi-Fi-off test.
- Put a calendar reminder in now.
Next steps
- Make it work for the whole family with a home helper hub.
- Read the home medicine and first-aid guide.
- See the Blackout Kit, which includes the portable drive.
- Keep devices powered with phone charging in a blackout.
Questions
How big is offline Wikipedia?
Very big if you want everything. The full English version with pictures is about 119 GB, the no-pictures version about 49 GB, and the small 'top articles' version about 2.6 GB (no pictures) to 6.5 GB (with pictures), based on the Kiwix download listing in 2026.
Can the AI be wrong?
Yes. Small AI models can sound sure and still be wrong. Use them for ideas, drafting and explaining, and check anything about health or safety against WikiMed or the first-aid guide in your kit.
How much computer memory do I need for the AI?
A small model of 3 to 4 billion parameters runs on most laptops with 8 GB of memory. An 8 billion model is better and wants roughly 16 GB to be comfortable. This is a rough rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Will this work during a blackout?
Yes, if the laptop is charged. A laptop on a power bank or portable power station can run for hours. Keep it charged and test it with Wi-Fi off before you need it.
Sources
- Kiwix download directory: Wikipedia files, Kiwix
- Kiwix download directory: iFixit files, Kiwix
- Llama 3.2 on Ollama, Ollama
- Qwen3 on Ollama, Ollama
- Kiwix, Kiwix
This guide is general information, not medical, legal or electrical advice. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.