diff --git a/.github/backend-matrix.yml b/.github/backend-matrix.yml
index dc12daf97..4d2b85977 100644
--- a/.github/backend-matrix.yml
+++ b/.github/backend-matrix.yml
@@ -4941,6 +4941,12 @@ includeDarwin:
     tag-suffix: "-metal-darwin-arm64-sam3-cpp"
     build-type: "metal"
     lang: "go"
+  # LocalVQE has no Metal path; on Apple Silicon it builds CPU-only (GGML_METAL
+  # OFF) but is still a native arm64 image. Uses the darwin/metal build profile.
+  - backend: "localvqe"
+    tag-suffix: "-metal-darwin-arm64-localvqe"
+    build-type: "metal"
+    lang: "go"
   - backend: "voxtral"
     tag-suffix: "-metal-darwin-arm64-voxtral"
     build-type: "metal"
diff --git a/backend/go/localvqe/Makefile b/backend/go/localvqe/Makefile
index 049da0cdd..58b73c3b9 100644
--- a/backend/go/localvqe/Makefile
+++ b/backend/go/localvqe/Makefile
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ endif
 ifeq ($(BUILD_TYPE),vulkan)
 	CMAKE_ARGS+=-DGGML_VULKAN=ON -DLOCALVQE_VULKAN=ON
 else ifeq ($(OS),Darwin)
+	# Apple Silicon: CPU-only (no Metal upstream); built + published as an arm64
+	# image by CI (includeDarwin in .github/backend-matrix.yml) for macOS install.
 	CMAKE_ARGS+=-DGGML_METAL=OFF
 endif
 
diff --git a/backend/index.yaml b/backend/index.yaml
index bc51cf68e..a7399e20d 100644
--- a/backend/index.yaml
+++ b/backend/index.yaml
@@ -1057,6 +1057,8 @@
     nvidia-l4t: "vulkan-localvqe"
     nvidia-l4t-cuda-12: "vulkan-localvqe"
     nvidia-l4t-cuda-13: "vulkan-localvqe"
+    # Apple Silicon: CPU build (LocalVQE has no Metal path); still arm64-native.
+    metal: "metal-localvqe"
 - &privacyfilter
   name: "privacy-filter"
   alias: "privacy-filter"
@@ -4149,6 +4151,16 @@
   uri: "quay.io/go-skynet/local-ai-backends:master-gpu-vulkan-localvqe"
   mirrors:
     - localai/localai-backends:master-gpu-vulkan-localvqe
+- !!merge <<: *localvqecpp
+  name: "metal-localvqe"
+  uri: "quay.io/go-skynet/local-ai-backends:latest-metal-darwin-arm64-localvqe"
+  mirrors:
+    - localai/localai-backends:latest-metal-darwin-arm64-localvqe
+- !!merge <<: *localvqecpp
+  name: "metal-localvqe-development"
+  uri: "quay.io/go-skynet/local-ai-backends:master-metal-darwin-arm64-localvqe"
+  mirrors:
+    - localai/localai-backends:master-metal-darwin-arm64-localvqe
 ## kokoro
 - !!merge <<: *kokoro
   name: "kokoro-development"