How can I find where Python is installed on Windows?

Question

I want to find out my Python installation path on Windows. For example:

C:\Python25

How can I find where Python is installed?

You should give more information. You know that Python is installed, but can you run Python or not? In my case, I didn't install it; various products may have installed it and I want to find out if it exists somewhere in the file system. Would the interpreter be called python.exe? I have no idea. — David Spector, Nov 30 '19 at 02:25

score 474 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 20 '20 at 03:21

474

In your Python interpreter, type the following commands:

>>> import os
>>> import sys
>>> os.path.dirname(sys.executable)
'C:\\Python25'

Also, you can club all these and use a single line command. Open cmd and enter following command

python -c "import os, sys; print(os.path.dirname(sys.executable))"

edited Aug 20 '20 at 03:21

Mrityunjai

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answered Mar 15 '09 at 13:17

elo80ka

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What if you're inside a virtualenv? This won't work then. – user60561 Oct 26 '17 at 18:14
1

@user60561 It should give you the path to the Virtualenv's Python executable. I don't know a way to get the OS python, in that case, but I'd be interested to know why you'd need that, if you were running from within a Virtualenv? – elo80ka Oct 28 '17 at 14:23
My script creates a virtualenv, so it uses the system python to do that. You've gotten me thinking though, maybe that's not necessary… I'll check it out on Monday, thank you! – user60561 Oct 28 '17 at 15:33
Error: "C:\WINDOWS\system32>import os 'import' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file." – David Spector Nov 25 '19 at 21:40
@David Spector: My bad. I should have noted that you have to type those commands in the Python interpreter, I'll update the answer :-) – elo80ka Nov 29 '19 at 14:02
@elo80ka that explains it, thanks. If I don't know where python is installed, how can I run the interpreter? I should explain: many products for Windows use the Python interpreter, so it must be installed somewhere. I'd like to find it so I can use it and so it can possibly be shared. I'm not sure my situation is the same as the OP's. – David Spector Nov 30 '19 at 02:21
You should enter print(...) so that it displays with only a single backslash and not the raw string. `print(os.path.dirname(sys.executable))` – Steven Apr 18 '20 at 16:15
This is exactly what I was looking for. My issue / reason I had a hard time finding this is because it was located in C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Shared\\Python36_64 – Mifo Jul 24 '20 at 16:33

score 111 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 05 '21 at 08:10

111

If you have Python in your environment variable then you can use the following command in cmd:

 where python

or for Unix enviroment

 which python

command line image :

edited Feb 05 '21 at 08:10

Jin Lee

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answered Apr 17 '17 at 16:04

Aekansh Kansal

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This answer is better because it doesn't involve creating and executing a script, and it is simply much easier. +1 – applemonkey496 May 08 '20 at 22:40
2

Please remove the ```>>>``` from your answer. It makes to believe that this has to be run inside Python. – user171780 Nov 24 '20 at 11:18

score 63 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 18 '17 at 09:52

63

It would be either of

C:\Python36
C:\Users\(Your logged in User)\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36

answered Aug 18 '17 at 09:52

Amol Manthalkar

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my path of python 3.6 on win10: `C:\Users\YANG.LEI\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36-32` – Lei Yang Dec 27 '17 at 09:23
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The Python path can be customized freely during the installation. I had several machines that didn't even *have* a c:\ drive. Also, the local application data isn't necessarily under `C:\Users`. – Matteo Italia Apr 11 '18 at 13:10
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This is not correct and it can be installed anywhere. elo80ka's answer is the one to use! – Rika Sep 29 '20 at 09:36

score 50 · Answer 4 · edited Jul 24 '16 at 05:47

50

If you need to know the installed path under Windows without starting the python interpreter, have a look in the Windows registry.

Each installed Python version will have a registry key in either:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Python\PythonCore\versionnumber\InstallPath
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Python\PythonCore\versionnumber\InstallPath

In 64-bit Windows, it will be under the Wow6432Node key:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Python\PythonCore\versionnumber\InstallPath

edited Jul 24 '16 at 05:47

yincrash

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answered Mar 15 '09 at 21:08

codeape

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this seems to be false on windows 7, at least for python 2.7 – sharkin Dec 09 '10 at 12:08
Where's the info located on windows 7? If you have a Windows 7 computer handy, could you do a registry search for Python and PythonCore? And see if you find a InstallPath value somewhere. – codeape Dec 09 '10 at 14:30
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In 64-bit versions of windows (which you are probably using) it will be under the Wow6432Node key, IE HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Python\PythonCore\versionnumber\InstallPath – piksel bitworks Sep 23 '13 at 06:51
Please update your answer with 'piksel bitworks's comment. It worked for me. – dinesh ygv Jun 01 '14 at 08:23
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It's a nice way but to use it one needs to know the current python version. I'm still looking for a good way to detect the python path for use with nsis installer. – PerryWerneck Nov 09 '15 at 17:20
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It's under Wow6432Node if it's 32-bit python on 64-bit windows. Note also that a 32-bit app cannot normally detect the 64-bit (non-Wow6432Node) keys in the registry because of registry redirection (which means 64-bit python install wouldn't be detected by a 32-bit app). – jtbr Feb 09 '18 at 12:40
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Arrgghh. I wasn't paying attention on install and they put it off the root. Why is it so hard to get with the program and put it in the correct hierarchy? – GaTechThomas Apr 01 '18 at 22:11
No "pythoncore" anywhere in my Registry. But several of my programs use python. Must be a way to search the file system for some unique filename for the interpreter. – David Spector Nov 25 '19 at 21:43

score 16 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 30 '20 at 14:13

16

Simple way is

1) open CMD
2) type >>where python

answered Jan 30 '20 at 14:13

BigData-Guru

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score 15 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 15 '09 at 10:18

15

On my windows installation, I get these results:

>>> import sys
>>> sys.executable
'C:\\Python26\\python.exe'
>>> sys.platform
'win32'
>>>

(You can also look in sys.path for reasonable locations.)

answered Mar 15 '09 at 10:18

gimel

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but how can we do the same using batch file ? – Patrick Jun 16 '14 at 10:54
@Patrick I think `python -c "import sys; print(sys.executable)"` will work – wjandrea Dec 01 '18 at 23:37

score 12 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 12 '20 at 18:45

12

Its generally

'C:\Users\user-name\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python-version'

or try using (in cmd )

where python

answered Apr 12 '20 at 18:45

utkarsh2299

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score 10 · Answer 8 · answered Dec 09 '19 at 20:48

If you have the py command installed, which you likely do, then just use the --list-paths argument to the command:

py --list-paths

Example output:

Installed Pythons found by py Launcher for Windows
-3.8-32 C:\Users\cscott\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38-32\python.exe *
-2.7-64 C:\Python27\python.exe

The * indicates the currently active version for scripts executed using the py command.

score 10 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 15 '09 at 09:41

10

In the sys package, you can find a lot of useful information about your installation:

import sys
print sys.executable
print sys.exec_prefix

I'm not sure what this will give on your Windows system, but on my Mac executable points to the Python binary and exec_prefix to the installation root.

You could also try this for inspecting your sys module:

import sys
for k,v in sys.__dict__.items():
    if not callable(v):
        print "%20s: %s" % (k,repr(v))

answered Mar 15 '09 at 09:41

Guðmundur H

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@GuoH can we do the same using batch file ? – Patrick Jun 16 '14 at 11:01
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You could do something like `python -c "import sys; print sys.executable"` – Guðmundur H Jun 17 '14 at 13:45

score 8 · Answer 10 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

8

If You want the Path After successful installation then first open you CMD and type python or python -i

It Will Open interactive shell for You and Then type

import sys

sys.executable

Hit enter and you will get path where your python is installed ...

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

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answered Oct 18 '18 at 07:30

Rutvik Vijaybhai Bhimani

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The problem I had with this solution is that I was running python 2.7 and wanted to upgrade to 3.6. I installed 3.6 but when I type python on the command line I was running from the old 2.7 still. – tzg Nov 14 '18 at 15:22

score 6 · Answer 11 · edited Jul 27 '18 at 07:25

6

To know where Python is installed you can execute where python in your cmd.exe.

edited Jul 27 '18 at 07:25

anothernode

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answered Jul 27 '18 at 06:21

(This post does not seem to provide an [answer](https://stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-answer) to the question. Please either edit your answer, or just post it as a comment to the question). – sɐunıɔןɐqɐp Jul 27 '18 at 06:44
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@sɐunıɔןɐqɐp It actually is an answer and it might even be correct. I'm not very familiar with Windows, but there in fact [seems to be a `where` command](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/304319/is-there-an-equivalent-of-which-on-the-windows-command-line) which is supposed to be similar to `which` on Unixes. – anothernode Jul 27 '18 at 07:23
@anothernode: The answer's quality is very bad. In case you understand what the author is trying to say, you are free to edit and fix it. – sɐunıɔןɐqɐp Jul 27 '18 at 07:26
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the answer's quality is not bad, the question's quality is. I can confirm ```where python``` works on cmd.exe – Kay Mar 02 '20 at 14:56

score 5 · Answer 12 · answered Sep 14 '18 at 09:19

You can search for the "environmental variable for you account". If you have added the Python in the path, it'll show as "path" in your environmental variable account.

but almost always you will find it in "C:\Users\%User_name%\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python_version"

the 'AppData' folder may be hidden, make it visible from the view section of toolbar.

score 3 · Answer 13 · answered Apr 05 '17 at 11:10

If anyone needs to do this in C# I'm using the following code:

static string GetPythonExecutablePath(int major = 3)
{
    var software = "SOFTWARE";
    var key = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey(software);
    if (key == null)
        key = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(software);
    if (key == null)
        return null;

    var pythonCoreKey = key.OpenSubKey(@"Python\PythonCore");
    if (pythonCoreKey == null)
        pythonCoreKey = key.OpenSubKey(@"Wow6432Node\Python\PythonCore");
    if (pythonCoreKey == null)
        return null;

    var pythonVersionRegex = new Regex("^" + major + @"\.(\d+)-(\d+)$");
    var targetVersion = pythonCoreKey.GetSubKeyNames().
                                        Select(n => pythonVersionRegex.Match(n)).
                                        Where(m => m.Success).
                                        OrderByDescending(m => int.Parse(m.Groups[1].Value)).
                                        ThenByDescending(m => int.Parse(m.Groups[2].Value)).
                                        Select(m => m.Groups[0].Value).First();

    var installPathKey = pythonCoreKey.OpenSubKey(targetVersion + @"\InstallPath");
    if (installPathKey == null)
        return null;

    return (string)installPathKey.GetValue("ExecutablePath");
}

Wouldn't HKCU and HKLM both exist for most users? This would seem to miss globally-installed python instances. — jtbr, Feb 09 '18 at 10:39

score 2 · Answer 14 · answered Mar 01 '19 at 11:34

Go to C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36 if it is not there then open console by windows+^R Then type cmd and hit enter type python if installed in your local file it will show you its version from there type the following import os import sys os.path.dirname(sys.executable)

score 1 · Answer 15 · edited Jul 16 '18 at 07:48

1

This worked for me: C:\Users\Your_user_name\AppData\Local\Programs\Python

My currently installed python version is 3.7.0

Hope this helps!

edited Jul 16 '18 at 07:48

David

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answered Jul 16 '18 at 06:55

Prashant Gonga

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score 0 · Answer 16 · edited Jun 02 '18 at 19:02

0

if you still stuck or you get this

C:\\\Users\\\name of your\\\AppData\\\Local\\\Programs\\\Python\\\Python36

simply do this replace 2 \ with one

C:\Users\akshay\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36

edited Jun 02 '18 at 19:02

Kos

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answered Jun 02 '18 at 16:48

Ashwarya sharma

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score 0 · Answer 17 · answered Feb 03 '19 at 16:39

I installed 2 and 3 and had the same problem finding 3. Fortunately, typing path at the windows path let me find where I had installed it. The path was an option when I installed Python which I just forgot. If you didn't select setting the path when you installed Python 3 that probably won't work - unless you manually updated the path when you installed it. In my case it was at c:\Program Files\Python37\python.exe

score 0 · Answer 18 · answered Jun 06 '19 at 10:01

If you use anaconda navigator on windows, you can go too enviornments and scroll over the enviornments, the root enviorment will indicate where it is installed. It can help if you want to use this enviorment when you need to connect this to other applications, where you want to integrate some python code.

How can I find where Python is installed on Windows?

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