Run Open Models on Claude Desktop

Ollama announced on August 25, 2026, that developers can now configure Claude Desktop to work with Ollama as a third-party gateway provider, enabling the use of open models within Claude. The integration, which can be toggled on in Ollama, allows users to switch between Anthropic models and Ollama's local or cloud models, with telemetry disabled by default and a Zero Data Retention policy.

Claude Desktop support with Ollama August 25, 2026 Developers can now easily configure Claude Desktop to seamlessly work with Ollama as a third-party gateway provider. Use open models in Claude Use cloud models for larger coding and research tasks Run open models directly on your computer Easily swap back to your existing Claude setup Connect Claude to Ollama Open Ollama and select Claude Turn Claude on and Ollama will configure the third-party gateway for you You are all set While connected, you can choose to use any model within Ollama, both local and on Ollama’s cloud. Turn Claude off in Ollama to restore to your previous setup. Get started FAQ Will my prompts or data be sent to Anthropic or Ollama? No. Telemetry is disabled by default. Furthermore, Ollama has a strict Zero Data Retention policy across all of our models and services whether you access them through our cloud or on your local machine. Can I continue to use Anthropic models? Yes, you can switch between Anthropic models and Ollama by toggling the feature inside Ollama. Can I use my local models with this integration? Yes, go to the Settings page and configure a local model.