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Yes. Ollama can run a downloaded model without an internet connection once both Ollama and the model are installed on your computer. Offline use applies to local inference—not Ollama Cloud models or web search, which depend on network services.
What you need before going offline
Prepare while the computer has internet access: install Ollama and download the model you plan to use. Ollama’s Quickstart shows the sequence with ollama pull gemma4:e2b followed by ollama run gemma4:e2b. Its API guide likewise pulls a model before sending local inference requests.
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- Install Ollama for the computer’s operating system.
- Download the chosen model while connected, for example with
ollama pull llama3.2. - Start it locally using
ollama run llama3.2, or use the local API athttp://localhost:11434. - Disconnect from the internet and try a prompt. The downloaded model can continue to run locally; a model that has not been downloaded cannot be fetched while offline.
The Quickstart’s example download is about 7.2 GB for Gemma 4 E2B and recommends 8 GB of available VRAM or unified memory for that example. Those figures are model-specific, not universal Ollama requirements. Larger context windows need more memory, and with less VRAM, system RAM may be used more slowly.
What works offline—and what does not
| Option | Internet needed during inference? | Preparation | Where requests are handled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downloaded local model | No, once Ollama and the model are available locally | Pull the model in advance or transfer its files | Your computer’s Ollama server at localhost:11434 |
| Ollama Cloud model | Yes | Sign in; downloading the model locally is not required | Ollama’s hosted service |
| Web search | Yes | Use the network-dependent search feature | Online service |
Ollama’s Cloud documentation distinguishes hosted models from local models. Its FAQ says disabling cloud features removes access to cloud models and web search.
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How to disable cloud features
If you want Ollama configured not to use cloud models or web search, its FAQ documents two options. After changing the setting, restart Ollama.
- Set the environment variable
OLLAMA_NO_CLOUD=1. - Alternatively, set
"disable_ollama_cloud": truein~/.ollama/server.json.
Can you move a model to a computer that has never been online?
Yes, transferring the software and model files is a possible approach, but the exact installation steps depend on the operating system, Ollama release, drivers, and permissions. A GitHub issue contains historical guidance from Ollama maintainer BruceMacD, dated October 4, 2023: download the Linux binary on a connected machine and copy the ~/.ollama directory for a simple model transfer. Treat that as Linux guidance from that date, not a complete current procedure for every platform or release. See the GitHub issue.
For a controlled offline installation, check the installation instructions for the target operating system and Ollama release before transferring files. The current FAQ lists model-storage locations and explains that OLLAMA_MODELS can select a different location, but the reviewed official documentation does not give a complete offline installation checklist for all operating systems.
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Where Ollama stores models
The official FAQ lists the default model directories by platform and documents OLLAMA_MODELS for changing the location. Check the current FAQ for the path matching your operating system. Storage needs depend on which models you keep; the Gemma 4 E2B download example above should not be treated as the size of every model.
Does local offline use send prompts to Ollama?
Ollama’s FAQ states: “Ollama runs locally. We don’t see your prompts or data when you run locally.” That is the vendor’s stated policy, not an independently audited guarantee. Cloud-hosted requests are processed remotely to provide the service, so local inference and cloud use have different data-handling implications.
Quick Recap
Common offline-use problems
- The model is unavailable: Confirm that you pulled or transferred that model onto this computer before disconnecting.
- A cloud model or web search fails: Those features require network access. Use a downloaded local model for offline inference.
- The model runs slowly or will not fit comfortably: Memory and compute requirements vary by model and settings. Check the chosen model’s size and memory guidance rather than relying on a single Ollama-wide figure.
- There is not enough disk space: Review the storage used by your model library and, if needed, configure a different model location with
OLLAMA_MODELS.
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