Python Software Foundation just released Python in Microsoft store. Users with Windows 10 update 1903 can install Python directly from the Microsoft store. There is no longer any need to manually download Python from the official website and go through a lengthy wizard to install Python.
Follow the below steps to install Python from Microsoft Store.
Install Python from Microsoft Store
Microsoft made it quite easy to install Python on Windows 10. In fact, you don’t even have to search for Python on Microsoft store.
1. First, open the command prompt by searching for it in the start menu.
2. In the command prompt window, type python and press Enter.
3. In older versions of Windows, you will receive a “command not recognized” error. However, in v1903 you will be directly taken to the Python store page. In the Store page, click on the Get button.
4. As soon as you click on the button, Windows 10 will download and install Python.
5. After installing, Python IDLE will open automatically.
6. Of course, Python installed via Microsoft Store is automatically added to Windows Path. This allows you to use Python in Command Prompt or PowerShell by simply typing python. This is especially helpful to run your own scripts.
Current Limitations of Python Installed via Microsoft Store
- Now, as good as it is to install Python from Microsoft store, there are few limitations. These limitations will be rectified or removed as Python devs get more data and work on the Store release. Some of the limitations include but not limited to:
- The Microsoft Store package is currently considered unstable while its interactions with other tools and other copies of Python are evaluated. While Python itself is stable, this installation method may change its behavior and capabilities during Python 3.7 releases.
- The Microsoft Store package is an easily installable Python interpreter that is intended mainly for interactive use, for example, by students.
- To install the package, ensure you have the latest Windows 10 updates and search the Microsoft Store app for “Python 3.7”. Ensure that the app you select is published by the Python Software Foundation, and install it.
- After installation, Python may be launched by finding it in Start. Alternatively, it will be available from any Command Prompt or PowerShell session by typing python. Further, pip and IDLE may be used by typing pip or idle. IDLE can also be found in Start.
- All three commands are also available with version number suffixes, for example, as python3.exe and python3.x.exe as well as python.exe (where 3.x is the specific version you want to launch, such as 3.7).
- Virtual environments can be created with python -m venv and activated and used as normal.
- If you have installed another version of Python and added it to your PATH variable, it will be available as python.exe rather than the one from the Microsoft Store. To access the new installation, use python3.exe or python3.x.exe.
- To remove Python, open Settings and use Apps and Features, or else find Python in Start and right-click to select Uninstall. Uninstalling will remove all packages you installed directly into this Python installation, but will not remove any virtual environments
That is it.
