We Keep Coding

Anaconda Prompt (py27) can't find where conda is located

I am a newbie for Python and I've found Spyder way too complicated to make it work. Since my default Spyder's Python version was 3+, I couldn't use the guide that I've found so I installed Spyder for Python 2.7 somehow. Now I need to install scikit-image but Anaconda prompt doesn't recognize "conda" commands.
So I've found that I should check where conda is located first but the prompt cannot even find where conda is so I wanted to ask it to people here.
The left one is for default, the right one is for py27.
enter image description here

Make sure to add Anaconda path to your environment variables.
Your steps will most likely be:
Windows: In your environment variables add C:\Users\[Your Username]\Anaconda3\Scripts to Path.
Ubuntu: edit your .bashrc and add export PATH=~/anaconda3/bin:$PATH
A shortcut to opening env. vars. in Windows: Open up your cmd and type:
rundll32 sysdm.cpl,EditEnvironmentVariables

(Posted on behalf of the question author).
Adding Anaconda3 and Anaconda3\Scripts paths to Path variable in the user variables has solved the problem.

Anaconda3 activate.bat is not recognized as an internal or external command

I have downloaded Anaconda3 for windows 64-bit operating system. After the download and install completed, I opened the Anaconda prompt but it give me this nice error:
'C:\Anaconda3\Scripts\activate.bat' is not recognized as an internal or external command,operable program or batch file.
I just surfed the internet and found a solution to uninstall all previous packages of python but did not work. I have searched for activate.bat file in my system " found it in one folders of anaconda directory " and copy, paste it to the Scripts folder but it gives me errors with conda packages and dependencies. Any solutions please!!
I cannot run any either jupyter notebook or conda as well. Actually, I do not know how to find them in those bunch of Anaconda files and packages.
Thanks in advance,,,.

This is a known Anaconda bug:
From their Github:
" I have fixed the underlying bug here but we will not release new Anaconda installers for a while.
The fix is in the latest Miniconda installers:
64-bit:
https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Windows-x86_64.exe
https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda2-latest-Windows-x86_64.exe
32-bit:
https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Windows-x86.exe
https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda2-latest-Windows-x86.exe
Install those, then run the Anaconda Prompt and install whatever packages you need. If you want the latest full Anaconda release then use:
conda install anaconda=5.0.1"
Check this github thread for the full answer: https://github.com/conda/conda/issues/6053

When you installing Anaconda3 on Windows 10 and the Anaconda Navigator menu item does not install, and running the Anaconda Prompt gives the activate.bat error.
Delete all instances of the previous python IDEs
Reveal hidden files within the control menu
Go to -> C:\Users[Username] in windows explorer
Delete the files .conda and .anaconda. Possibly others if you had other IDEs.
Go to -> C:\Users[Username]\AppData\Local
Delete all python related files conda, python, ect.. any instances other python IDEs
Go to -> C:\Users[Username]\AppData\Roaming
Delete all python related files conda, python, ect.. any instances other python IDEs
Run the Anaconda installer as Admin and install in a directory such as C:\anaconda3
Sit back and wonder why an install took 4 hours out of my life and start drinking.
At some point I felt like this was a test for the uninitiated... can I start coding now?

I think the problem will be solved by clearing all dependencies. I initially had python installed, 2.7 and 3.6. I just get rid of all of them. The problem is not solved yet.
I discovered that My MySQL server is running. I just closed it but it did not work. I just uninstalled it completely and The problem is solved. Anaconda needs to listen to , I think 8888 port, which might be used also by MySQL server as well.
I hope this will help.

I had the same issue and solved it like this:
Open a command prompt (cmd.exe)
Execute these commands to reset two environment variables:
set PYTHONPATH=
set PATH=%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem
Start the installer (from within the same command prompt).
Now the installation will succeed!
Tip: if 'Anaconda Prompt' in the start menu isn't working afterwards, use this workaround:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\Scripts\activate.bat C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3

I solved it
If you install other python directories or install anaconda on your drive. remove them all
and visit to C:\Users\<username> and you can find this babies
.anaconda
.conda
Kill them all, reinstall anaconda.
Now it works well.

I uninstalled any previous versions.Restarted system and installed Anaconda again at path C:\Users\xyzuser\Anaconda.It is working now

I solved it with:
0. Rename/delete previous Anaconda3 directory (at c:\ProgramData\Anac...) (show/check hidden items at File Manager to delete it)
1. Re-install Anaconda
2. At Advanced Installation Options, I check both:
2.1. [check] Add Anaconda to my PATH environment variable
2.2. [check] Register Anaconda as my default Python 3.6
3. then click Install button
4. Done
my OS: windows 10, 64bit

I have met exactly the same problem when I was using anaconda 5.3.1 on windows10.
Well, the solution is to uninstall your anaconda and re-install it.
And when you install anaconda, you can't close the exe command window manually which would show up at the end of installing. You should let it run and exit by itself. Only by this way your anaconda would be installed correctly.

The Fix is simple. Here's what you need to do.
Go to--
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\Scripts\
*Replace USERNAME with your own***
If you are not able to access this location, then directly search in your C drive for Continuum, and from there you can write the rest of the URL
Search for "Activate.bat"
If you are able to find this file, then go to ANACONDA PROMPT and
Change your directory by typing:
cd C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\Scripts\
*Replace USERNAME with your own***
Your directory is now projecting to this new location.
Now type:
activate.bat
Hit enter
Now you activated your Anaconda.
Now, you can check if it is working or not by typing
Conda list

difference between command prompt and anaconda prompt

I installed anaconda into my computer using python. After I install the software, I found there is one program called anaconda prompt.
What is the difference between anaconda prompt and command prompt? If I want to update the package, which one I should use or either one. Like (conda update conda)
Thank you

Anaconda command prompt is just like command prompt, but it makes sure that you are able to use anaconda and conda commands from the prompt, without having to change directories or your path.
When you start Anaconda command prompt, you'll notice that it adds/("prepends") a bunch of locations to your PATH. These locations contain commands and scripts that you can run. So as long as you're in the Anaconda command prompt, you know you can use these commands.
During the installation of Anaconda there is a choice to add these to the PATH by default, and if checked you can also use these commands on the regular command prompt. But the anaconda prompt will always work.
As far as updating conda, if it doesn't work in command prompt, you can do
conda update conda
in Anaconda command prompt.

When you use anaconda command prompt it opened at conda directory (path where all the conda commands run)
like when I was installing pip3 install prettytable on command prompt it successfully installed but not replicate in jupyter notebook.
But when install it using anaconda prompt it replicates intantly

Here is the difference:
PATH-TO behind is the path to Anaconda3
Afer adding the following env to Windows command prompt, it will be the same as Anaconda prompt:
set CONDA_DEFAULT_ENV=base
set CONDA_PREFIX=PATH-TO\Anaconda3
set CONDA_EXE=%CONDA_PREFIX%\Scripts\conda.exe
set CONDA_PROMPT_MODIFIER=(base)
set CONDA_PYTHON_EXE=%CONDA_PREFIX%\python.exe
set CONDA_SHLVL=1
set Path=%CONDA_PREFIX%;%CONDA_PREFIX%\Library\mingw-w64\bin;%CONDA_PREFIX%\Library\usr\bin;%CONDA_PREFIX%\Library\bin;%CONDA_PREFIX%\Scripts;%CONDA_PREFIX%\bin;%CONDA_PREFIX%\condabin;%Path%

I see great answers but maybe it is a little technical for beginners. Anaconda is a (software) distributor, in this case for Python, and its anaconda command prompt is similar to windows command prompt with one important difference: having PATH. PATH, as it can be assumed from its name, is like an address in computer where python packages are installed and their computations will be run.
Having PATH makes a big difference between using python via anaconda prompt or normal command prompt which is considered useful for many research teams and business computers: it will allow you to install, update and uninstall packages inside a separate environment (after creating one!) so that other members of the team wouldn't be disturbed.
When I was working with my own laptop, I never had any problem with running python on jupyter using windows command prompt. But for working with a research team PC, my supervisor made me to create a virtual environment named after me in anaconda prompt just not to disturb any other member. Actually, that was a pain in my neck because I have to activate "my environment" every time before starting python on jupyter. I never understand why someone should not appreciate if I install any more extra packages or updates for them? Not to mention, if in a million years an error pops up due to a package I installed, they can simply uninstall or downgrade it.
So as a normal researcher with medium computations in python, I never liked working with anaconda prompt and windows command prompt was everything I needed, especially on my OWN laptop.
I hope you liked my idea.

Why Anaconda does not recognize conda command?

I installed the latest version of Anaconda.
Now I want to install OpenCV within it. When I type:
conda install -c https://conda.binstar.org/anaconda opencv
I get this message error: "conda is not recognized as internal command ..." (sorry, I try to translate from French because my OS is in French)
The problem is that conda comes with Anaconda, so I wonder why lauching Anaconda and type the above command does not work ?

For Windows
Go to Control Panel\System and Security\System\Advanced System Settings then look for Environment Variables.
Your user variables should contain Path=Path\to\Anaconda3\Scripts.
You need to figure where your Anaconda3 folder is (i.e. the path to this folder) . Mine was in C:\Users.
For Linux
You need to add conda to PATH. To do so, type:
export PATH=/path/to/anaconda3/bin:$PATH.
Same thing, you need to figure the path to anaconda3 folder (Usually, the path is stored in $HOME)
If you don't want to do this everytime you start a session, you can also add conda to PATH in your .bashrc file:
echo 'export PATH=/path/to/anaconda3/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc

I had a similar problem. I searched conda.exe and I found it on Scripts folder. So, In Anaconda3 you need to add two variables to PATH. The first is Anaconda_folder_path and the second is Anaconda_folder_path\Scripts

When you install anaconda on windows now, it doesn't automatically add Python or Conda to your path so you have to add it yourself.
If you don’t know where your conda and/or python is, you type the following commands into your anaconda prompt
Next, you can add Python and Conda to your path by using the setx command in your command prompt.
Next close that command prompt and open a new one. Congrats you can now use conda and python
Source: https://medium.com/#GalarnykMichael/install-python-on-windows-anaconda-c63c7c3d1444

I had a similar problem and I did something like the below mentioned steps with my Path environment variable to fix the problem
Located where my Anaconda3 was installed. I run Windows 7. Mine is located at C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3.
Open Control Panel - System - Advanced System Settings, under Advanced tab click on Environment Variables.
Under System Variables, located "Path" add the following: C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\Scripts;C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\;
Save and open new terminal.
type in "conda". It worked for me.
Hope these steps help

You probably need to update your PATH variable to include where you have installed Anaconda.
See https://github.com/ContinuumIO/anaconda-issues/issues/41 for a similar issue.

I suspect you forget to export PATH, anaconda/bin must be added in your $PATH. (Linux, OSX common problem). On Windows make sure you run install and commands as administrator.

Same problem with Anaconda running on Ubuntu 15.10. I closed the terminal and opened a new window and it worked fine.

Faced the same problem running on Windows 10 and using the Windows cmd.
Solved it by running the following command in the Anaconda Prompt which comes with Anaconda3 (as administrator):
conda install -c menpo opencv3=3.1.0
Command found on the official website: https://anaconda.org/menpo/opencv3

Try setting the file path using (for anaconda3)...
export PATH=~/anaconda3/bin:$PATH
Then check whether it worked with...
conda --version
This worked for me when 'conda' was returning 'command not found'.

Try restarting the terminal, I had the same issue, worked after restarting the terminal.

If this problem persists, you may want to check all path values in the PATH variable (under Control Panel\System and Security\System\Advanced System Settings). It might be that some other path is invalid or contains an illegal character.
Today, I had the same problem and found a double quote in a different path value in the PATH variable. All paths after that (including a fresly installed conda) were not usable. Removing the double quote solved the problem.

In Windows 10, I went to the folder where Anaconda is stored. In my case it is in \Anaconda3 folder as a shortcut to open a command prompt window, called "Anaconda Prompt". Open that and execute the command there.

Got same issue and it turns out that besides setting PATH variable, I also should not close some cmd window poped up during installation. Re-installation would work

It's not recommended to add conda.exe path directly into the System Environment Variables at stated by anaconda installer :
For Windows Users, Open Conda Prompt Shortcut and change the Target into the Correct Address :

As other users said, the best way for Windows users is to set the global environment variable.
I install the Miniconda3 for MXNet.
Before I do something, only Anaconda Prompt works for conda.
After setting the global environment variable, The CMD and Git Bash work.
But in some IDEs like RStudio, the nested Git Bash doesn't work.
After restarting my computer, the Git Bash in the RStudio works for conda.
I hope these tests helps for you.

On Windows 11 x64, default is
"C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\Scripts\conda.exe"
CMD, run, systempropertiesadvanced , add to PATH variable.

How to change default Anaconda python environment

I've installed Anaconda and created two extra environments: py3k (which holds Python 3.3) and py34 (which holds Python 3.4). Besides those, I have a default environment named 'root' which the Anaconda installer created by default and which holds Python 2.7. This last one is the default, whenever I launch 'ipython' from the terminal it gives me version 2.7. In order to work with Python 3.4, I need to issue the commands (in the shell)
source activate py34
ipython
which change the default environment to Python 3.4. This works fine, but it's annoying since most of the time I work on Python 3.4, instead of Python 2.7 (which I hold for teaching purposes, it's a rather long story). Anyway, I'll like to know how to change the default environment to Python 3.4, bearing in mind that I don't want to reinstall everything from scratch.

If you just want to temporarily change to another environment, use
source activate environment-name
ETA: This may be deprecated. I believe the current correct command is:
source conda activate environment-name
(you can create environment-name with conda create)
To change permanently, there is no method except creating a startup script that runs the above code.
Typically it's best to just create new environments. However, if you really want to change the Python version in the default environment, you can do so as follows:
First, make sure you have the latest version of conda by running
conda update conda
Then run
conda install python=3.5
This will attempt to update all your packages in your root environment to Python 3 versions. If it is not possible (e.g., because some package is not built for Python 3.5), it will give you an error message indicating which package(s) caused the issue.
If you installed packages with pip, you'll have to reinstall them.

Overview
Some people have multiple Conda environments with different versions of Python for compatibility reasons. In this case, you should activate the desired default environment in the shell initialization file (e.g., .bashrc, .zshrc). With this method, you can preserve the versions of Python you use in your environments.
The following assumes environment_name is the name of your environment
Mac / Linux:
Edit your bash profile so that the last line is conda activate environment_name. In Mac OSX this is ~/.bash_profile, in other environments this may be ~/.bashrc
Example:
Here's how I did it on Mac OSX
Open Terminal and type:
nano ~/.bash_profile
Go to end of file and type the following, where "p3.5" is my environment:
conda activate p3.5
Exit File. Start a new terminal window.
Type the following to see what environment is active
conda info -e
The result shows that I'm using my p3.5 environment by default.
For Windows:
Create a command file (.cmd) with activate environment_name and follow these instructions to have it execute whenever you open a command prompt
Create a batch file command, e.g. "my_conda.cmd", put it in the Application Data folder.
Configure it to be started automatically whenever you open cmd. This setting is in Registry:
key: HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Command Processor
value: AutoRun
type: REG_EXPAND_SZ
data: "%AppData%\my_conda.cmd"
from this answer: https://superuser.com/a/302553/143794

Under Linux there is an easier way to set the default environment by modifying ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile
At the end you'll find something like
# added by Anaconda 2.1.0 installer
export PATH="~/anaconda/bin:$PATH"
Replace it with
# set python3 as default
export PATH="~/anaconda/envs/python3/bin:$PATH"
and thats all there is to it.

For windows Anaconda comes with Anaconda Prompt which is a shortcut to cmd and can be used run conda commands without adding anaconda in PATH variable.
Find the location of it, copy and rename the copy (say myenv_prompt). Right click myenv_prompt and select properties in the context menu.
The Target form of Properties window should already be filled with text, something like %windir%\system32\cmd.exe "/K" C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Continuum\Miniconda3\Scripts\activate.bat C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Continuum\Miniconda3\
There are three parts of this command 1)start ...\cmd.exe 2)run ...\acitvate.bat with environment 3)...\Miniconda3\
Change 3rd part to path of the environment (say myenv) you want as default i.e. fill the Target form something like %windir%\system32\cmd.exe "/K" C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Continuum\Miniconda3\Scripts\activate.bat C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Continuum\Miniconda3\envs\myenv
Now myenv_prompt will act as shortcut to start cmd with myenv as the default environment for python. This shortcut you can keep in start menu or pinned in taskbar.
One advantage of this method is that you can create a few shortcuts each having different environment as default environment. Also you can set the default folder by filling Start in form of the Properties window
Hope this helps
PS:It is not required to find Anaconda Prompt and can be done by changing target of any shortcut. But you will require to know path of cmd.exe and activate.bat

Just activate your py34 environment when you load your terminal/shell.
If you use Bash, put the line:
conda activate py34
in your .bash_profile (or .bashrc):
$ echo 'conda activate py34' >> ~/.bash_profile
Every time you run a new terminal, conda environment py34 will be loaded.

The correct answer (as of Dec 2018) is... you can't. Upgrading conda install python=3.6 may work, but it might not if you have packages that are necessary, but cannot be uninstalled.
Anaconda uses a default environment named base and you cannot create a new (e.g. python 3.6) environment with the same name. This is intentional. If you want your base Anaconda to be python 3.6, the right way to do this is to install Anaconda for python 3.6. As a package manager, the goal of Anaconda is to make different environments encapsulated, hence why you must source activate into them and why you can't just quietly switch the base package at will as this could lead to many issues on production systems.

Change permanent
conda install python={version}
Change Temporarily
View your environments
run conda info --envs on your terminal window or an Anconda Prompt
If It doesn't show environment that you want to install
run conda create -n py36 python=3.6 anaconda for python 3.6 change version as your prefer
Activating an environment (use Anaconda prompt)
run activate envnme envnme you can find by this commandconda info --envs as a example when you run conda info --envs it show
base * C:\Users\DulangaHeshan\Anaconda3
py36 C:\Users\DulangaHeshan\Anaconda3\envs\py36
then run activate py36
to check run python --version
In Windows, it is good practice to deactivate one environment before activating another.
https://docs.conda.io/projects/conda/en/latest/user-guide/tasks/manage-environments.html?highlight=deactivate%20environment

If you want Anaconda Navigator to default to Virtual Env you created, go to file > Preference and select default conda env in drop down lint:
If you want Anaconda command automatically opens to virtual env without having to type activate envName, do this:
Right click on conda shortcut > go to properties and change the Target to something like this:
%windir%\System32\cmd.exe "/K" C:\Anaconda\Scripts\activate.bat C:\Anaconda\envs\p37
Optionally you can set your default working dir as well, like I did in snapshop below:
gl

On Windows, create a batch file with the following line in it:
start cmd /k "C:\Anaconda3\Scripts\activate.bat C:\Anaconda3 & activate env"
The first path contained in quotes is the path to the activate.bat file in the Anaconda installation. The path on your system might be different. The name following the activate command of course should be your desired environment name.
Then run the batch file when you need to open an Anaconda prompt.

Here is the solution I found for autoactivating my preferred environment on a Windows 10 system:
Open anaconda prompt & use 'conda env list' to find the location of the environment you wish to use.
Go to the start menu, right-click 'Anaconda Prompt' and go to file location.
Create a copy of this shortcut file
Open its properties & change the target to the location of your preferred environment.
Now every time you open anaconda prompt through this shortcut it will automatically load your chosen environment.

activate.py is hardcoded to emit conda activate base\n into your shell profile when you evaluate the shell hook produced by conda shell.zsh hook.
you can suppress this hardcoded "auto-activate base" via:
conda config --set auto_activate_base false
then, in ~/.zshrc, ~/.bashrc or wherever you source your shell profile from, you can append the following (after the conda shell hook) to explicitly activate the environment of your choosing:
conda activate py34

I wasn't satisfied with any of the answers presented here, since activating an environment takes a few seconds on my platform (for whatever reason)
I modified my path variable so that the environment I want as default has priority over the actual default.
In my case I used the following commands to accomplish that for the environment "py35":
setx PATH "%userprofile%\Anaconda3\envs\py35\;%PATH%"
setx PATH "%userprofile%\Anaconda3\envs\py35\Scripts;%PATH%"
to find out where your environment is stored, activate it and enter where python.
I'm not sure yet if this approach has any downsides. Since it also changes the default path of the conda executable. If that should be the case, please comment.

For Jupyter and Windows users, you can change the Target path in your Jupyter Notebook (anaconda3) shortcut from C:\Users\<YourUserName>\anaconda3 to C:\Users\<YourUserName>\anaconda3\envs\<YourEnvironmentName>
you could do the same thing for the Anaconda Prompt..etc.
After changing the path you can check your active environment by opening a terminal in Jupyter and run conda info --envs.

I got this when installing a library using anaconda. My version went from Python 3.* to 2.7 and a lot of my stuff stopped working.
The best solution I found was to first see the most recent version available:
conda search python
Then update to the version you want:
conda install python=3.*.*
Source: http://chris35wills.github.io/conda_python_version/
Other helpful commands:
conda info
python --version

Create a shortcut of anaconda prompt onto desktop or taskbar, and then in the properties of that shortcut make sure u modify the last path in "Target:" to the path of ur environment:
C:\Users\BenBouali\Anaconda3\ WILL CHANGE INTO
C:\Users\BenBouali\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow-gpu
preview
and this way u can use that shortcut to open a certain environment when clicking it, you can add it to ur path too and now you'll be able to run it from windows run box by just typing in the name of the shortcut.

Tried both source activate default_3_9 and source conda activate default_3_9
but worked conda activate default_3_9

I'm trying to update Anaconda in order to use Python 3.10.4 and then Spyder 5.3.2. Actually, I wanted to set the Python interpreter used by Pycharm inside the Spyder console but it required the newest Spyder version. I didn't try all the possible solutions (it's pending for me to use the window batch and modifying path solutions given here) but:
Since I couldn't update the Anaconda base due to the well-known error on the "Solving environment". Then Python and Spyder remain the same.
Creating a new env allows to get the last Python and then his newest Spyder version but it doesn't actualize the Anaconda shortcuts and even the Anaconda navigator if you set it to this new env still has some inconsistencies like keeping the older Spyder version in his menu.
Besides, on point 2, changing the shortcuts target path doesn't work for me.
Finally, I create a new shortcut of the Spyder file from the Scripts folder inside the environment directory ( C:\Users<userName>>\Anaconda3\envs<EnvName>\Scripts )
I couldn't use the default Anaconda shortcuts but I have what I wanted and quick access.