This is a very subjective question in most cases, I'm not really sure if its even fit for SO.
Here are the different characteristics of each path:
C:\PythonXY:
- Requires administrator rights
- All users have access to it - better if you want only one install of a python version on your system
- More practical to write in command line (might be needed for multiple python installs, although using
venvsorconda envssolves this problem) Program Filesis the same, except that there are spaces in the path (probably a bad idea)
AppData:
- Doesn't require administrator rights
- Only for one user - good if the other users don't want/need it
- Might be painful to write in command line
I have admin rights and am the only user on my computer, so I chose the first option, but it really is case-dependent.
EDIT Please see the comments below for rectifications on paths.
Answer from TrakJohnson on Stack OverflowReddit
reddit.com › r/learnpython › best way to set up python for windows these days
r/learnpython on Reddit: Best way to set up Python for Windows these days
October 12, 2025 -
I just got a new Windows laptop (we have to use Windows at my job). For all my prior laptops, I wound up with a confusing mishmash of the Windows store Python (or stub), several other versions, various path issues and (my fault) various issues with global packages vs. user installed packages vs. virtual environments.
If you were starting over with a new Windows laptop what approach would you use? Just python.org and venv? Should I use uv? Maybe I should use wsl2 instead of native Windows? Or run within Docker containers?
I'd like to get off to a strong start.
Top answer 1 of 5
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Uv powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex" From astral website in case you're (suitably) suspicious of random reditors giving you code to run. Learn to use Uv. It's awesome.
2 of 5
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I went with WSL years ago and haven't had a good reason to look back since.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › windows › dev-environment › python
Python on Windows for beginners | Microsoft Learn
April 15, 2026 - Access to this page requires authorization. You can try changing directories. ... Get your Python environment ready on Windows in minutes — install from the command line with winget or set it up manually.
What path to install Python 3.6 to on Windows? - Stack Overflow
The 3.6 installer suggests C:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python36-32 which is unlike any other software on Windows. I remember that earlier versions installed to C:\PythonXY wh... More on stackoverflow.com
What's the simplest way to get Python on a Windows PC?
Installation is your best bet. Any other hard questions? More on reddit.com
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0
December 12, 2023Installing Python
You might want to check with your IT dept. on this before trying to circumvent their restrictions. More on reddit.com
13
0
September 16, 2024Install python on Windows WITHOUT using the official installer?
Instead to try to find a way around this problem by installing Python in an alternative way you should tackle the actual problem. If you google the error code you'll find out quickly that you must have a serious problem with Windows itself and not with Python installer. That you can't install Python is just one symptom. If you ignore the real problem you will run into it again and again and still have no fix. But this is your decision to make. More on reddit.com
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5
August 28, 2023Can I install multiple Python versions on Windows?
Absolutely. You can do this by installing each version separately and managing them with Python Launcher or third-party tools like pyenv-win.
smart.dhgate.com
smart.dhgate.com › home › apparel › step-by-step guide to installing and setting up python on windows for beginners
Step-by-Step Guide to Installing and Setting Up Python on Windows ...
Do I need administrator rights to install Python on Windows?
Typically, yes. Administrator privileges help ensure all components install correctly, although some options allow user-level installs.
smart.dhgate.com
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Step-by-Step Guide to Installing and Setting Up Python on Windows ...
How do I confirm Python is correctly added to my Windows PATH?
Just open Command Prompt and type python --version. If it shows your Python version, it’s properly set. Otherwise, you might need to add it manually.
smart.dhgate.com
smart.dhgate.com › home › apparel › step-by-step guide to installing and setting up python on windows for beginners
Step-by-Step Guide to Installing and Setting Up Python on Windows ...
Videos
03:50
How to Install Python 3.14.4 on Windows 10/11 [ 2026 Update ] Python ...
12:44
How to Install Python on Windows 11 (2026) - YouTube
How to Install Python 3.13.1 on Windows 11
03:37
How to Install Python on Windows 10/11 [ 2026 Update ] - YouTube
03:31
How to Install Python on Windows 10/11 (Step by Step Guide) - YouTube
03:54
How to Install Python 3.14.5 on Windows 11 [ 2026 Update ] Python ...
Python
python.org › downloads
Download Python | Python.org
For most Unix systems, you must download and compile the source code. The same source code archive can also be used to build the Windows and Mac versions, and is the starting point for ports to all other platforms.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to Python
docs.python-guide.org › starting › installation
Properly Installing Python — The Hitchhiker's Guide to Python
These guides go over the proper installation of Python for development purposes, as well as setuptools, pip and virtualenv. Python 3 on MacOS. Python 3 on Windows. Python 3 on Linux. Python 2 on MacOS. Python 2 on Microsoft Windows. Python 2 on Linux. This opinionated guide exists to provide both novice and expert Python developers a best practice handbook to the installation, configuration, and usage of Python on a daily basis.
Real Python
realpython.com › installing-python
How to Install Python on Your System: A Guide – Real Python
February 18, 2026 - Scroll to the bottom and select Windows installer (64-bit), Windows installer (32-bit), or Windows installer (ARM64) according to your system architecture. Note: If you visit Python.org and hover your mouse over the Downloads menu, a box will appear showing the latest release of Python available for your current computer. This provides a quick way to download the appropriate installer without navigating through multiple pages.
Pygame
pygame.org › wiki › GettingStarted
GettingStarted - pygame wiki
Distutils actually supports a wide variety of compile and install options. running "python setup.py help" will start to show you the different options available. You can change many things like install locations, compiler to use, and more. Calling the "setup.py" script with no arguments and ...
JetBrains
jetbrains.com › help › pycharm › installation-guide.html
Install PyCharm | PyCharm Documentation
April 17, 2026 - Mind the following options in the installation wizard · 64-bit launcher: Adds a launching icon to the Desktop. Open Folder as Project: Adds an option to the folder context menu that will allow opening the selected directory as a PyCharm project. .py: Establishes an association with Python files to open them in PyCharm. Add launchers dir to the PATH: Allows running this PyCharm instance from the Console without specifying the path to it. To run PyCharm, find it in the Windows ...
Dhgate
smart.dhgate.com › home › apparel › step-by-step guide to installing and setting up python on windows for beginners
Step-by-Step Guide to Installing and Setting Up Python on Windows for Beginners - Smart.DHgate – Trusted Buying Guides for Global Shoppers
December 5, 2025 - Before diving into Python installation, it's wise to set your Windows PC up for a smooth process. First off, make sure your system is running a supported
Top answer 1 of 4
32
This is a very subjective question in most cases, I'm not really sure if its even fit for SO.
Here are the different characteristics of each path:
C:\PythonXY:
- Requires administrator rights
- All users have access to it - better if you want only one install of a python version on your system
- More practical to write in command line (might be needed for multiple python installs, although using
venvsorconda envssolves this problem) Program Filesis the same, except that there are spaces in the path (probably a bad idea)
AppData:
- Doesn't require administrator rights
- Only for one user - good if the other users don't want/need it
- Might be painful to write in command line
I have admin rights and am the only user on my computer, so I chose the first option, but it really is case-dependent.
EDIT Please see the comments below for rectifications on paths.
2 of 4
2
Installing Python in c:\Program Files\ in 64-bit Windows 10 has problems because of the new "security features" of Windows 10. Subfolders of c:\Programs Files\ have restricted permissions on them which are not compatible with the installation processes for some Python packages. Installing in a directory directly below the root (for example c:\Python36\ for Python 3.6) avoids these problems. It may be "less secure", but it actually works, which installing under c:\Program Files\ sometimes does not. For example, I have found that if you try to install the matplotlib package in Python 3.7 installed under c:\Program Files\, some of the packages that matplotlib is dependent on are blocked from installing, and the package will not run, but if it is installed in c:\Python37\, it runs fine. Another example of overly enthusiastic Microsoft "security."
Installing in the %appdata% folder for a single user is fine if you are the only person who is going to be using Python, but if your computer is going to be used by another user (for example, if it is a work computer which will be "inherited" by a new employee that takes over your position), Python (and all necessary Python packages) would have to be reinstalled for that user.
Python
docs.python.org › 3 › using › windows.html
4. Using Python on Windows — Python 3.14.6 documentation
Wherever possible, we suggest using the above WinGet commands to download the package from the Store to reduce the risk of setting up conflicting installs. There are no licensing restrictions on the Python install manager that would prevent using the Store package in this way.
pip
pip.pypa.io › en › stable › installation
Installation - pip documentation v26.1.2
In addition to installing pip in your environment, pip is available as a standalone zip application. This can be downloaded from https://bootstrap.pypa.io/pip/pip.pyz. There are also zip applications for specific pip versions, named pip-X.Y.Z.pyz. The zip application can be run using any supported version of Python: ... You may need to configure your system to recognise the .pyz extension before this will work. Depending on how you installed Python, there might be other mechanisms available to you for installing pip such as using Linux package managers.
UCI ICS
ics.uci.edu › ~pattis › common › handouts › pythoneclipsejava › python.html
Python Download and Installation Instructions
The Python download requires about 25 Mb of disk space; keep it on your machine, in case you need to re-install Python. When installed, Python requires about an additional 90 Mb of disk space. Click Python Download. The following page will appear in your browser. Click the Download Python 3.9.6 button. The following pop-up window titled Opening python-3.96-amd64.exe will appear.
Quora
quora.com › What-is-the-best-way-to-install-Python-on-a-Windows-10-computer
What is the best way to install Python on a Windows 10 computer? - Quora
Answer (1 of 9): It is better to ask technical questions in stackexchange, that said… It actually depends on the work you are going to do. 1. Anaconda 2. Official binaries 3. Chocolatey - like homebrew for macOS 4. Docker images But actually, you can install anything and get it work, as part of...
IBM
ibm.com › docs › en › storage-archive-le › 2.4.8
Installing Python for Windows - IBM Documentation
March 30, 2026 - This topic describes how to install Python 3.6 or later on a Windows system for the IBM Storage Archive Library Edition.
Medium
x-it.medium.com › how-to-install-python-on-windows-f4d0443b3bae
How to install Python on Windows? | by Hack Storage | Medium
November 29, 2023 - Click on the “Environment Variables” button at the bottom of the System Properties window. In the “System Variables” section, scroll down and select “Path”, then click the Edit” button. Click the “New” button and enter the path to the Python executable. The default installation path for Python is “C:\Python3x”. Make sure to replace “x” with the minor version number of your Python installation.
DigitalOcean
digitalocean.com › community › tutorials › install-python-windows-10
How to Install Python on Windows | DigitalOcean
September 26, 2025 - The guide will also walk you through verifying the installation, running a script, and setting up a virtual environment. ... The most common and recommended way to install Python is by using the official installer from the python.org website, which offers the most control over the setup.
scikit-learn
scikit-learn.org › stable › install.html
Installing scikit-learn — scikit-learn 1.9.0 documentation
The Fedora package is called python3-scikit-learn for the python 3 version, the only one available in Fedora. It can be installed using dnf: ... The MacPorts package is named py<XY>-scikit-learn, where XY denotes the Python version. It can be installed by typing the following command: ... Anaconda and Enthought Deployment Manager both ship with scikit-learn in addition to a large set of scientific python library for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux.
Astral
docs.astral.sh › uv › guides › install-python
Installing and managing Python | uv
July 17, 2025 - See the documentation on installing Python executables for more details. ... See the python install documentation for more details. To reinstall uv-managed Python versions, use --reinstall, e.g.:
Piptrends
learn.piptrends.com › getting-started › python-basics › install-python
Installing Python on Windows - learn-pip-trends
Select the Install launcher for all users checkbox, which enables all users of the computer to access the Python launcher application. Select the Add python.exe to PATH checkbox, which enables users to launch Python from the command line. If you’re just getting started with Python and you want to install it with default features as described in the dialog, then click Install Now and go to Verify the Python Installation.
Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › cli › azure › install-azure-cli
How to install the Azure CLI | Microsoft Learn
May 5, 2026 - The Azure CLI is available to install in Windows, Linux, and macOS environments. It can also be run in a Docker container and Azure Cloud Shell.