Installing Python

Hi there! These instructions will walk you through all of the steps needed to install Python onto your computer. This particular page contains instructions for Windows.

If you have a Mac, please click Next or otherwise navigate to the next page in order to find instructions for your particular platform!

1. Navigate to the Python downloads page that indexes downloads for the most recent versions of Python. This course was designed with Python 2 in mind so select that download.

2. Download the Windows x86 MSI installer. If you're sure that your machine runs a 64-bit version of Windows, feel free to download the Windows x86-64 MSI installer instead.

3. Once the download is finished, locate the file (it'll probably be in your Downloads directory) and run it. Note: the images below show Python 2.7.9, but the process is the same for newer versions.
   
   

4. Follow the installation wizard. Let Python install to its default directory, C:\Python27\.
   
   
   

5. Ensure that both pip is installed and that Python is added to your PATH.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

6. To confirm that your installation was successful, open IDLE, a program installed by Python that makes it easy to edit and run Python code.

   a) Windows 7 (or earlier): Use the Start Menu to go to All Programs, then Python 2.7, and, finally, IDLE (Python GUI).

   b) Windows 8: Search for IDLE. Currently, you can search by swiping from the right edge of the screen or by using the lower-right corner of your screen if you have a mouse.

7. Hooray, you're done!