Model Paths Configuration

The extra_model_paths.yaml configuration file allows you to specify custom search paths for models, enabling you to:

Share models between ComfyUI and other UIs (Automatic1111, InvokeAI, etc.)
Organize models in a central location
Point to existing model installations without duplicating files

Configuration File Location

The configuration file should be placed in your ComfyUI root directory:

ComfyUI/extra_model_paths.yaml

Alternatively, you can specify custom configuration files using the CLI:

python main.py --extra-model-paths-config /path/to/config.yaml

You can load multiple configuration files by repeating the argument:

python main.py --extra-model-paths-config /path/to/config1.yaml --extra-model-paths-config /path/to/config2.yaml

Basic Configuration Structure

Each configuration is defined as a named section with a base_path and model type folders:

config_name:
  base_path: /path/to/models/
  checkpoints: models/checkpoints/
  loras: models/loras/
  vae: models/vae/

Rename extra_model_paths.yaml.example to extra_model_paths.yaml to activate the configuration.

ComfyUI Configuration

To point to an existing ComfyUI installation or a central model folder:

comfyui:
  base_path: /path/to/comfyui/
  # Mark as default to use these folders first
  is_default: true
  checkpoints: models/checkpoints/
  clip_vision: models/clip_vision/
  configs: models/configs/
  controlnet: models/controlnet/
  embeddings: models/embeddings/
  loras: models/loras/
  upscale_models: models/upscale_models/
  vae: models/vae/
  audio_encoders: models/audio_encoders/
  model_patches: models/model_patches/

Text Encoders with Multiple Paths

You can specify multiple search paths for a single model type using the pipe (|) character:

comfyui:
  base_path: /path/to/comfyui/
  text_encoders: |
    models/text_encoders/
    models/clip/  # legacy location still supported

Diffusion Models with Multiple Paths

Similarly, diffusion models can have multiple search locations:

comfyui:
  base_path: /path/to/comfyui/
  diffusion_models: |
    models/diffusion_models
    models/unet

Automatic1111 Configuration

To share models with Stable Diffusion WebUI (A1111):

a111:
  base_path: /path/to/stable-diffusion-webui/
  checkpoints: models/Stable-diffusion
  configs: models/Stable-diffusion
  vae: models/VAE
  loras: |
    models/Lora
    models/LyCORIS
  upscale_models: |
    models/ESRGAN
    models/RealESRGAN
    models/SwinIR
  embeddings: embeddings
  hypernetworks: models/hypernetworks
  controlnet: models/ControlNet

Supported Model Types

ComfyUI supports the following model folder types:

string

Main model checkpoints (SD1.5, SDXL, Flux, etc.)

string

CLIP and text encoder models

string

CLIP vision models for image conditioning

string

Model configuration files

string

ControlNet models

string

Diffusion models and UNet models

string

Textual inversion embeddings

string

LoRA models (regular, LoCon, LoHA)

string

Upscaler models (ESRGAN, SwinIR, etc.)

string

VAE models

string

Audio encoder models

string

Model patch files

string

Hypernetwork models

string

Style transfer models

string

VAE approximation models (TAESD)

string

PhotoMaker models

string

Classifier models

string

GLIGEN models

string

Custom nodes directory

For a complete list of supported model types, see folder_paths.py in the ComfyUI source code.

Default Folders Flag

Use the is_default flag to prioritize certain folders:

comfyui:
  base_path: /path/to/comfyui/
  is_default: true
  checkpoints: models/checkpoints/

Folders marked as default will be:

Listed first in model selection dropdowns
Used as the default download location for new models

Multiple Configurations

You can define multiple configurations in the same file:

comfyui:
  base_path: /path/to/comfyui/
  checkpoints: models/checkpoints/
  loras: models/loras/

a111:
  base_path: /path/to/stable-diffusion-webui/
  checkpoints: models/Stable-diffusion
  loras: models/Lora

custom:
  base_path: /mnt/external/ai-models/
  checkpoints: checkpoints
  loras: loras

ComfyUI will search all configured paths when looking for models.

Path Resolution

Paths can be specified as:

Absolute paths: /home/user/models/checkpoints/
Relative to base_path: models/checkpoints/ (relative to the base_path setting)

On Windows, use forward slashes (/) or escaped backslashes (\\) in paths:

comfyui:
  base_path: C:/ComfyUI/
  # or
  base_path: C:\\ComfyUI\\

Example: Complete Configuration

# Main ComfyUI installation
comfyui:
  base_path: /home/user/ComfyUI/
  is_default: true
  checkpoints: models/checkpoints/
  text_encoders: |
    models/text_encoders/
    models/clip/
  clip_vision: models/clip_vision/
  controlnet: models/controlnet/
  diffusion_models: |
    models/diffusion_models
    models/unet
  embeddings: models/embeddings/
  loras: models/loras/
  upscale_models: models/upscale_models/
  vae: models/vae/

# Shared A1111 models
a111:
  base_path: /home/user/stable-diffusion-webui/
  checkpoints: models/Stable-diffusion
  vae: models/VAE
  loras: |
    models/Lora
    models/LyCORIS
  upscale_models: |
    models/ESRGAN
    models/RealESRGAN
  embeddings: embeddings
  controlnet: models/ControlNet

# External storage
external:
  base_path: /mnt/nas/ai-models/
  checkpoints: sd-models/
  loras: lora-models/

Troubleshooting

Models Not Appearing

Check that the YAML syntax is correct (use spaces, not tabs)
Verify that paths exist and are accessible
Ensure the file is named extra_model_paths.yaml (not .yaml.example)
Check ComfyUI startup logs for configuration errors

Invalid YAML Syntax

Common YAML errors:

Using tabs instead of spaces for indentation
Missing colons after keys
Incorrect indentation levels
Not quoting paths with special characters

Permission Issues

Ensure ComfyUI has read access to all configured paths:

ls -la /path/to/models/  # Linux/Mac
dir /path/to/models/     # Windows

Get Started

Core Concepts

Supported Models

Advanced Features

Configuration

Model Paths Configuration

Configuration File Location

Basic Configuration Structure

ComfyUI Configuration

Text Encoders with Multiple Paths

Diffusion Models with Multiple Paths

Automatic1111 Configuration

Supported Model Types

Default Folders Flag

Multiple Configurations

Path Resolution

Example: Complete Configuration

Troubleshooting

Models Not Appearing

Invalid YAML Syntax

Permission Issues

​Configuration File Location

​Basic Configuration Structure

​ComfyUI Configuration

​Text Encoders with Multiple Paths

​Diffusion Models with Multiple Paths

​Automatic1111 Configuration

​Supported Model Types

​Default Folders Flag

​Multiple Configurations

​Path Resolution

​Example: Complete Configuration

​Troubleshooting

​Models Not Appearing

​Invalid YAML Syntax

​Permission Issues

Configuration File Location

Basic Configuration Structure

ComfyUI Configuration

Text Encoders with Multiple Paths

Diffusion Models with Multiple Paths

Automatic1111 Configuration

Supported Model Types

Default Folders Flag

Multiple Configurations

Path Resolution

Example: Complete Configuration

Troubleshooting

Models Not Appearing

Invalid YAML Syntax

Permission Issues