|
| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +title: "Run OpenAI's gpt-oss locally in 5 mins (Beginner Guide)" |
| 3 | +description: "Complete 5-minute beginner guide to running OpenAI's gpt-oss locally. Step-by-step setup with Jan AI for private, offline AI conversations." |
| 4 | +tags: OpenAI, gpt-oss, local AI, Jan, privacy, Apache-2.0, llama.cpp, Ollama, LM Studio |
| 5 | +categories: guides |
| 6 | +date: 2025-08-06 |
| 7 | +ogImage: assets/gpt-oss%20locally.jpeg |
| 8 | +twitter: |
| 9 | + card: summary_large_image |
| 10 | + site: "@jandotai" |
| 11 | + title: "Run OpenAI's gpt-oss Locally in 5 Minutes (Beginner Guide)" |
| 12 | + description: "Complete 5-minute beginner guide to running OpenAI's gpt-oss locally with Jan AI for private, offline conversations." |
| 13 | + image: assets/gpt-oss%20locally.jpeg |
| 14 | +--- |
| 15 | +import { Callout } from 'nextra/components' |
| 16 | +import CTABlog from '@/components/Blog/CTA' |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +# Run OpenAI's gpt-oss Locally in 5 mins |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +OpenAI launched [gpt-oss](https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-oss/), marking their return to open-source AI after GPT-2. This model is designed to run locally on consumer hardware. This guide shows you how to install and run gpt-oss on your computer for private, offline AI conversations. |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +## What is gpt-oss? |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | +gpt-oss is OpenAI's open-source large language model, released under the Apache-2.0 license. Unlike ChatGPT, gpt-oss: |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +- Runs completely offline - No internet required after setup |
| 29 | +- 100% private - Your conversations never leave your device |
| 30 | +- Unlimited usage - No token limits or rate limiting |
| 31 | +- Free forever - No subscription fees |
| 32 | +- Commercial use allowed - Apache-2.0 license permits business use |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +Running AI models locally means everything happens on your own hardware, giving you complete control over your data and conversations. |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +## gpt-oss System Requirements |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +| Component | Minimum | Recommended | |
| 39 | +|-----------|---------|-------------| |
| 40 | +| **RAM** | 16 GB | 32 GB+ | |
| 41 | +| **Storage** | 11+ GB free | 25 GB+ free | |
| 42 | +| **CPU** | 4 cores | 8+ cores | |
| 43 | +| **GPU** | Optional | Modern GPU with 6GB+ VRAM recommended | |
| 44 | +| **OS** | Windows 10+, macOS 11+, Linux | Latest versions | |
| 45 | + |
| 46 | +**Installation apps available:** |
| 47 | +- **Jan** (Recommended - easiest setup) |
| 48 | +- **llama.cpp** (Command line) |
| 49 | +- **Ollama** (Docker-based) |
| 50 | +- **LM Studio** (GUI alternative) |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | +## How to install gpt-oss locally with Jan (5 mins) |
| 53 | + |
| 54 | +### Step 1: Download Jan |
| 55 | + |
| 56 | +First download Jan to run gpt-oss locally: [Download Jan AI](https://jan.ai/) |
| 57 | + |
| 58 | +<Callout type="info"> |
| 59 | +Jan is the simplest way to run AI models locally. It automatically handles CPU/GPU optimization, provides a clean chat interface, and requires zero technical knowledge. |
| 60 | +</Callout> |
| 61 | + |
| 62 | +### Step 2: Install gpt-oss Model (2-3 minutes) |
| 63 | + |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | + |
| 66 | +1. Open Jan Hub -> search "gpt-oss" (it appears at the top) |
| 67 | +2. Click Download and wait for completion (~11GB download) |
| 68 | +3. Installation is automatic - Jan handles everything |
| 69 | + |
| 70 | +### Step 3: Start using gpt-oss offline (30 seconds) |
| 71 | + |
| 72 | + |
| 73 | + |
| 74 | +1. Go to New Chat → select gpt-oss-20b from model picker |
| 75 | +2. Start chatting - Jan automatically optimizes for your hardware |
| 76 | +3. You're done! Your AI conversations now stay completely private |
| 77 | + |
| 78 | +Success: Your gpt-oss setup is complete. No internet required for chatting, unlimited usage, zero subscription fees. |
| 79 | + |
| 80 | +## Jan with gpt-oss vs ChatGPT vs other Local AI Models |
| 81 | + |
| 82 | +| Feature | gpt-oss (Local) | ChatGPT Plus | Claude Pro | Other Local Models | |
| 83 | +|---------|----------------|--------------|------------|-------------------| |
| 84 | +| Cost | Free forever | $20/month | $20/month | Free | |
| 85 | +| Privacy | 100% private | Data sent to OpenAI | Data sent to Anthropic | 100% private | |
| 86 | +| Internet | Offline after setup | Requires internet | Requires internet | Offline | |
| 87 | +| Usage limits | Unlimited | Rate limited | Rate limited | Unlimited | |
| 88 | +| Performance | Good (hardware dependent) | Excellent | Excellent | Varies | |
| 89 | +| Setup difficulty | Easy with Jan | None | None | Varies | |
| 90 | + |
| 91 | +## Alternative Installation Methods |
| 92 | + |
| 93 | +### Option 1: Jan (Recommended) |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | +- Best for: Complete beginners, users wanting GUI interface |
| 96 | +- Setup time: 5 minutes |
| 97 | +- Difficulty: Very Easy |
| 98 | + |
| 99 | +Already covered above - [Download Jan](https://jan.ai/) |
| 100 | + |
| 101 | +### Option 2: llama.cpp (Command Line) |
| 102 | + |
| 103 | +- Best for: Developers, terminal users, custom integrations |
| 104 | +- Setup time: 10-15 minutes |
| 105 | +- Difficulty: Intermediate |
| 106 | + |
| 107 | +```bash |
| 108 | +# macOS |
| 109 | +brew install llama-cpp |
| 110 | + |
| 111 | +# Windows: grab Windows exe from releases |
| 112 | +curl -L -o gpt-oss-20b.gguf https://huggingface.co/openai/gpt-oss-20b-gguf/resolve/main/gpt-oss-20b.gguf |
| 113 | +./main -m gpt-oss-20b.gguf --chat-simple |
| 114 | + |
| 115 | +# Add GPU acceleration (adjust -ngl value based on your GPU VRAM) |
| 116 | +./main -m gpt-oss-20b.gguf --chat-simple -ngl 20 |
| 117 | +``` |
| 118 | + |
| 119 | +### Option 3: Ollama (Docker-Based) |
| 120 | + |
| 121 | +Best for: Docker users, server deployments |
| 122 | +Setup time: 5-10 minutes |
| 123 | +Difficulty: Intermediate |
| 124 | + |
| 125 | +```bash |
| 126 | +# Install from https://ollama.com |
| 127 | +ollama run gpt-oss:20b |
| 128 | +``` |
| 129 | + |
| 130 | +### Option 4: LM Studio (GUI Alternative) |
| 131 | + |
| 132 | +Best for: Users wanting GUI but not Jan |
| 133 | +Setup time: 10 minutes |
| 134 | +Difficulty: Easy |
| 135 | + |
| 136 | +1. Download LM Studio from official website |
| 137 | +2. Go to Models → search "gpt-oss-20b (GGUF)" |
| 138 | +3. Download the model (wait for completion) |
| 139 | +4. Go to Chat tab → select the model and start chatting |
| 140 | + |
| 141 | +## gpt-oss Performance & Troubleshooting |
| 142 | + |
| 143 | +### Expected Performance Benchmarks |
| 144 | + |
| 145 | +| Hardware Setup | First Response | Subsequent Responses | Tokens/Second | |
| 146 | +|---------------|---------------|---------------------|---------------| |
| 147 | +| **16GB RAM + CPU only** | 30-45 seconds | 3-6 seconds | 3-8 tokens/sec | |
| 148 | +| **32GB RAM + RTX 3060** | 15-25 seconds | 1-3 seconds | 15-25 tokens/sec | |
| 149 | +| **32GB RAM + RTX 4080+** | 8-15 seconds | 1-2 seconds | 25-45 tokens/sec | |
| 150 | + |
| 151 | +### Common Issues & Solutions |
| 152 | + |
| 153 | +Performance optimization tips: |
| 154 | +- First response is slow: Normal - kernels compile once, then speed up dramatically |
| 155 | +- Out of VRAM error: Reduce context length in settings or switch to CPU mode |
| 156 | +- Out of memory: Close memory-heavy apps (Chrome, games, video editors) |
| 157 | +- Slow responses: Check if other apps are using GPU/CPU heavily |
| 158 | + |
| 159 | +Quick fixes: |
| 160 | +1. Restart Jan if responses become slow |
| 161 | +2. Lower context window from 4096 to 2048 tokens |
| 162 | +3. Enable CPU mode if GPU issues persist |
| 163 | +4. Free up RAM by closing unused applications |
| 164 | + |
| 165 | +## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
| 166 | + |
| 167 | +### Is gpt-oss completely free? |
| 168 | +Yes! gpt-oss is 100% free under Apache-2.0 license. No subscription fees, no token limits, no hidden costs. |
| 169 | + |
| 170 | +### How much internet data does gpt-oss use? |
| 171 | +Only for the initial 11GB download. After installation, gpt-oss works completely offline with zero internet usage. |
| 172 | + |
| 173 | +### Can I use gpt-oss for commercial projects? |
| 174 | +Absolutely! The Apache-2.0 license permits commercial use, modification, and distribution. |
| 175 | + |
| 176 | +### Is gpt-oss better than ChatGPT? |
| 177 | +gpt-oss offers different advantages: complete privacy, unlimited usage, offline capability, and no costs. ChatGPT may have better performance but requires internet and subscriptions. |
| 178 | + |
| 179 | +### What happens to my conversations with gpt-oss? |
| 180 | +Your conversations stay 100% on your device. Nothing is sent to OpenAI, Jan, or any external servers. |
| 181 | + |
| 182 | +### Can I run gpt-oss on a Mac with 8GB RAM? |
| 183 | +No, gpt-oss requires minimum 16GB RAM. Consider upgrading your RAM or using cloud-based alternatives. |
| 184 | + |
| 185 | +### How do I update gpt-oss to newer versions? |
| 186 | +Jan automatically notifies you of updates. Simply click update in Jan Hub when new versions are available. |
| 187 | + |
| 188 | +## Why Choose gpt-oss Over ChatGPT Plus? |
| 189 | + |
| 190 | +gpt-oss advantages: |
| 191 | +- $0/month vs $20/month for ChatGPT Plus |
| 192 | +- 100% private - no data leaves your device |
| 193 | +- Unlimited usage - no rate limits or restrictions |
| 194 | +- Works offline - no internet required after setup |
| 195 | +- Commercial use allowed - build businesses with it |
| 196 | + |
| 197 | +When to choose ChatGPT Plus instead: |
| 198 | +- You need the absolute best performance |
| 199 | +- You don't want to manage local installation |
| 200 | +- You have less than 16GB RAM |
| 201 | + |
| 202 | +## Get started with gpt-oss today |
| 203 | + |
| 204 | + |
| 205 | + |
| 206 | +Ready to try gpt-oss? |
| 207 | +- Download Jan: [https://jan.ai/](https://jan.ai/) |
| 208 | +- View source code: [https://github.com/menloresearch/jan](https://github.com/menloresearch/jan) |
| 209 | +- Need help? Check our [local AI guide](/post/run-ai-models-locally) for beginners |
| 210 | + |
| 211 | +<CTABlog /> |
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