Installing Python
(for Mac, Windows or Linux)
Two pieces software are needed to run Python which are both free to download and
install. Firstly, you will need Python (the programming language) and then you’ll need to
install PyCharm (the editor).
1. Installing Python
1. Download the latest version of Python: http://www.python.org/downloads
2. Once download is complete run the installer by double clicking the downloaded file or
clicking Run when prompted to do so (if you have a Mac click “Continue” on all the
installer windows).
3. On Windows:
1. Untick the option “Install launcher for all users”.
2. Tick the option “Add Python 3 to PATH. Then click on "Install Now”
2. Installing PyCharm Educational Edition
1. Download
PyCharm: https://www.jetbrains.com/education/download/#section=pycharm-
edu . Once download is finished, run the installer by double clicking the downloaded file
or clicking Run when prompted to do so.
2. On a Mac: simply drag the PyCharm icon onto the Applications folder icon.
3. On Windows:
1. Click ‘Yes’ if prompted with “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your
device?"
2. Click Next on both the Welcome screen and the ‘Choose Install Location’ screen
3. On the ‘Installation Options’ screen:
1. Tick the Create Associations .py check box.
2. Choose the version that matches your Windows version if you wish to have a
shortcut on the desktop. If you are unsure whether you have 32-bit or 64-bit
Windows type “32-bit or 64-bit” in the Windows search bar at the bottom left of the
screen and the first link will be “See if you have 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows”;
click on it and look for ‘System type’.
4. When you open PyCharm for the first time a few windows will appear -select the default
options.
5. When the “Welcome to PyCharm” screen appears, follow the steps below to set up
PyCharm.
Setting up PyCharm
When “Welcome to PyCharm” screen appears:
1. Click on the ‘Configure’ button at the bottom and choose Preferences (Mac) or Settings
(Windows).
2. Click on Project Interpreter in the menu on the left.
3. Then click on the icon on the top right, next to the Project Interpreter dropdown menu.
4. Choose 'Add …’.
5. Click on 'System Interpreter’’ in the menu on the left and make sure that the Python
listed is version 3 (On a Mac it may show initially as Python 2. Select the version you
downloaded from the dropdown menu). Then click ‘OK’.
6. End.
3. Check it all works
• After you have downloaded and installed both Python and PyCharm, open PyCharm. If
you are greeted with the 'Welcome to PyCharm' window shown above, choose 'Create
New Project'
• You are now in a PyCharm project. From the File menu choose “New…” and choose
“Python file” from the menu that appears. Type in any file name.
• A blank file/screen should appear. If this happens everything is working fine. To double
check everything is ok, copy and paste the following line into the blank file:
• print("Hello, World!")
• and choose 'Run' from the Run menu. Select the name of the file you have just created.
A window will appear at the bottom of the screen with the words “Hello, World!”.
Troubleshooting
If, while working on a file in PyCharm, a warning bar shows up at the top saying “No
Python interpreter configured for the project”. Click on the blue link next to it saying
“Configure Python Interpreter”.
You can now select the Python installation from the drop-down menu “Python
interpreter”. If there is more than one option choose the latest version of Python 3.
If the pull-down Interpreter menu is blank.
1. Click on Project Interpreter in the menu on the left.
2. Then click on the cogwheel icon on the top right, next to the Project Interpreter
dropdown menu.
3. Choose 'Add …’.
4. Click on 'System Interpreter’’ in the menu on the left and make sure that the Python
listed is version 3
On Windows PCs, if PyCharm fails to start up and gives an error message:
a. You have chosen the wrong option between 32-bit and 64-bit Windows when
installing PyCharm. The other version should be installed on your computer.
Some Windows 10 laptops and PCs come with a version of Windows 10 Pro labelled S
that only allows you to download applications from the Microsoft store. If you haven't
already turned this off, you can do so through the Windows Store - this will allow you to
download other software on your computer.
