Creating Python Virtual Environments on Windows 11
This guide details how to set up a Python virtual environment specifically on Windows 11, utilizing the modern Windows Terminal and PowerShell.
Prerequisites
Ensure Python is installed and added to your PATH.
- Open Terminal (PowerShell).
- Type
python --version. If you see a version number, you are ready.
Step 1: Open Your Project Folder
Windows 11 makes this easy:
- Navigate to your project folder in File Explorer.
- Right-click anywhere in the empty space.
- Select Open in Terminal.
Step 2: Create the Virtual Environment
Run the following command to create a virtual environment named .venv (a common convention).
python -m venv .venvThis creates a folder named .venv containing a copy of the Python interpreter and a Scripts folder.
Step 3: Activate the Environment
In Windows 11, the default terminal uses PowerShell. To activate the environment:
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1Troubleshooting: Execution Policy Error
If you see an error in red text saying "running scripts is disabled on this system", you need to change your execution policy. This is a default security feature in Windows.
To allow scripts for the current user only (safe):
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUserThen try running the activate command again.
Step 4: Verify Activation
Once activated, you should see (.venv) at the start of your command prompt line. You can also verify by checking which python is being used:
where.exe pythonIt should point to the python executable inside your .venv folder, not the system one.
Step 5: Install Packages
Now you can install packages safely isolated from your main system.
pip install requests