There are several ways to install and manage Python on Windows 10. One method involves obtaining Python from the Python Software Foundation website.

❗ Both Python 3.8.1 and the maintenance release Python 3.7.6 were released on 18 December 2019. You can install either version but I recommend opting for Python 3.8.1 since it constitutes the default download release version.

⚠️ The installation is simple but involves clicking a checkbox during the installation process that ensures the Python environment variables are added to the PATH variable. Clicking the checkbox is a critically important step; failure to configure the install process properly will require manually adding the environment variables (not fun) or deleting the Python install and starting over.

Next to the Start button, enter "PowerShell" in the search box. This will surface the Windows PowerShell app. Click "Open" to start the shell (you can also run it as Administrator).

At the prompt, type python --version and then press Enter.

💡 Windows users invoke Python by typing python not python3.

PS C:\Users\arwhyte> python --version
Python 3.7.4

If Python version 3.7.4 or above is returned, you have the right version of Python installed on your machine. Proceed no further and exit this install guide.

💡 If you are running an earlier version of Python 3 you can remove it by searching for "Settings" in the search box on the taskbar. Open the Settings app, then click on "Apps". Scroll down the list of installed apps and when you reach Python, click on it and then click the "Uninstall" button.

The more likely scenario is that no version information is returned. No problem, installing Python 3 is not difficult.

💡 To close a PowerShell session type 'exit' at the prompt and then press the Return key.

Visit the Python Software Foundation website (my choice). Hover over "Downloads" on the blue menu bar. Your Windows 10 operating system version should have been detected on the page load and the link to the Python 3.8.x release package displayed as a grey button. Click the grey button to download the install package.

Windows 10 will ask "What do you want to do with python-3.8.1.exe (25.2 MB)?" Click the grey Save button.

Once the Python installer *.exe file is downloaded click the grey "Open folder" button. Then double-click the Python installer *.exe file icon to start the install process.

⚠️ Before clicking the "Install Now" box you MUST click the checkbox "Add Python 3.8 to PATH". Selecting this option ensures that the necessary Python environment variables are added during the installation process.

Adding Python to the PATH variable ensures that you can call python directly from the PowerShell or Command Prompt. If you fail to click the checkbox you (or likely your friendly instructor or GSI) will need to set your Python environment variables manually. Manually adding Windows environment variables is tedious work.

Do this:

1. click the "Add Python 3.8 to PATH" checkbox
2. click "Install Now"
3. click the "Yes" button to allow the installer to make changes to the system.

At the end of the installation process you have the option to disable the 260 max character path length limit. I opted to disable it.

Once installed return to PowerShell and type "exit" and then press Enter to close the app. Restart PowerShell and confirm that Python 3 has been installed successfully.

PS C:\users\arwhyte> python --version
Python 3.8.1

Then at the prompt type python and press Enter to start the Python Interpreter. Issue the following print() statement:

PS C:\users\arwhyte> python

>>> print('I just installed Python 3 on my laptop.')
I just installed Python 3 on my laptop.

💡 You can also start and run the Python Interpreter using the Command Prompt app (cmd).

The Windows Python installer also installs Python's Integrated Development and Learning Environment (IDLE). The IDLE app provides a multi-window text editor, interactive shell window, search/replace, and debugger. It is one of several text editors that you can use to write and test Python code. To learn more about IDLE see https://docs.python.org/3/library/idle.html.

I recommend that instead of using IDLE you download, install, and use Microsoft's popular (and free) Visual Studio Code. See the companion tutorial Windows 10: Installing Visual Studio Code for installation instructions.

There are of course other solutions that you can choose. A few of the more popular apps include:

• Brackets,
• Sublime Text or
• PyCharm interactive development environment (IDE) [note: you must apply to JetBrain's for a free student license]

That said, VS Code is all the rage these days and I suggest that you try it out.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.