Why Can’t I Find pip in CMD After Installing Python? Troubleshooting Guide

After successfully installing Python, many users often encounter an issue where they cannot find pip in their CMD (Command Prompt) window. pip, the package installer for Python, is a crucial tool for managing and installing Python packages. However, there are several reasons why pip might not be accessible in CMD, and this blog post aims to provide a troubleshooting guide to help you resolve this issue.

1. Ensuring pip Is Installed

Before we begin troubleshooting, let’s first ensure that pip is indeed installed. Most modern Python installations include pip by default. You can verify this by opening a CMD window and running the following command:

bashpython -m pip --version

Or, if you’re using Python 3:
bashpython3 -m pip --version

If pip is installed, you’ll see the installed version displayed in the output. If not, you may need to install pip separately.
2. Checking the PATH Variable
If pip is installed but not accessible in CMD, the most common reason is that the Python installation directory is not included in your system’s PATH environment variable. The PATH variable tells the command prompt where to find executable files.
To add Python to your PATH, you can follow these steps:

Open the Control Panel and search for “Environment Variables.”
Click on “Edit the system environment variables.”
In the System Properties window, click on the “Environment Variables” button.
Under the “System variables” section, find the “Path” variable and click on “Edit.”
Click on “New” and add the path to your Python installation directory (e.g., C:\Python39\ or C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\). If pip is also installed separately, you might need to add the path to the Scripts directory within your Python installation directory (e.g., C:\Python39\Scripts\ or C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Scripts\).
Click “OK” to save the changes.

After adding Python to your PATH, open a new CMD window and try running pip --version again.
3. Using the Full Path to pip
If adding Python to the PATH doesn’t work, you can still use pip by providing its full path in CMD. For example, if pip is installed in C:\Python39\Scripts\, you can run the following command:
bashC:\Python39\Scripts\pip --version

However, using the full path is not as convenient as having pip accessible directly in CMD.
4. Installing pip Separately
If pip is not bundled with your Python installation, you may need to install it separately. You can use the get-pip.py script mentioned earlier in this post to install pip. However, please note that most modern Python installations include pip by default, so this step is usually unnecessary.
5. Checking for Multiple Python Installations
If you have multiple Python installations on your system, it’s possible that pip is installed for one version but not for another. Ensure that you’re using the correct version of Python and pip by specifying the full path or using the appropriate version command (e.g., python3 instead of python for Python 3).
Conclusion
Not being able to find pip in CMD after installing Python can be frustrating, but it’s often a simple issue to resolve. By following the troubleshooting steps outlined in this post, you should be able to get pip working properly in CMD. Remember to check if pip is installed, add Python to your PATH, use the full path to pip if necessary, install pip separately if it’s missing, and ensure you’re using the correct version of Python and pip.