Installation & Updates

Use local AI with Ollama

Connect Franz to a local Ollama model, keep model updates in your hands, and reuse your setup across apps. Includes setup and connection troubleshooting.

Back to Support

Franz 6.9 connects to Ollama for local chat. You control model updates and can use the same models in other apps. Franz no longer starts its own chat runtime. Ollama still uses your computer's memory and processing power.

Start Ollama

Install Ollama, start it, and download a local chat model with tool support that fits your computer. Franz supports stable Ollama versions from 0.12 up to, but not including, 1.0.

Disable Ollama's cloud features and restart Ollama. Cloud models aren't supported.

Prepare your model for Ask Franz

Ask Franz sends instructions for its tools with your message. The model needs enough context, the text it can work with at once.

Create a plain-text file named Modelfile:

FROM YOUR_LOCAL_MODEL
PARAMETER num_ctx 16384

Replace YOUR_LOCAL_MODEL with your installed model's name from ollama list. Open a terminal in that file's folder and run:

ollama create franz-local -f Modelfile

This saves a model configuration named franz-local using Ollama's documented Modelfile settings.

16,384 tokens worked with qwen2.5:1.5b in our local test. Longer conversations and connected services can need more. Larger contexts use more memory; choose a setup your computer can handle.

Connect Franz

Open Settings > AI in Franz and choose Ollama. Keep port 11434 unless you've changed it in Ollama.
Click Connect or refresh, choose franz-local, then Use this model.
Test connection checks connectivity and local model information. It doesn't generate a reply.

If Franz asks for more context, increase num_ctx in your file, run the same create command, then refresh and select the model again.

Keep control of your setup

Franz doesn't install or start Ollama, or download its models. Keep Ollama running. Only connect to software you trust.

Previously downloaded Franz models stay on disk; Franz doesn't reuse or delete them. Cloud and own-provider settings stay saved. Ollama is available on Free; paid AI features keep their existing plans. For another computer's model, connect your own provider with Pro.

Local email categorization, search and voice transcription keep their existing engines. If Ollama stops, Franz won't silently switch to Cloud.