How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File
This wikiHow teaches you how to open a Python file with your Windows computer's built-in Command Prompt program. In most cases, you can do this without any trouble as long as you have Python installed. If you installed an old version of...
Part 1 of 3:
Finding the Python File Path
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 1
Go to the Python file's location. Find the Python file that you want to open in Command Prompt.- If you already know the folder path to the Python file you want to open, skip ahead to opening the file in Command Prompt.
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 2
Select the Python file. Click once the Python file for which you want to see the folder path. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 3
Right-click the Python file. Doing so prompts a drop-down menu to appear. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 4
Click Properties. It's in the drop-down menu. The properties window will open. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 5
Note the "Location" value. The folder address (or "path") to the right of the "Location" heading is what you'll need to enter into Command Prompt when switching to the directory in which your Python file is stored.- You can copy the location by highlighting it (click and drag your mouse across the "Location" value) and then pressing Ctrl+C.
Part 2 of 3:
Running a Python File
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 6
Open StartHow to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 7
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 8
Search for Command Prompt. Type in cmd to do so. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 9
ClickHow to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 10
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 11
Switch to your Python file's directory. Type cd and a space, then type in the "Location" address for your Python file and press ↵ Enter.- For example, to open a Python file in a folder named "Files" on your Desktop, you would enter cd desktop/Files here.
- If you copied the path to the file, you can type in cd and a space and then press Ctrl+V to paste in the path.
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 12
Enter the "python" command and your file's name. Type in python file.py where file is your Python file's name.- For example, if your Python file is named "script", you would type in python script.py here.
- If your Python file has one or more spaces in its name, you'll place quotation marks around the file name and extension (e.g., python "my script.py").
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 13
Press ↵ Enter. Doing so runs your command and opens your Python file via your computer's installed Python program.- If you encounter an error that says
'python' is not recognized as an internal or external command
after pressing Enter, you'll need to add Python to the PATH list before retrying this part.
- If you encounter an error that says
Part 3 of 3:
Adding Python to the PATH List
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 14
Enable viewing for hidden folders. Since one of the folders that contains your Python installation folder is most likely hidden, you'll have to unhide it before proceeding:- Open File Explorer
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 15
- Click the View tab.
- Check the "Hidden items" box.
- Open File Explorer
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 16
Navigate to your Python folder. In some cases, the Python path is "C:Python27"; however, if you've installed the most recent version of Python using the default settings, it's tucked away in a hidden folder. You can copy the proper file path by doing the following:- Click This PC on the left side of the File Explorer.
- Double-click your hard drive in the "Devices and drives" section.
- Scroll down and double-click the "Users" folder.
- Double-click the folder with your username on it.
- Scroll down and double-click "AppData".
- Double-click "Local".
- Scroll down and double-click "Programs".
- Double-click the "Python" folder.
- Double-click the Python folder with your preferred version number (e.g., "Python36").
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 17
Copy the path to the Python folder. Click once the address bar at the top of the File Explorer to highlight its contents, then press Ctrl+C to copy the highlighted address. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 18
Open the Power User menu. Right-click the StartHow to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 19
- You can also press ⊞ Win+X to open the Power User pop-up menu.
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 20
Click System. It's in the pop-up menu. A new window will open. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 21
Click System info. This is a link in the upper-right corner of the window. Doing so opens the System Information window. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 22
Click the Advanced system settings link. You'll see this in the upper-left side of the System Information window. Yet another window will pop up. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 23
Click Environment Variables…. It's in the bottom-right corner of the pop-up window. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 24
Find the "Path" heading in the "User variables" pane. This window is at the top of the Environment Variables window.- You may have to scroll up or down with your mouse cursor hovering over the "User variables" pane to find the "Path" variable.
-
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 25
Double-click the "Path" heading. Doing so opens a pop-up window. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 26
Click New. It's on the right side of the window. A text field will open in the middle of the window. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 27
Paste in your copied path. Press Ctrl+V to do so. Your copied path will appear in the text field in the middle of the window. -
How to Use Windows Command Prompt to Run a Python File Picture 28
Click OK on the three open windows. This will save your changes and close the "Path" window, the "Environmental Variables" window, and the "System Properties" window.
4 ★ | 1 Vote
You should read it
- How to add Python to the Windows PATH variable
- How to Launch Python Files Using Windows Command Prompt
- How to Install Python on Windows
- How to Open a Python File
- Manage files and folders in Python
- How to Find a File's Path on Windows
- How to fix the long path of the directory path on Windows
- File path in HTML
- Multiple choice quiz about Python - Part 3
- Working with File in Python
- Copying file and folder paths in File Explorer is now much simpler on Windows 11
- Did you know Windows 10 solved the path problem longer than 260 characters? Read the article below
May be interested
How to Kill a Process in Command Prompt
How to Remotely Restart a Windows Machine Through Command Line
How to Use Net Send
How to Create and Delete Files and Directories from Windows Command Prompt
How to Decipher the Right Application to View an Unknown File Type on Windows Vista
How to Optimize Windows Vista