Finding your Anaconda Python interpreter path#

IDEs often require you to specify the path to your Python interpreter.

This path varies according to which operating system version and which Anaconda version you use, so you will need to search your file system to find the correct path to your Python interpreter.

You can search for the Python interpreter with your operating system’s file manager, such as File Explorer on Windows, Finder on macOS, or Nautilus on Ubuntu Linux.

You can also use the command line to show the location of the Python interpreter in the active conda environment.

Windows#

  1. From the Start Menu open the Anaconda Prompt.

  2. If you want the location of a Python interpreter for a conda environment other than the root conda environment, run activate environment-name.

  3. Run where python.

macOS and Linux#

  1. Open a terminal window.

  2. If you want the location of a Python interpreter for a conda environment other than the root conda environment, run conda activate environment-name.

  3. Run which python.

Examples#

  • Windows 10 with Anaconda3 and username “jsmith”– C:\Users\jsmith\Anaconda3\python.exe.

    The Python image in a conda environment called “my-env” might be in a location such as C:\Users\jsmith\Anaconda3\envs\my-env\python.exe

  • macOS– ~/anaconda/bin/python or /Users/jsmith/anaconda/bin/python

  • Linux– ~/anaconda/bin/python or /home/jsmith/anaconda/bin/python

Instead of anaconda, the folder in your home directory might be named one of the following:

  • anaconda2

  • anaconda3

If you have installed Miniconda instead of Anaconda, the folder might be named:

  • miniconda

  • miniconda2

  • miniconda3