In PowerShell, Get-Command python | fl * will tell you which Python executable it's finding and show you details about where it is.
- You can check Settings -> Apps and Features, or Control Panel -> Programs and Features. They will show you distinct versions of Python you installed, but that might not be enough if Python is installed as part of some other toolkit or program.
- If Python 2.7.11 is there, select it and click uninstall. If it's not there, see if you can tell what it's installed with, from the output of
Get-Commandearlier, and decide if you want to remove that. - How PowerShell chooses what to run when you type a command is explained in help about_Command_Precedence, and is:
- Alias
- Function
- Cmdlet
- Native Windows commands
At the point of "Native Windows commands", it goes to the PATH environment variable, a semi-colon separated list of path names, which get searched in order, looking for a matching executable file.
You can see the folders with:
$Env:PATH -split ';'
And you can watch PowerShell identify what to run for 'python' with the command
Trace-Command –Name CommandDiscovery –Expression {get-command python} -PSHost
So, to make Python 2.7.13 the one to launch, you could:
- make it the only Python version available.
- move its folder to the front of the PATH list, ahead of any other version. See: What are path and other environment variables, and how can I set or use them - question on SuperUser.com
- make a batch file to launch it called python.bat in a folder in the PATH ahead of other versions.
- make an alias (in your PS Profile) named python to launch the one you want (
New-Alias -name python -Value C:\Python27\python.exe, etc).
In PowerShell, Get-Command python | fl * will tell you which Python executable it's finding and show you details about where it is.
- You can check Settings -> Apps and Features, or Control Panel -> Programs and Features. They will show you distinct versions of Python you installed, but that might not be enough if Python is installed as part of some other toolkit or program.
- If Python 2.7.11 is there, select it and click uninstall. If it's not there, see if you can tell what it's installed with, from the output of
Get-Commandearlier, and decide if you want to remove that. - How PowerShell chooses what to run when you type a command is explained in help about_Command_Precedence, and is:
- Alias
- Function
- Cmdlet
- Native Windows commands
At the point of "Native Windows commands", it goes to the PATH environment variable, a semi-colon separated list of path names, which get searched in order, looking for a matching executable file.
You can see the folders with:
$Env:PATH -split ';'
And you can watch PowerShell identify what to run for 'python' with the command
Trace-Command –Name CommandDiscovery –Expression {get-command python} -PSHost
So, to make Python 2.7.13 the one to launch, you could:
- make it the only Python version available.
- move its folder to the front of the PATH list, ahead of any other version. See: What are path and other environment variables, and how can I set or use them - question on SuperUser.com
- make a batch file to launch it called python.bat in a folder in the PATH ahead of other versions.
- make an alias (in your PS Profile) named python to launch the one you want (
New-Alias -name python -Value C:\Python27\python.exe, etc).
This was a question about python 2.7, but probably it will be useful to give an answer for the versions above 3.3 too:
Previously, multiple versions (also environments, also they are specific folders) of python on the same system was rare, and placing the only available python.exe directly in PATH was acceptable. Currently, multiple installed python versions will conflict and override each other if simply placed that way.
After 3.3 a python launcher was introduced which detects and activates one of the installed versions automatically. It is supposed to be placed in PATH instead of any python executable.
So in this modern situation, Get-Command python | fl * may give you nothing or nothing helpful.
And to run scripts or to get available versions, use launcher:
- ensure you have it:
tryGet-Command pycommand from the PowerShell. If launcher is missing, it can be installed with the official installer. There is a separate checkbox for the launcher which is enabled by default. - if install is correct, command
py --list-pathswill give a summary on the installed versions, and supposed way to run scripts is not previouspython main.py, but commands likepy main.pyorpy -3.5 main.py. Runpy --helpfor more info.
Additional confirmation that intended way changed.
Just to give an idea, launcher is not the only way to activate, this also can be done by a simple command.
For example, there is a version under D:\python_install\python.exe. But it's not in the PATH and python command correctly ends with not found error or opens Windows Store. An additional command in cmd or bat SET PATH=D:\python_install\;%PATH% or PowerShell $env:Path = "D:\python_install\;" + $env:Path temporarily activates that specific version, and python will work as previously during that specific run.
Possibly because after python 3.3 intended command is not python, but simply py
Detailed explanation here
And short answer to your question:
check if powershell command py -0p --list-paths finds any versions.
I am using Windows 11, Python3.10 and Laptop, and Windows Powershell cannot show Python version (command: python --version).
Solution: type Python inside Windows Powershell, it will prompt out Microsoft Store, just click "get", wait to finish the process, then go to Windows Powershell, type "python --version", it can show the Python version.
Windows powershell starts old python
Why doesn't python 3.10.0 show up on PowerShell?
How can I check all the installed Python versions on Windows? - Stack Overflow
Switching between versions of python installed from microsoft store
How to check the Python version on CMD?
What is a Python version file?
How do I check all my Python versions?
Videos
I just got the answer. By typing "py -h" or "py --help" I got the help message:
C:\Users\admin>py -h
Python Launcher for Windows Version 3.7.1150.1013
usage:
py [launcher-args] [python-args] script [script-args]
Launcher arguments:
-2 : Launch the latest Python 2.x version
-3 : Launch the latest Python 3.x version
-X.Y : Launch the specified Python version
The above all default to 64 bit if a matching 64 bit python is present.
-X.Y-32: Launch the specified 32bit Python version
-X-32 : Launch the latest 32bit Python X version
-X.Y-64: Launch the specified 64bit Python version
-X-64 : Launch the latest 64bit Python X version
-0 --list : List the available pythons
-0p --list-paths : List with paths
Which tells me that "-0" (zero, not letter "O") lists the available pythons:
C:\Users\admin>py -0
Installed Pythons found by py Launcher for Windows
-3.7-64 *
-3.7-32
-2.7-64
-2.7-32
While "-0p" lists not only the versions, but also the paths:
C:\Users\admin>py -0p
Installed Pythons found by py Launcher for Windows
-3.7-64 C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\python.exe *
-3.7-32 C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37-32\python.exe
-2.7-64 C:\Python27_64\python.exe
-2.7-32 C:\Python27_32\python.exe
To install a Python version that is not listed there run py install followed by the version number, e.g. py install 3.14
In cmd run:
py --list
My result (all versions of python intalled):
-V:3.11 * Python 3.11 (64-bit)
-V:3.9
-V:3.8 Python 3.8 (64-bit)
-V:3.6 Python 3.6 (64-bit)
-V:3.5
-V:ContinuumAnalytics/Anaconda39-64 Anaconda py39_4.12.0