LoRA Library: Folders, Previews, ComfyUI Manager & Kohya

TL;DR

• Folder structure: Store LoRAs in models/loras/ or add extra paths via extra_model_paths.yaml (ComfyUI) so both ComfyUI and Kohya GUI see the same files.
• Previews: Name preview files <lora-filename>.png|jpg|mp4> or <lora-filename>.preview.png|jpg|mp4>; ComfyUI LoRA Manager picks them up automatically and skips CivitAI downloads.
• Workflow: Install ComfyUI LoRA Manager (custom node), open http://127.0.0.1:8188/loras, enable auto-fetch, then copy-paste LoRAs with trigger words and strength straight into your graph. Install Kohya GUI (bmaltais/kohya_ss) in a Python 3.10 venv for training new LoRAs.

How to Organize LoRA Files on Disk

ComfyUI expects LoRA files under models/loras/ by default. The official extra_model_paths.yaml.example shows the canonical layout: a base_path pointing at your ComfyUI root, then loras: models/loras/ beneath it. You can add multiple pipe-separated directories under loras to span drives or share a library between ComfyUI and Kohya GUI.

comfyui:
  base_path: /path/to/ComfyUI
  loras: |
    models/loras/
    /mnt/shared/loras/

Rename the example file to extra_model_paths.yaml (drop the .example) and restart ComfyUI. The LoRA Manager custom node reads the same configuration, so any folder you add there appears in its browser without symlinks or duplicates.

Subfolder Conventions

Neither ComfyUI nor LoRA Manager enforces a subfolder schema. Common community patterns:

Pick one scheme and stay consistent; the Manager's search and folder tree handle nesting automatically.

Preview Images and Metadata

Naming Rules for Auto-Detection

ComfyUI LoRA Manager (v0.5.4+) scans for local previews before hitting the CivitAI API. It recognizes two patterns:

• <lora-filename>.[png|jpg|jpeg|mp4]
• <lora-filename>.preview.[png|jpg|jpeg|mp4]

Example: my-character.safetensors pairs with my-character.png or my-character.preview.jpg. Video previews (.mp4) work the same way. If a matching file exists, the Manager uses it and skips the remote fetch, which dramatically speeds up the first load for large libraries.

Source: "Your existing local preview images should have a name like <lora-file-name>.[png|jpg|jpeg|mp4] or <lora-file-name>.preview.[png|jpg|jpeg|mp4] to be automatically detected." — ComfyUI LoRA Manager announcement

Metadata Sidecars

LoRA Manager writes a .metadata.json sidecar next to each model file. The schema includes trigger_words, base_model, rank, training_steps, and CivitAI model_version_id when available. This is not an industry standard — Kohya GUI does not read or write it — but it enables the Manager's one-click copy-paste workflow (trigger words + strength land in the graph automatically).

ComfyUI LoRA Manager: Install and Core Features

Installation

1. In ComfyUI Manager (the built-in node installer), search ComfyUI-Lora-Manager and install.
2. Or clone manually: git clone https://github.com/willmiao/ComfyUI-Lora-Manager.git inside custom_nodes/.
3. Restart ComfyUI.
4. Open http://127.0.0.1:8188/loras — the Manager UI loads in a new tab.

What It Does

Performance Internals (Brief)

The Manager uses multi-layer caching with cache preloading and a file-system watcher for incremental updates. When you add or rename a preview file, the watcher picks it up and refreshes only that entry — no full rescan.

Installing Kohya GUI Alongside ComfyUI

Kohya GUI (bmaltais/kohya_ss) is a browser-based trainer for LoRA, LoHa, LoKr, Dreambooth, fine-tuning, and Textual Inversion. It supports SD 1.5/2.x, SDXL, SD3, Flux.1, Lumina, Anima, and HunyuanImage-2.1. The GUI generates the exact CLI commands the underlying sd-scripts expect, so you can copy-paste them into a terminal if you prefer headless runs.

Windows (Tested Path)

1. Install Python 3.10.x (64-bit) from python.org. Python 3.11/3.12 work but are not officially tested.
2. Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

   Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser -Force

1. Clone and enter the repo:

   git clone https://github.com/bmaltais/kohya_ss.git
   cd kohya_ss

1. Create and activate a virtual environment:

   python -m venv venv
   .\venv\Scripts\activate

1. Install dependencies (the repo bundles a requirements.txt):

   pip install -r requirements.txt

1. Launch the GUI:

   python gui.py

It opens at http://127.0.0.1:7860 by default.

Source: Kohya sd-scripts README specifies Python 3.10.x for Windows; Kohya GUI README lists supported base models and auto-CLI generation.

Linux / WSL2

Steps are nearly identical. Use your distro's Python 3.10 package, skip the PowerShell execution-policy step, and run source venv/bin/activate instead. The sd-scripts README notes the process is "almost the same as Windows."

Pointing Kohya at Your Shared LoRA Folder

In the Kohya GUI Settings tab, set Output directory to the same path you added under loras: in extra_model_paths.yaml. Newly trained LoRAs appear instantly in ComfyUI LoRA Manager — no restart needed because the file-system watcher detects the new .safetensors and its preview.

Common Errors and Fixes

FAQ

How do I set up additional LoRA directories in ComfyUI? Create extra_model_paths.yaml (copy from extra_model_paths.yaml.example), add your paths under loras: (pipe-separated for multiple), and restart ComfyUI. The LoRA Manager reads the same file.

What's the recommended preview image naming convention for LoRA models? Use <lora-filename>.png (or .jpg, .mp4) or <lora-filename>.preview.png. The Manager auto-detects both and skips CivitAI download.

How can I use extra_model_paths.yaml with ComfyUI LoRA Manager? The Manager watches the same loras: paths defined in extra_model_paths.yaml. No extra config needed — just ensure the file is named correctly and ComfyUI is restarted.

Does ComfyUI cache LoRA preview images? Yes. Multi-layer caching with preloading and incremental file-system updates means subsequent browses are near-instant after the first sync.

What Python version does Kohya GUI require on Windows? Python 3.10.x (64-bit) is the tested version. 3.11/3.12 may work but are not officially validated.

Can I share a LoRA folder between ComfyUI and Kohya GUI? Yes. Point Kohya's output directory to one of the paths listed under loras: in extra_model_paths.yaml. New models appear in Manager automatically.

Why is the CivitAI suggested strength missing for my LoRA? The CivitAI API does not expose suggested_strength in its response. The Manager author has noted this and may contact the CivitAI team.

How do I update ComfyUI LoRA Manager? Use ComfyUI Manager's "Update all" button, or git pull inside custom_nodes/ComfyUI-Lora-Manager and restart ComfyUI.

Related Guides

• Optimize ComfyUI VRAM usage
• Train your first LoRA with Kohya GUI
• CivitAI API integration for model metadata
• ComfyUI custom node development basics

Sources