Pip Install hangs

Question

I currently have Python 3.5 on my Windows machine. I'm trying to install a Python package using the command "pip install" but as soon as I hit enter nothing happens. The action hangs for such a long time and when I try to exit the command line, it freezes. How do I get pip install to work?

A note to future visitors of this thread: first check the output of `pip -v install `, maybe it doesn't hang, just takes unusually long (but actually does stuff in the background) -- this was the case for me. — martonbognar, Apr 11 '18 at 13:28

score 62 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 01 '21 at 09:47

62

If you are you using WSL2, indeed it could be related to pip trying to connect to an XServer. If so, clearing the DISPLAY environment variable first before running it may help:

export DISPLAY=
pip install <packagename>

(Or, as a one-liner: DISPLAY= pip install <packagename>)

answered Sep 01 '21 at 09:47

Ben JW

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do you mean like this: `export DISPLAY= pip install django` ? – flyingduck92 Oct 12 '21 at 11:23
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@flyingduck92 run the two commands separately. The export command just sets the DISPLAY environment variable to an empty string – chris Oct 13 '21 at 00:24

score 22 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 26 '15 at 04:08

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@JBernardo 's comment worked for me. Thanks!

python -m pip install some_package_you_want

answered Nov 26 '15 at 04:08

Waves

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and if you want more diagnostic cruft, `python -v -m pip install some_package_you_want` – Mark Chackerian Oct 14 '16 at 18:39
try python -v -m pip install to see whats going on – pscheit Jul 15 '21 at 03:49
this worked for me. Any idea why this works? – rsmith54 Jan 05 '22 at 22:46

score 16 · Answer 3 · answered May 28 '21 at 18:42

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If you're using Ubuntu via WSL2 on Windows, it might not work outside a virtualenv. python3 -v -m pip install ... showed me that it was hanging on some OS X keychain import... Hopefully this helps someone else.

answered May 28 '21 at 18:42

James M. Lay

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uh yes, start your xserver! – pscheit Jul 15 '21 at 03:39
@pscheit would that fix it? – James M. Lay Jul 15 '21 at 16:35
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@JamesM.Lay yep this was my issue. It was waiting for a connection to the x server (i guess to show the prompt for the keychain password) – pscheit Jul 17 '21 at 02:37
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As another workaround, you can temporarily disable that prompt with `unset DISPLAY`. – Isaac Dec 31 '21 at 12:03
whoa, that's wayyy simpler. – James M. Lay Dec 31 '21 at 22:57
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This work for me too, **but WHY????** I'm using X410 as an Xserver. Before that I tried `Pip`, `PDM`, `Pyenv` and Poetry with ` list` to list installed packages and took between 90 and 120 seconds – Jocer Jan 23 '22 at 22:36
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that's a real WTF imo - it should prompt on the command-line instead of opening a window on some display. thanks for your help! – aurora Jan 26 '22 at 11:03
`unset DISPLAY` is cool! – prehistoricpenguin Feb 22 '22 at 01:44

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 02 '21 at 10:08

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I had to start 'Xlaunch' display server and it worked, according to a @pscheit it was waiting for a connection to x-server and launching one fixed it

answered Aug 02 '21 at 10:08

Mellester

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score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 29 '21 at 19:49

pip install something was hanging for me when I ssh'd into a linux machine and ran pip install from that shell. Using -v from above answers showed that this step was hanging

import 'keyring.backends.macOS' # <_frozen_importlib_external.SourceFileLoader object at 0x7f3d15404d90>

This popped up a keyring authentication window on the linux machine's desktop, waiting for my password. Typing my password allowed this to progress.

I have no idea why a macOS package was being imported on a linux machine.

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Dec 22 '22 at 12:58

I don't know if this is connected to me using apple silicon but suddenly pip install stopped working. No error and nothing happened. Python reinstall didn't help, venv reinitialization didn't help.

The only thing that helped was restarting my machine. Hope it helps someone.

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 26 '15 at 03:14

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Try using pip programmatically like shown below.

import pip

pip.main(['install', 'the_package_you_want_installed'])

answered Nov 26 '15 at 03:14

Adi

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Pip Install hangs

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