image for 2022sp CS 1110

Installing Python on MacOS

Step Mac1

Download https://repo.anaconda.com/archive/Anaconda3-2021.05-MacOSX-x86_64.pkg (which is for Anaconda Python 3.8.8).

Then double-click the downloaded file and follow the directions that get displayed. (Note: you will probably see "2021.05" where the images below say "2020.02".)

  1. If you are taken to a webpage asking you to fill in some information, you can ignore that web page; the download works anyway.

  2. If anywhere along the line you get a warning message like "Installer" would like to access files in your Downloads folder" or "This package will run a program to determine if the software can be installed", or (on Macs with the M1 chip) "To install "Anaconda3", you need to install Rosetta. Do you want to install it now?", go ahead and click the button OK or Continue or Install, whichever you see. In the third case, you'll need to supply your password for your computer.

    Anaconda3 Installer message ""Installer: would like to access files in your Downloads folder", with two buttons, "Don't Allow" and "OK". Anaconda3 installer warns that "This package will run a program to determine if the software can be installed" Dialog that asks if you want to install Rosetta
    (Third screenshot by Militsa Sotirova.)
  3. If you see an error message "You cannot install Anaconda3 in this location" with a red stop-sign icon, click "Install on a specific disk..." (it's just below the house icon).

    Anaconda3 installer showing the error message "You cannot install Anaconda3 in this location. The Anaconda3 installer does not allow its software to be installed here." We've added an instruction label "Click this" pointing to the text "Install on a specific disk...".
    A labeled picture of your personal hard drive will appear, somewhere to the right of the house and unlabeled hard-drive picture. If the Continue button is not clickable, click on your personal hard drive...
    Anaconda Installer's "Continue" button is greyed out. We've added a "Click this" instruction pointing at icon of your hard drive.
    ...and then click the button Choose Folder :
    Anaconda Installer window now displays a "Choose Folder..." button, which you should click.
    Choose the "Applications" folder by clicking it and then clicking the button Choose.

    The installer will now mention your "Applications" folder, as shown below; click Continue and proceed.

    The installer now mentions your "Applications" folder as the place where the software will be installed; now click the button "Continue"" and proceed.

  4. Near the end of the process, the installer may display some information about the program PyCharm or PyCharm Pro. We will not use it in this class.

    Anaconda3 Installer informs you about PyCharm. For this class, ignore this information; just click the "Continue" button.

Step Mac2

Test your installation .

Step Mac3


This step is just a placeholder to make sure you saw that you need to do Step Mac2!