When we are using any Python packages in command prompt then sometimes Windows shows that “PIP is not recognized as an external and internal command” errors. This issue occurs in Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and now Windows 11 too. When installing Python distribution make sure that python is added to the path variable.
What is PIP?
PIP is an acronym for pip installs packages. Python packages are essential for a Package management system written in Python used to install and manage software packages. All the users use pip install and manage python packages found in the python packages index. The latest version of Python is (python 3.10.0 and python 3.9.0) and its installs pip by default.
What Causes the “PIP is not recognized as an external and internal command” error?
We scrutinized this case by looking at the miscellaneous user reports and trying to imitate the issue on our computers.
There are some issues known to begin this specific error message.
PIP installation is not added to the system variable: when you have installed python from prompt then you require to configure the PIP path manually.
Wrong System path added: If you have installed numerous versions of python, which can involve the installation path, In this, we modify it manually.
If you are not nowadays attempting to determine this particular error message that controls you from using the python command in CMD, then you should check my article.
Method 1: Checking If PIP is added to Path Variable
Firstly if you don’t know PIP installation is added to your path variable. Then you should first find it by helping it with some specific command at a CMD prompt.
Using the following steps you should to check the PIP installation is added to your path variables.
- Firstly, press the button Windows + R to open the Run dialog box. After that type cmd and press Enter button to open Command Prompt.
- Inside the Command Prompt Window, type echo %PATH% and Press Enter Button to go tilting all locations and to the Path Variables
- If you compose to find an equivalent path to C:/Python310/Scripts, it means that the installation path is added to your Path Variables.
If you did not find the Path of the PIP installation using the above you should follow the next method to resolve “PIP is not recognized as an external and internal command”.
Method 2: Adding PIP to the Windows Environments variable to cmd:
The simple ways to add PIP path variable via command prompt, this method you have only use when you know the correct path of PIP or Python installation directory. You should follow the following steps.
setx PATH “%PATH%;C:\Python38-32\Scripts;C:\Python38-32”
Method 3: Added to the PIP Windows Environment Variable using GUI
Here are the step-by-step process to add PIP to Windows Environment Variable.
Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the dialog tab. After that type “sysdm.cpl” and press enter button to open System Properties.
Step 2: Inside the System Properties go to the Advanced tab and then click on the
Environment Variables.
Step 3: Now, open the Environment Variables display, go to System Variables then click on the Path to choose it. And with the selected path click the Edit button.
Step 4: When you open the Edit Environment Variables screen then click the New button to add the Path where the PIP installation is located.
For Python’s latest version 3.10, the default location is C:/Python310/Scripts.
Step 5: Once the path is added then open the new command(CMD) window and try to install python packages that come with PIP.
When you follow these steps rightly then no longer see the “PIP is not recognized as an external and internal command” error.
Method 4: Opening the Python Packages without adding the PIP Variables
If you want to install Python Packages without using PIP to the Path Environment Variables.
Then you should use different commands to install Packages in CMD without using PIP variables.
- Press Windows Key + R to open up a Run dialog box. Then type “cmd” and press the Enter button to open the Command Prompt terminal.
- Then type the following commands and make certain to modify the placeholder to your own package’s name.
Type this in the command Prompt “-m pip install [packagename]” and press the Enter button.
Change [Packagename] with the name of the package you are trying to install in your Windows.
Last Remark
You can easily resolve the “PIP is not recognized as an external and internal command” error with the help of the above-proven techniques. Kindly follow the given solution in the step by step manner to fix the issue. Thanks for reading this article. I hope you like it and find it useful.