Mastering Qwen Lightning v1.1 in ComfyUI: Full Step-by-Step Setup & Workflow Guide [8GB VRAM]

Artificial intelligence image generation has never been easier or faster than with Qwen Lightning v1.1 in ComfyUI. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced AI artist, this detailed guide walks you through every step of installation, configuration, and optimization to ensure your AI workflow is smooth, fast, and produces stunning results.

🎥 Watch the full step-by-step video tutorial here:

Step 1: Download the Necessary Models

Start by downloading the main GGUF model for Qwen Lightning v1.1 — make sure to select the 8GB VRAM version. Then, download the Text Encoder (FP8 scaled) and VAE files. These are essential for generating high-quality, detailed images.

Step 2: Place Files in the Correct Folders

Organize your models in ComfyUI:

GGUF → ComfyUI/models/unet

Text Encoder → ComfyUI/models/text_encoders

VAE → ComfyUI/models/vae

LoRA → ComfyUI/models/loras

Proper placement ensures ComfyUI can access all components without errors.

Step 3: Update ComfyUI and Load the Workflow

Open the ComfyUI Manager and click Update All to make sure your interface, nodes, and templates are current. Download the example workflow JSON from Hugging Face. In ComfyUI, go to Workflow → Open and select the JSON file. Assign the loaders:

UNet: GGUF

VAE: VAE

CLIP: FP8 scaled

Step 4: Installing and Using Qwen Lightning v1.1 LoRA

Place the Lightning v1.1 LoRA file into the loras folder. Load it through the LoRA Loader node and adjust strength (0.7–0.9 to start). This ensures the LoRA influences image generation properly while keeping clarity and style intact.

Step 5: Optimize for Speed and Quality

Enable Sage Attention and FP16 Accumulation to reduce VRAM usage and speed up generation. Adjust CFG between 4–4.5 for the best balance of quality and rendering speed. Using these settings, Qwen Lightning v1.1 produces razor-sharp images with vibrant colors and smoother textures compared to v1.0 or LightX2V.

Step 6: Test and Generate Images

Run your workflow with sample prompts, tweaking LoRA strength and CFG as needed. Images generated with Qwen Lightning v1.1 are cleaner, more detailed, and maintain strong text clarity in complex scenes.

This workflow is perfect for AI artists, content creators, and developers wanting high-quality results with minimal setup hassle. Whether creating cyberpunk cityscapes, fantasy worlds, or realistic portraits, Qwen Lightning v1.1 in ComfyUI gives you the tools to produce professional-level AI imagery efficiently.