Changing which Python version pip points to

Question

I am using python2.7 and python3.5 on Ubuntu 16.04. After upgrading pip to v10 I am no longer able to install packages for python2.7 using pip.

How can I change pip to point to python2.7?

$ pip -V
pip 10.0.0 from /home/username/.local/lib/python3.5/site-packages/pip (python 3.5)

$ pip3 -V
pip 10.0.0 from /home/username/.local/lib/python3.5/site-packages/pip (python 3.5)

$ which python
/usr/bin/python

$ which python3
/usr/bin/python3

$ python -V
Python 2.7.12

$ python3 -V
Python 3.5.2

$ which pip
/usr/local/bin/pip

$ which pip3
/usr/local/bin/pip3

$ python3 -m pip install some_module
$ python -m pip install some_module

python/python3 -m pip install some_module both installs to python 3.5.

Using Anaconda is not an option.

There is no pip2. 'The program 'pip2' is currently not installed. You can install it by typing: sudo apt install python-pip.' — user6453877
– user6453877, Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 9:48
Potentially you can create that link yourself: sudo ln -s /home/username/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pip /usr/local/bin/pip2. — Tom de Geus
– Tom de Geus, Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 9:51
Both your pip and pip3 points to the same binary. You need to find pip (v2.7) exists and fix it using $PATH — Chen A.
– Chen A., Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 9:53
Possible duplicate of python3.6-venv hijacks pip. what is a way to prevent this? — phd
– phd, Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 14:33

sotmot · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-10 13:31:43Z

7

Had a very similar problem. Forced re-installation of pip caused pip to point back to python 2.7

sudo python -m pip install -U --force-reinstall pip

answered Mar 10, 2020 at 13:31

sotmot

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java-addict301 Dec 16, 2024 at 21:34

didn't work for me

TheGrimmScientist · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-20 21:18:18Z

1

On my system, I have a pip2 which points to the python you're looking for. For clarity, I just stopped using pip and only ever use pip2 or pip3. Not sure if this was a thing back when this question was asked, but looks to be the general solution now.

pip3 -V

pip 9.0.1 from /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages (python 3.6)

pip2 -V

pip 9.0.1 from /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages (python 2.7)

answered Mar 20, 2019 at 21:18

TheGrimmScientist

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DarmVillegas · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-14 09:34:13Z

0

The problem is that pip is not pointing to the correct python version. I tried installing python-pip package:

sudo apt-get install python-pip

Then, pip2 and pip2.7 came out available in my terminal again:

$pip [press tab tab]
pip     pip2    pip2.7  pip3    pip3.5

Now I upgraded pip2 with:

$pip2 install --upgrade pip
$pip2 -V
pip 20.0.2 from /home/diego/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/pip (python 2.7)

Currently with version 20.0.2 of pip2, that is now pointing to python2.7, it's available to install any package into the specific version we need.

answered Mar 14, 2020 at 9:34

DarmVillegas

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Blaszard · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-21 07:18:15Z

-1

In my case python points to 2.7 while py works to 3.6. You can check this by typing py in Terminal, and if so then

py -m pip install something

edited May 21, 2018 at 7:18

Blaszard

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answered Apr 15, 2018 at 12:46

Cristian

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1 Comment

phd Over a year ago

py doesn't work in an OS that has /usr/bin/python (Ubuntu).

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