pip: command not found — How to Fix It

You typed pip install in your terminal and got “‘pip’ is not recognized” or “pip: command not found”?

This means your system can’t locate the pip command. pip is Python’s package manager (the tool used to install libraries), and it should come bundled with Python — but sometimes the setup doesn’t quite work.

Don’t worry, this is one of the most common setup issues. This guide will get pip working for you in just a few minutes.

1 Why “pip command not found” happens
2 Solution 1: Use “python -m pip” instead (most common fix)
3 Solution 2: Reinstall Python with PATH enabled (Windows)
4 Solution 3: Install pip manually
5 If nothing works
6 Summary

Why “pip command not found” happens

This error occurs when your system doesn’t know where pip is located. The main causes are:

Python wasn’t added to PATH during installation: This is the most common cause on Windows — the “Add Python to PATH” checkbox was missed
pip is installed but not in the system PATH: pip exists on your machine but the terminal can’t find it
Python was installed without pip: Some minimal installations skip pip

Solution 1: Use “python -m pip” instead (most common fix)

The quickest workaround is to run pip through Python directly.

1. Try the python -m pip format

On Windows:

# Instead of "pip install", use this:
python -m pip install requests

On Mac:

# Use python3 on Mac
python3 -m pip install requests

If the installation starts and you see “Successfully installed”, this workaround solves your problem. You can use python -m pip in place of pip for all commands.

2. Make it permanent by upgrading pip

# This often fixes the PATH issue for future "pip" commands too
python -m pip install --upgrade pip

After upgrading, try running pip --version directly. If it works, the pip command is now available without the python -m prefix.

Solution 2: Reinstall Python with PATH enabled (Windows)

If python -m pip also doesn’t work, Python itself may not be on your PATH.

1. Download the Python installer from python.org

# Visit in your browser:
https://www.python.org/downloads/

2. Run the installer and check “Add Python to PATH”

# On the FIRST screen of the installer:
# ☑ "Add Python 3.xx to PATH" ← CHECK THIS BOX
# Click "Install Now"

This is the most important step. If you already have Python installed, you can run the installer again and choose “Modify” to add the PATH setting.

3. Open a NEW terminal and verify

# Close ALL terminal/command prompt windows
# Open a fresh one
pip --version

If you see something like “pip 24.x from …” then pip is working. Old terminal windows won’t pick up the change, so always open a new one.

Solution 3: Install pip manually

In rare cases, pip might not be included in your Python installation. You can install it manually.

1. Download the pip installer script

# Download get-pip.py using curl (works on both Windows and Mac)
curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py

Or open the URL in your browser and save the file.

2. Run the installer script

On Windows:

python get-pip.py

On Mac:

python3 get-pip.py

If you see “Successfully installed pip”, the installation worked.

3. Verify pip is working

pip --version

If the version shows up, you’re done. You can delete the get-pip.py file now.

If nothing works

If pip still can’t be found after trying the above:

Check if Python itself is accessible:

# Try these commands to see if Python works
python --version
python3 --version
py --version

On Windows, try the “py” launcher: Windows sometimes installs a py command instead of python

# Use the py launcher with pip
py -m pip install requests

On Mac, use Homebrew: If the standard install doesn’t work, Homebrew provides a clean setup

# Install Homebrew (if not installed)
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install Python via Homebrew
brew install python

# pip3 will now be available
pip3 --version

Tip for asking for help: Include the output of python --version, where python (Windows) or which python3 (Mac), and the exact error message you see when running pip

Summary

The fastest fix is using python -m pip instead of just pip — this works in most situations
On Windows, reinstalling Python with “Add Python to PATH” checked permanently fixes the issue
If pip is completely missing, download and run get-pip.py to install it manually