Python

Written & tested for accuracy by a developer (not AI)

Download Python for Mac

How to download Python for Mac. Where to get the official Python installer for macOS, what the .pkg installer does, and why most software developers do not use the official Python installer.

The official downloadable Python installer can be found at python.org/downloads/macos. There's a .pkg that runs on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs. It is free, there is no account to create, and Python 3.14 is the current release (3.14.6, June 2026). But before you download the official Python installer, read this! For most people on a Mac, downloading an installer is not the right way to get Python.

Downloading Python is one step in setting up your Mac for development. See the full Mac setup roadmap.

Before you get started

You'll need a terminal application to install Python. Apple includes the Mac terminal but I prefer Warp Terminal. Warp is an easy-to-use terminal application, with AI assistance to help you learn and remember terminal commands. Download Warp Terminal now; it's FREE and worth a try.

The downloadable Python installer and why it is the wrong choice

Download it when: someone needs a graphical installer and doesn't know how to use the command line, you are following a course or a tutorial that assumes it, or you are setting up a Mac for someone who is not a developer and will not use a terminal application.

Do not download it when: you are going to develop software in Python regularly. Most Mac developers avoid the python.org installer, not because it is broken, but because it is the hardest of the options to undo. It scatters files across three locations, it does not manage versions, and installing a second version later means doing all of this again. If you decide to reverse it, see Uninstall Python on Mac.

What it does: The python.org download is a standard macOS installer package. If you double-click it, it does four things:

  • installs Python into /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/
  • adds symlinks in /usr/local/bin
  • modifies your PATH with a shell profile entry
  • installs an /Applications/Python 3.x folder containing IDLE and pip

It is designed to put Python on macOS for a non-developer. The Python 3.x folder doesn't actually contain a Python executable, just a symlink and IDLE, Python's built-in, lightweight graphical code editor/IDE, and pip, the package manager for Python so a user can install third-party libraries.

You may already have the wrong Python

Open a terminal application and check:

$ python3 --version

If that shows a version, Python is already installed, but it is probably Apple's. Apple bundles Python 3.9.6 with the Xcode Command Line Tools for its own utilities. Important: do not use it for your own work. It is several versions behind, it has restricted permissions that cause confusing errors when you install packages, and macOS updates can overwrite what you put in it.

Two better ways to get Python

Here are the two ways most developers install Python. Both fetch Python for you from the command line, which is why they are easier to update and remove later.

Homebrew with one command

If you just need a working Python for a script or running an application:

$ brew install python

Use uv if you are writing code

The uv utility installs Python and manages versions, packages, and virtual environments. It is an all-in-one tool that is the modern standard for Python development.

$ curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
$ uv python install

Which should you choose?

What's best depends on your use case:

For the full comparison, see How to install Python on Mac.

Verify your download

If you do use the python.org installer, confirm what you got:

$ python3 --version
$ which python3

The which python3 command should point into /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/. If it points somewhere else, another Python takes precedence in your Mac PATH for Python.

Common errors

Continue setting up your Mac

Don't miss the full visual roadmap and checklist that shows how to set up a Mac for software development, with all the essential tools and settings you might not yet know about.