Installing Python via Anaconda

A Step by Step Guide for Windows, Linux, and macOS

Author

Prosper Ayinebyona

Published

April 13, 2026

1 Introduction

Anaconda is a free, open-source distribution of Python (and R) designed for scientific computing, data science, and machine learning. It simplifies package management and deployment by bundling Python with over 300 popular data science libraries (such as NumPy, pandas, and Jupyter Notebook) and the powerful conda package manager.

Why use Anaconda?

  • Comes pre-installed with essential data science libraries
  • Includes the conda environment manager to isolate project dependencies
  • Ships with Jupyter Notebook and JupyterLab for interactive computing
  • Available on Windows, Linux, and macOS

2 System Requirements

Before installing, make sure your system meets the minimum requirements:

Requirement Minimum
Operating System Windows 8+, macOS 10.13+, Linux (glibc 2.17+)
Architecture 64-bit (x86_64 or ARM)
Disk Space ~3 GB free
RAM 4 GB (8 GB recommended)
Internet Required for download

3 Downloading Anaconda

3.1 Where to Download

Visit the official Anaconda download page:

🔗 https://www.anaconda.com/download

Tip

Always download Anaconda from the official website to ensure you get the latest, safe version.

You will be prompted to enter your email address, or you can skip directly to the installer links for your operating system.

4 Installation on Windows

4.1 Step 1: Download the Installer

  1. Go to https://www.anaconda.com/download
  2. Click on the Windows tab (if not already selected)
  3. Click Download to get the .exe installer (64-bit recommended)

4.2 Step 2: Run the Installer

  1. Locate the downloaded file (e.g., Anaconda3-2024.xx-Windows-x86_64.exe)
  2. Double-click the file to launch the Setup Wizard
  3. Click Next to begin

4.3 Step 3: Accept the License Agreement

  • Read the license terms
  • Click I Agree to continue

4.4 Step 4: Choose Installation Type

Select one of:

  • Just Me (Recommended) — installs for the current user only
  • All Users — requires administrator privileges

Click Next.

4.5 Step 5: Choose Install Location

  • The default path is usually C:\Users\<YourName>\anaconda3
  • You may change it, but avoid paths with spaces
  • Click Next

4.6 Step 6: Advanced Installation Options

Warning

Do not check “Add Anaconda3 to my PATH environment variable” unless you know what you are doing — it can conflict with other Python installations.

  • ✅ Check “Register Anaconda3 as my default Python” (recommended)
  • Click Install

4.7 Step 7: Complete Installation

  • Wait for the installation to finish (this may take a few minutes)
  • Click Next, then Finish

4.8 Step 8: Verify the Installation

Open Anaconda Prompt from the Start Menu and run:

conda --version
python --version

You should see output like:

conda 24.x.x
Python 3.xx.x

5 Installation on macOS

5.1 Step 1: Download the Installer

  1. Go to https://www.anaconda.com/download
  2. Click the macOS tab
  3. Choose:
    • Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) — for newer Macs with ARM chips
    • Intel x86 — for older Macs with Intel processors
  4. Click Download to get the .pkg installer
Note

Not sure which chip your Mac has? Click the Apple menu → About This Mac and check the Processor field.

5.2 Step 2: Run the Installer

  1. Open the downloaded .pkg file
  2. Follow the on-screen instructions in the Install Wizard
  3. Click Continue through the Introduction, Read Me, and License screens
  4. Click Agree to accept the license

5.3 Step 3: Select Install Destination

  • Choose Install for me only (recommended)
  • Click Continue, then Install
  • Enter your macOS password if prompted

5.4 Step 4: Complete Installation

  • Click Close when installation finishes
  • Optionally, move the installer to Trash

5.5 Step 5: Verify the Installation

Open Terminal (from Applications → Utilities) and run:

conda --version
python --version

5.5.1 Optional: Initialize conda for your shell

If conda is not found, initialize it:

~/anaconda3/bin/conda init zsh      # for zsh (default on modern macOS)
~/anaconda3/bin/conda init bash     # for bash

Then restart your terminal and try again.

6 Installation on Linux

6.1 Step 1: Download the Installer

  1. Go to https://www.anaconda.com/download
  2. Click the Linux tab
  3. Click Download to get the .sh shell script installer

Alternatively, download directly from the terminal using wget or curl:

# Using wget (replace filename with the current version)
wget https://repo.anaconda.com/archive/Anaconda3-2024.06-1-Linux-x86_64.sh

# Or using curl
curl -O https://repo.anaconda.com/archive/Anaconda3-2024.06-1-Linux-x86_64.sh
Tip

Check the Anaconda archive for the latest .sh filename.

6.3 Step 3: Run the Installer

Make the script executable and run it:

bash Anaconda3-2024.06-1-Linux-x86_64.sh

6.4 Step 4: Review the License Agreement

  • Press Enter to scroll through the license
  • Type yes and press Enter to accept

6.5 Step 5: Choose Install Location

  • The default location is ~/anaconda3
  • Press Enter to confirm, or type a custom path

6.6 Step 6: Initialize Conda

When prompted:

Do you wish the installer to initialize Anaconda3 by running conda init? [yes|no]

Type yes and press Enter.

Note

This adds conda initialization to your ~/.bashrc (or ~/.zshrc) so it is available in every new terminal session.

6.7 Step 7: Apply Changes

Close and reopen your terminal, or run:

source ~/.bashrc    # for bash
source ~/.zshrc     # for zsh

6.8 Step 8: Verify the Installation

conda --version
python --version

7 Post Installation Setup

7.1 Launch Anaconda Navigator (GUI)

Anaconda Navigator is a graphical interface to manage environments and launch tools like Jupyter Notebook.

anaconda-navigator

Or find it in your applications menu (Windows/macOS).

7.2 Launch Jupyter Notebook

jupyter notebook

7.3 Update Conda

After installation, it is good practice to update conda:

conda update -n base -c defaults conda

7.4 Create a Virtual Environment

Isolate project dependencies using conda environments:

# Create a new environment named "myenv" with Python 3.11
conda create -n myenv python=3.11

# Activate the environment
conda activate myenv

# Install packages
conda install numpy pandas matplotlib

# Deactivate when done
conda deactivate

8 Troubleshooting

8.1 conda command not found

Re-initialize conda for your shell:

# Locate your Anaconda installation, then:
~/anaconda3/bin/conda init bash    # or zsh, fish, etc.
source ~/.bashrc

8.2 Permission Errors on Linux/macOS

Avoid using sudo with conda. If you encounter permission errors, check that the installation directory is owned by your user:

ls -la ~/anaconda3

8.3 Slow Package Installation

Use the libmamba solver for faster dependency resolution:

conda install -n base conda-libmamba-solver
conda config --set solver libmamba

8.4 Conflicts Between System Python and Anaconda

On macOS/Linux, the system may have a pre-installed Python. To ensure you are using Anaconda’s Python:

which python
# Should output something like: /home/user/anaconda3/bin/python

9 Uninstalling Anaconda

9.1 Windows

  1. Open Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a Program
  2. Select Anaconda3 and click Uninstall

Or use the Anaconda-provided uninstaller from the Start Menu.

9.2 macOS

conda install anaconda-clean
anaconda-clean --yes
rm -rf ~/anaconda3

Remove any conda initialization lines from ~/.zshrc or ~/.bash_profile.

9.3 Linux

conda install anaconda-clean
anaconda-clean --yes
rm -rf ~/anaconda3

Remove conda initialization lines from ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc.

10 Additional Resources

Resource Link
Official Anaconda Docs https://docs.anaconda.com
Miniconda (lightweight alternative) https://docs.conda.io/en/latest/miniconda.html
Prefer a lighter install?

Miniconda is a minimal version of Anaconda that includes only conda and Python. You can then install only the packages you need. It is ideal if disk space is limited.

11 Summary

OS Installer Type Key Step
Windows .exe GUI wizard Run as user; avoid adding to PATH manually
macOS .pkg GUI wizard Choose correct chip (Apple Silicon vs Intel)
Linux .sh bash script Run with bash, accept conda init

You are now ready to use Python with Anaconda!

Start by launching Jupyter Notebook or the Anaconda Navigator to explore your new environment.

12 Next Steps

Now that you’ve installed Python and Anaconda, You’re ready to start writing your own code. Continue with guide Your First Steps in Python, prepared by the same author, to start you python programming journey