Alibaba Cloud · qwen3
Can I run qwen3-embedding?
Building upon the foundational models of the Qwen3 series, Qwen3 Embedding provides a comprehensive range of text embeddings models in various sizes
7.6B parameters40K contexttext8 builds
qwen3-embedding 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| qwen3-embedding:0.6b | Q8_0 | 0.6 GB | ~1.3 GB(est.) |
| qwen3-embedding:0.6b-fp16 | F16 | 1.1 GB | ~2.0 GB(est.) |
| qwen3-embedding:4b | Q4_K_M | 2.3 GB | ~3.7 GB(est.) |
| qwen3-embedding:4b-q8_0 | Q8_0 | 4.0 GB | ~6.1 GB(est.) |
| qwen3-embedding:8b | Q4_K_M | 4.4 GB | ~6.6 GB(est.) |
| qwen3-embedding:8b-q8_0 | Q8_0 | 7.5 GB | ~11.1 GB(est.) |
| qwen3-embedding:4b-fp16 | F16 | 7.5 GB | ~11.1 GB(est.) |
| qwen3-embedding:8b-fp16 | F16 | 14.1 GB | ~20.6 GB(est.) |
Figures marked (est.) approximate the KV cache because this model's architecture details are not published. They are indicative rather than exact.
How to run qwen3-embedding locally
- 1.Install Ollama for Windows, macOS or Linux.
- 2.Run this in a terminal:
ollama run qwen3-embedding:0.6b - 3.The weights download on first run, then an interactive prompt opens.
Frequently asked questions about qwen3-embedding
- How much VRAM do I need to run qwen3-embedding?
- At 4K context, the smallest published build of qwen3-embedding (Q8_0) needs roughly 1.3 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 qwen3-embedding without a dedicated GPU?
- Yes, but slowly. Without a GPU the model runs on the CPU using system RAM, which usually means a few tokens per second rather than dozens. You would need at least 1.3 GB of free RAM for the smallest build.
- How big is the qwen3-embedding download?
- The smallest published build is 0.6 GB. There are 8 builds in total, the largest being 14.1 GB. Leave some extra free disk space beyond the download itself.
- How do I run qwen3-embedding locally?
- Install Ollama, then run "ollama run qwen3-embedding:0.6b" in a terminal. The weights download on first use and an interactive session opens.
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Model data from the official Ollama registry · verified 13/09/2026