How to Install Python on Windows

If you intend to use our Python courses with a code editor like Python's build-in IDLE, Visual Studio, Anaconda, Spyder, or something else, you will need to first install the Python runtime to your local computer. This short article will cover how to do this for Windows - for macOS see this article instead: How to Install Python on Mac

 

Download Python

1. Head to the Python website's download page: https://www.python.org/downloads/

2. Download a compatible version. Note that this may vary by course depending on the Python libraries used in the course. We recommend reviewing the course's information to determine the appropriate version.

 

Install on Windows

This section will cover installation as it applies to Windows 10. Your experience may vary with other versions of Windows. Mac installation instructions can be found in the next section.

1. Open the executable (.exe) file downloaded to your computer and follow the on-screen installation prompts. Where relevant, make sure to click on the checkbox to Add Python to PATH.

 

2. Once the installation finishes, you will get a congratulations message and can close the installation wizard.

Verifying Installation

Once the installation finishes, we'll want to verify that Python is properly installed. To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Start the Python IDLE application - Python's built-in shell for running Python files.

2. Go to File > New File from the top menu to create a new file:

 

3. In the new file, enter the following code into the editor: 

1. print("Hello world")
   

4. Save the Python file

5. Select Run > Run Module from the top menu, or hit F5.

5. If Python is installed correctly, a new window should pop-up with our "Hello world" message printed!

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