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How to Install Python on Windows

How to Install Python on Windows
Awais Khan
Technical writer
Python Windows
01.10.2024
Reading time: 6 min

Python is one of the most talked-about programming languages today, widely used by developers and administrators alike. This language is found everywhere. Even for those who are not software engineers, it is important to understand how to install Python on Windows and start using it. 

This article will walk users through the entire process of installing Python on Windows. Let’s dive in and explore it together.

Introduction to Python

Python is a robust, high-level, interpreted programming language that makes the code readability easy and simple. Its syntax allows developers to express their concepts in fewer lines of code unlike other languages, such as Java or C++. Python also supports multiple programming methods, like object-oriented, functional programming or procedural. This makes it an ideal choice for the programmer to do various types of projects with ease. 

Downloading Python for Windows

To perform Python installation on Windows, first download the installer file from the official website using the following steps:

Step 1: Navigate to the Python Download Page

  1. Open any browser on the Windows system. 

  2. Then, visit the official Python download page.

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Step 2: Download Python

  1. Click on the “Download Python” button to download the latest version of Python for Windows.

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  1. The users can also scroll down and select the desired Python version to download on their Windows systems. 

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After completing these steps, an .exe file will be downloaded. This file is the main installer for Python. The whole process is often referred to as a Python language download.

Running the Python Installer

After downloading the installer, follow these steps to install Python from the file:

Step 1: Run the Installer File

  1. Locate the downloaded installer file (.exe), usually found in the Downloads folder. 

  2. After finding the installer file, simply double-click on it to run it. 

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Step 2: Complete the Installation

  1. In the installer window, check the box that says “Add python.exe to PATH” to make it easier to run Python from the command line. 

  2. To make sure the installation has the necessary permissions, also check the box that suggests “Use admin privileges when installing py.exe”. 

  3. Once done, click the “Install Now” button to begin the installation. 

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Step 3 (Optional): Customize the Installation

  1. Users can customize the Python setup for Windows by selecting the “Customize installation” option. Doing this allows them to tailor the installation process to their specific needs.

  2. Go with all features, including the one with the install py launcher to make it easier to start Python. 

  3. Click “Next” after making the desired selections.

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  1. In the Advanced Options, users can check the boxes to download debugging symbols and binaries. This is useful for developers who need to debug their Python applications. 

  2. Apart from that, a different location can also be selected for Python. 

  3. Once done, click the “Install” button.

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Step 4: Wait for Installation

  1. Wait for the installation to complete, since it might take a few minutes.

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Verifying the Installation

Once the installation is complete, verify that Python is installed correctly by following these steps:

  1. Open Command Prompt from the Start Menu by simply searching for “cmd” in the search box.

  2. In the window of the Command Prompt, enter the following command:

python --version
  1. After executing the command, the user will see the version of the Python that was installed on the system. 

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If the above steps have been followed carefully, the user will be able to use Python on Windows without any issues.

If an error message appears, it means that Python was not installed correctly. This may occur if the user forgets to check the box that says “Add python.exe to PATH”. If this happens, an additional method, “Setting Up Python in Windows PATH” must be followed which is given below. 

Setting Up Python in Windows PATH

To set up Python in Windows PATH manually, follow the steps provide below:

Step 1: Run Environment Variables

  1. From the Start Menu, search for “Environment Variables”. 

  2. Then click on the “Edit the system environment variables” option:

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  1. This will open the System Properties Advanced tab:

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Step 2: Open Environment Variables Window

In the System Properties Advanced tab, click on the “Environment Variables” button.

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Step 3: Locate the Path Variable

In the Environment Variables window, navigate to the “Path” variable in the “System variables” section and select it.

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Step 4: Edit the Path Variable

  1. Double-click on the Path option or select the Path option, click on “Edit” to open the Edit environment variables window. 

  2. Once done, simply select the “New” button to add a new entry.

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Step 5: Add Python Installation Directory

  1. In the New entry box, enter the path to the Python installation directory. For example “C:\Users\personal_username\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\”. 

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  1. Once done, click the “OK” button to save the changes.

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Use the “where python” command on Command Prompt to know where is Python installed on the system.

Testing the Python Installation

To ensure the system completes the Python programming setup, let’s run a simple test.

Open Command Prompt from the Start Menu. Enter the following command to run Python interactive shell:

python

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At the interactive shell, the user can now type Python commands or execute codes to see the output.

Bonus Tips on Python Installation for Windows

The following are some additional tips that can be useful during the installation process:

  1. For an instant Python download, the users can use Microsoft Store to quickly install the InstantPython tool. This tool allows them to develop and execute simple Python programs.

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  1. If the command python3 doesn't work on Windows, it is likely due to the way Python is installed and configured on the system. The simple solution is to move to the Python installation directory and rename the python.exe file to python3.exe. This will fix the issue, and the user will be able to run the python3 command.

  2. For users who prefer using PowerShell, the process to download python or python3 for Windows powershell is straightforward. Simply open the PowerShell as administrator and use the following command:

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.12.6/python-3.12.6-amd64.exe" -OutFile "python-3.12.6-amd64.exe"

Summary

Python installation on Windows is a straightforward process that opens up a world of programming possibilities. By following the steps provided in this guide, users can ensure that Python is installed correctly and ready to use. Whether developing web applications, exploring AI, or analyzing data, Python is a must on Windows to enhance productivity and capabilities. If you want to build a web service using Python, you can rent a cloud server at competitive prices with Hostman.

Python Windows
01.10.2024
Reading time: 6 min

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Python Static Method

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Let’s proceed to the hands-on Python static method examples. Example #1 Imagine that we have a MathUtils class that contains a static method for calculating the factorial: class MathUtils: @staticmethod def factorial(n): if n == 0: return 1 else: return n * MathUtils.factorial(n-1) Next, let's enter: print(MathUtils.factorial(5))120 We get the factorial of 5, which is 120. Here, the factorial static method does not use any attributes of the class instance, only the input argument n. And we called it using the MathUtils.factorial(n) syntax without creating an instance of the MathUtils class. In Python, static methods apply not only in classes but also in modules and packages. The @staticmethod decorator marks a function you define inside a class if it does not interact with instance-specific data. The function exists on its own; it is related to the class logically but is independent of its internal state. Managed solution for Backend development Example #2 Let's say we're working with a StringUtils module with a static method for checking if a string is a palindrome. The code will be: def is_palindrome(string):    return string == string[::-1] This function doesn't rely on any instance-specific data — it simply performs a check on the input. That makes it a good candidate for a static method. To organize it within a class and signal that it doesn't depend on the class state, we can use the @staticmethod decorator like this: class StringUtils:    @staticmethod    def is_palindrome(string):       return string == string[::-1] Let's enter for verification: print(StringUtils.is_palindrome("deed"))True print(StringUtils.is_palindrome("deer"))False That's correct, the first word is a palindrome, so the interpreter outputs True, but the second word is not, and we get False. 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16 April 2025 · 6 min to read
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Input in Python

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08 April 2025 · 6 min to read
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Operators in Python

Python operators are tools used to perform various actions with variables, as well as numerical and other values called operands—objects on which operations are performed. There are several types of Python operators: Arithmetic Comparison Assignment Identity Membership Logical Bitwise This article will examine each of them in detail and provide examples. Arithmetic Operators For addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, we use the Python operators +, -, *, and / respectively: >>> 24 + 28 52 >>> 24 - 28 -4 >>> 24 * 28 672 >>> 24 / 28 0.8571428571428571 For exponentiation, ** is used: >>> 5 ** 2 25 >>> 5 ** 3 125 >>> 5 ** 4 625 For floor division (integer division without remainder), // is used: >>> 61 // 12 5 >>> 52 // 22 2 >>> 75 // 3 25 >>> 77 // 3 25 The % operator returns the remainder (modulo division): >>> 62 % 6 2 >>> 65 % 9 2 >>> 48 % 5 3 >>> 48 % 12 0 Comparison Operators Python has six comparison operators: >, <, >=, <=, ==, !=. Note that equality in Python is written as ==, because a single = is used for assignment. The != operator is used for "not equal to." When comparing values, Python will return True or False depending on whether the expressions are true or false. >>> 26 > 58 False >>> 26 < 58 True >>> 26 >= 26 True >>> 58 <= 57 False >>> 50 == 50 True >>> 50 != 50 False >>> 50 != 51 True Assignment Operators A single = is used for assigning values to variables: >>> b = 5 >>> variants = 20 Python also provides convenient shorthand operators that combine arithmetic operations with assignment: +=, -=, *=, /=, //=, %=. For example: >>> cars = 5 >>> cars += 7 >>> cars 12 This is equivalent to: >>> cars = cars + 7 >>> cars 12 The first version is more compact. Other assignment operators work similarly: >>> train = 11 >>> train -= 2 >>> train 9 >>> moto = 3 >>> moto *= 7 >>> moto 21 >>> plain = 8 >>> plain /= 4 >>> plain 2.0 Notice that in the last case, the result is a floating-point number (float), not an integer (int). Identity Operators Python has two identity operators: is and is not. The results are True or False, similar to comparison operators. >>> 55 is 55 True >>> 55 is 56 False >>> 55 is not 55 False >>> 55 is not 56 True >>> 55 is '55' False >>> '55' is "55" True In the last two examples: 55 is '55' returned False because an integer and a string were compared. '55' is "55" returned True because both operands are strings. Python does not differentiate between single and double quotes, so the identity check was successful. Membership Operators There are only two membership operators in Python: in and not in. They check whether a certain value exists within a sequence. For example: >>> wordlist = ('assistant', 'streetcar', 'fraudster', 'dancer', 'heat', 'blank', 'compass', 'commerce', 'judgment', 'approach') >>> 'house' in wordlist False >>> 'assistant' in wordlist True >>> 'assistant' and 'streetcar' in wordlist True In the last case, a logical operator (and) was used, which leads us to the next topic. Logical Operators Python has three logical operators: and, or, and not. and returns True only if all operands are true. It can process any number of values. Using an example from the previous section: >>> wordlist = ('assistant', 'streetcar', 'fraudster', 'dancer', 'heat', 'blank', 'compass', 'commerce', 'judgment', 'approach') >>> 'assistant' and 'streetcar' in wordlist True >>> 'fraudster' and 'dancer' and 'heat' and 'blank' in wordlist True >>> 'fraudster' and 'dancer' and 'heat' and 'blank' and 'house' in wordlist False Since 'house' is not in the sequence, the result is False. These operations also work with numerical values: >>> numbers = 54 > 55 and 22 > 21 >>> print(numbers) False One of the expressions is false, and and requires all conditions to be true. or works differently: it returns True if at least one operand is true. If we replace and with or in the previous example, we get: >>> numbers = 54 > 55 or 22 > 21 >>> print(numbers) True Here, 22 > 21 is true, so the overall expression evaluates to True, even though 54 > 55 is false. not reverses logical values: >>> first = True >>> second = False >>> print(not first) False >>> print(not second) True As seen in the example, not flips True to False and vice versa. Bitwise Operators Bitwise operators are used in Python to manipulate objects at the bit level. There are five of them (shift operators belong to the same type, as they differ only in shift direction): & (AND) | (OR) ^ (XOR) ~ (NOT) << and >> (shift operators) Bitwise operators are based on Boolean logic principles and work as follows: & (AND) returns 1 if both operands contain 1; otherwise, it returns 0: >>> 1 & 1 1 >>> 1 & 0 0 >>> 0 & 1 0 >>> 0 & 0 0 | (OR) returns 1 if at least one operand contains 1, otherwise 0: >>> 1 | 1 1 >>> 1 | 0 1 >>> 0 | 1 1 >>> 0 | 0 0 ^ (XOR) returns 1 if the operands are different and 0 if they are the same: >>> 1 ^ 1 0 >>> 1 ^ 0 1 >>> 0 ^ 1 1 >>> 0 ^ 0 0 ~ (NOT) inverts bits, turning positive values into negative ones with a shift of one: >>> ~5 -6 >>> ~-5 4 >>> ~7 -8 >>> ~-7 6 >>> ~9 -10 >>> ~-9 8 << and >> shift bits by a specified number of positions: >>> 1 << 1 2 >>> 1 >> 1 0 To understand shifts, let’s break down values into bits: 0 = 00 1 = 01 2 = 10 Shifting 1 left by one bit gives 2, while shifting right results in 0. What happens if we shift by two positions? >>> 1 << 2 4 >>> 1 >> 2 0 1 = 001 2 = 010 4 = 100 Shifting 1 two places to the left results in 4 (100 in binary). Shifting right always results in zero because bits are discarded. For more details, refer to our article on bitwise operators. Difference Between Operators and Functions You may have noticed that we have included no functions in this overview. The confusion between operators and functions arises because both perform similar actions—transforming objects. However: Functions are broader and can operate on strings, entire blocks of code, and more. Operators work only with individual values and variables. In Python, a function can consist of a block of operators, but operators can never contain functions.
08 April 2025 · 6 min to read

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