How to install pip packages to specific Python version?

Question

I have Python 3.7 and Python 3.6. How to I chose to which version of Python I want my PIP packages?

Possible duplicate of [pip: dealing with multiple Python versions?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2812520/pip-dealing-with-multiple-python-versions) — Sarah Strand, Aug 15 '18 at 21:49

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 15 '18 at 21:54

7

On Linux the @jwodder answer is fine, but on Windows use the Python Launcher, which is normally installed by default. You specify the version of Python to launch as -X.Y, e.g.:

py -3.6 -m pip install ...

answered Aug 15 '18 at 21:54

Mark Tolonen

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score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 15 '18 at 21:50

You use the version of pip that corresponds to the desired Python version. The most universally effective way is to run pythonX.Y -m pip install ..., where X.Y is replaced with the Python version number, though running just pipX.Y install ... may also work under some circumstances.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 15 '18 at 21:50

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use python -m pip where python is the version of python you want to install to

answered Aug 15 '18 at 21:50

Sarah Strand

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score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Feb 28 '20 at 02:40

I would suggest to use the newer and (now) recommended way of installing Python application dependencies: pipenv. You can consider pipenv to be the better pip (pip + virtualenv handling + proper depedency management). Using pipenv you create a Pipfile and you can specify the exact python_version you want to use in that file. Since I started using pipenv in my projects most headaches I had previously with Python dependency and version management are gone.

How to install pip packages to specific Python version?

4 Answers4