How To Reinstall Python On Mac

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installed in the /Library/Frameworks/Python that comes pre-installed on macOS. However, sometimes you may encounter issues with your Python installation or need to upgrade to a newer version. In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of reinstalling Python on your Mac.

Step 1: Uninstall the current Python installation

Before you can reinstall Python, you need to uninstall the existing version on your Mac. To do this, open the Terminal application and enter the following command:

sudo rm -rf /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.x

Replace “3.x” with the version number of the Python installation you want to remove. For example, if you want to remove Python 3.7, use:

sudo rm -rf /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.7

Enter your admin password when prompted. This will remove the specified version of Python from your system.

Step 2: Download the latest Python installer

Visit the official Python website at https://www.python.org/downloads/mac-osx/ and download the latest Python installer for macOS. The installer is available as a .pkg file.

Step 3: Install Python using the installer

Locate the downloaded .pkg installer file in your Downloads folder and double-click it to start the installation process. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Python on your Mac. By default, Python will be installed in the /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions directory.

Step 4: Verify the new Python installation

Once you’ve installed Python, you can verify the installation by opening Terminal and running the following command:

python3 --version

This should return the version number of the newly installed Python, confirming that the installation was successful.

Step 5: Update your PATH (if needed)

If the new Python installation is not recognized when you run python3, you may need to update your system’s PATH variable. To do this, open Terminal and enter the following command:

echo 'export PATH="/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.x/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile

Replace “3.x” with the version number of the newly installed Python. For example, if you installed Python 3.9, use:

echo 'export PATH="/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.9/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile

Save your changes and restart Terminal. Now, when you run python3, it should use the new Python installation.

Conclusion

Reinstalling Python on your Mac is a straightforward process. In this blog post, we’ve shown you how to uninstall your current Python installation, download and install the latest version of Python, and update your system’s PATH variable if necessary. With these steps, you should be able to successfully reinstall Python on your Mac and get back to coding in no time!