Microsoft · phi3
Can I run phi3?
Phi-3 is a family of lightweight 3B (Mini) and 14B (Medium) state-of-the-art open models by Microsoft.
Parameter counts and memory belong to each build below. A family can contain several sizes and tasks; fitting in memory is not a quality ranking.
Calculate memory for a build and contextphi3 system requirements
Memory needed at 4K context, counting model weights, KV cache, compute buffers and runtime overhead. Download sizes come from the official Ollama registry.
| Build | Quantization | Download | Memory needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| phi3:3.8b-mini-4k-instruct-q4_03.8B parameters (tag)4K documented maximum contextBuild sourceCatalog checked 2026-10-13 | Q4_0 | 2.0 GB | ~4.1 GB |
| phi3:3.8b3.8B parameters (tag)128K documented maximum contextBuild sourceCatalog checked 2026-10-13 | Q4_0 | 2.0 GB | ~4.1 GB |
| phi3:3.8b-mini-4k-instruct-q4_K_M3.8B parameters (tag)4K documented maximum contextBuild sourceCatalog checked 2026-10-13 | Q4_K_M | 2.2 GB | ~4.3 GB |
| phi3:3.8b-mini-128k-instruct-q4_K_M3.8B parameters (tag)4K documented maximum contextBuild sourceCatalog checked 2026-10-13 | Q4_K_M | 2.2 GB | ~4.3 GB |
| phi3:3.8b-mini-4k-instruct-q5_K_M3.8B parameters (tag)4K documented maximum contextBuild sourceCatalog checked 2026-10-13 | Q5_K_M | 2.6 GB | ~4.7 GB |
| phi3:3.8b-mini-128k-instruct-q5_K_M3.8B parameters (tag)4K documented maximum contextBuild sourceCatalog checked 2026-10-13 | Q5_K_M | 2.6 GB | ~4.7 GB |
| phi3:3.8b-mini-4k-instruct-q6_K3.8B parameters (tag)4K documented maximum contextBuild sourceCatalog checked 2026-10-13 | Q6_K | 2.9 GB | ~5.0 GB |
| phi3:3.8b-mini-128k-instruct-q6_K3.8B parameters (tag)4K documented maximum contextBuild sourceCatalog checked 2026-10-13 | Q6_K | 2.9 GB | ~5.0 GB |
Showing the 8 smallest non-alias builds. Choose any build and change the context. A context above the build's documented maximum is a hypothetical calculation, not a supported setting.
How to run phi3 locally
- 1.Install Ollama for Windows, macOS or Linux.
- 2.Download this exact build in a terminal:
ollama pull phi3:3.8b-mini-4k-instruct-q4_0 - 3.Check the source for the build's task. For text generation, run
ollama run phi3:3.8b-mini-4k-instruct-q4_0. Base/text builds may need a prompt template; an instruct build is usually the appropriate starting point for a conversation.
Frequently asked questions about phi3
- How much VRAM do I need to run phi3?
- At 4K context, the smallest published build of phi3 (Q4_0) needs roughly 4.1 GB of GPU memory once weights, KV cache, compute buffers and runtime overhead are counted. Bigger quantizations and longer context windows need more. It can also run partly or entirely on the CPU using system RAM, more slowly.
- Can I run phi3 without a dedicated GPU?
- A supported CPU runtime can use system RAM. The smallest listed build needs an estimated 4.1 GB at 4K context, plus headroom for your operating system. Check the build's runtime requirements. We have not measured its speed on your CPU.
- How big is the phi3 download?
- The smallest published build is 2.0 GB. There are 24 builds in total, the largest being 26.0 GB. Leave some extra free disk space beyond the download itself.
- How do I run phi3 locally?
- Install Ollama, then download a specific build with "ollama pull phi3:3.8b-mini-4k-instruct-q4_0". For a build that supports text generation, use ollama run with the same tag. Check the model source for its task and prompt format.
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Model data from the official Ollama registry · verified 13/10/2026