Windows cannot find python

Python Help
1

Hi!
I installed Python, checked Add PATH and run installation as admin at install, it worked just fine but when i tried to use jupyter to save a notebook Visual Code Studio didnt recognize jupyter. I checked inside the command prompt running python --version and the output is:

C:\Users\i7>python --version
'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Users\i7>

I ve been setting up PATH’s in system environment both in user and system with:

C:\Program Files\Python314
C:\Program Files\Python314\Scripts

Also i tryed to switch both on/off in app execution aliases for python.exe and python3.exe as i understood from a online tutorial and is still not recognizing python.
Currently i have both paths added:

C:\Program Files\Python314\
C:\Program Files\Python314\Scripts\

and
C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python314
which holds only a “Lib” folder, and is still not working. Neither with only first 2 paths added neither with only the last one (the AppData) one, neither with all 3.

Here is ‘echo %PATH%’ output:

C:\Users\i7>echo %PATH%
C:\Program Files\Python314\;C:\Program Files\Python314\Scripts\;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python314\;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python314\Scripts\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Bitvise SSH Client;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files\Python314;C:\Program Files\Python314\Scripts;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python314\;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python314\Scripts\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Bitvise SSH Client;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\GitHubDesktop\bin;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages\Gyan.FFmpeg_Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe\ffmpeg-8.1-full_build\bin;

C:\Users\i7>

Can you help me fix this problem?
Thank you!

2

I’m going from memory here but isn’t the default install path on Windows C:\Python314?

Where is python.exe on your computer?

3

python.exe is in:
C:\Program Files\Python314\python.exe

4

Hmm that’s weird. It should work then…

5

You have to clean up the PATH env var, because there’s a lot of dupes.

Furthermore, have you tried to run

"C:\Program Files\Python314\python.exe"

? If it works, leave it as the LAST path and remove the other ones.

6

I tried as you said it aint working

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.26200.8117]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\i7>python
'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Users\i7>echo %PATH%
C:\Program Files\Python314\;C:\Program Files\Python314\Scripts\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Bitvise SSH Client;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files\Python314\;C:\Program Files\Python314\Scripts\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Bitvise SSH Client;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\GitHubDesktop\bin;C:\Users\i7\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages\Gyan.FFmpeg_Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe\ffmpeg-8.1-full_build\bin;

C:\Users\i7>

Via GUI as you adviced me there are no dupes, in echo %PATH% in command prompt it seems to be some dupes i am not sure. That is the output in command prompt.

7

Can you try typing py instead.

If that does not work, if you follow the link provided, one user found a fix that worked for them. It is the following:

python_env
python_env683×495 117 KB

8

Apart the suggestion of Paul, that should work on Windows if you installed pylauncher. What I said to you is to run this command on cmd, the command prompt:

"C:\Program Files\Python314\python.exe"

If it works, try adjusting your system and user env vars as I said before: remove dupes, put C:\Program Files\Python314\ and the Script dir as LAST entries.
I don’t know what version of Windows you have. In Windows 11, you can access them from Settings and search “env”. Take a google :slight_smile:

?_? Never said to check the GUI – I suppose it’s VS Code. Anyway, you didn’t post the output.

9

Done that, it does not work. I’ve checked all the install options from first panel and from advanced. Is not working. Do i need to set system environment variables using “Apply”? because “Apply” button is unclickable. I only can do “OK” when adding PATHS. They are persistent although.

10

I managed to install Python 3.12, is working with python.exe from different directory than Python installation where python.exe is running, but is not working simply with “python”.

C:\Users\i7>python
'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\Users\i7>python.exe
Python 3.12.10 (tags/v3.12.10:0cc8128, Apr  8 2025, 12:21:36) [MSC v.1943 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> quit
11

Have you managed to delete the PATHEXT environment variable? That’s what’s supposed to say which suffixes can be executed without including them.

12

Solved!
Reinstalled Windows 11 + Python 12.
Thank’s.