Vector quantization (VQ) is an important data compression method. The key of the encoding of VQ is to find the closest vector among N vectors for a feature vector. Many classical linear search algorithms take O(N) steps of distance computing between two vectors. The quantum VQ iteration and corresponding quantum VQ encoding algorithm that takes O(√V) steps are presented in this paper. The unitary operation of distance computing can be performed on a number of vectors simultaneously because the quantum state exists in a superposition of states. The quantum VQ iteration comprises three oracles, by contrast many quantum algorithms have only one oracle, such as Shor’s factorization algorithm and Grover’s algorithm. Entanglement state is generated and used, by contrast the state in Grover’s algorithm is not an entanglement state. The quantum VQ iteration is a rotation over subspace, by contrast the Grover iteration is a rotation over global space. The quantum VQ iteration extends the Grover iteration to the more complex search that requires more oracles. The method of the quantum VQ iteration is universal.