Offline Wikipedia & More (Kiwix)
Kiwix reads knowledge archives (
.zimfiles) completely offline — no internet needed once the data has been downloaded.
What is available?
Exactly what is on your PC depends on the profile you chose in DATEN-LADEN.bat (guide 12). The program downloads content matching your language and region:
| Package | Content |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia (your language) | Minimal: top articles · Standard: all articles without images · Complete: with images |
| Wikipedia Medicine | medical articles |
| iFixit | repair guides (phones, PCs, household …) |
| Wikivoyage | travel and place guides (orientation, evacuation) |
| Wiktionary, Wikibooks | dictionary, textbooks (Complete profile) |
| English specialist packages | water, knots, emergency medicine, home canning, gardening, technology, energy and more |
Folders:
- kiwix\ — programs: Kiwix Desktop (reader) and kiwix-serve (server). Portable, they also run from a USB stick.
- downloads\zim\ — the knowledge archives (.zim)
If something is missing or the folder is empty: run DATEN-LADEN.bat (again) — interrupted downloads are resumed.
Two ways to use it
1. KIWIX-START.bat — desktop app (this PC only)
Opens Kiwix as a program with all packages from downloads\zim\. Full-text search at the top, random article, bookmarks. If a DLL error appears the first time you start it: install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x64) once (free from Microsoft — best download it now and put it on your "Software" USB stick).
2. KIWIX-SERVER-START.bat — server for your whole home network ⭐
Starts a small web server (port 8090 by default). Then, in a browser:
- This PC: http://localhost:8090
- Any device on your home network/Wi-Fi (phone, tablet, other PCs):
http://<IP-of-this-PC>:8090— the server window shows the exact address. The router needs power, but internet is NOT required (see guide 08)
First start: confirm the Windows Firewall prompt with "Allow". Keep the window open = the server is running.
Tips
- Searching in Kiwix is a full-text search across the entire Wikipedia — like a search engine, only offline
- Phone browser: save the start page
http://<IP>:8090as a bookmark/home-screen icon — ready to hand in an emergency - Combine with local AI (guide 07): look up facts in Kiwix, let the AI explain/summarise (an AI can make things up, the reference work does not)
- Update the packages (every 6–12 months): run
DATEN-LADEN.batagain; delete older.zimfiles once a newer edition has been fully downloaded - Also worthwhile on backup power: laptop + router ≈ 25–40 W for Wikipedia in the whole house
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| DLL error when starting the desktop app | Install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x64) |
| Phone cannot reach the server | Same Wi-Fi? http:// (not https), correct IP? Firewall permission? Network profile "Private"? |
| Search finds nothing | Search in the language of the downloaded Wikipedia, check for typos |
| Server window closes immediately / no packages | Are there .zim files in downloads\zim\? If not, run DATEN-LADEN.bat. Read the message in the window |