Deleting Python modules

Question

Can you delete Python modules? I've installed one that I would like to remove, and can't seem to figure out how.

Thanks

How did you install it in the first place? And which specific module/package was it? And what platform are you on (if that's not going to be obvious after you update your question)? — Peter Hansen, Mar 23 '10 at 18:00

score 37 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 23 '10 at 16:54

37

To find where the module is, just do a:

 $ python
 >> import module
 >> print module.__file__
 '/some/directory'

or if it is a package:

 >> import package
 >> print package.__path__

and delete it.

answered Mar 23 '10 at 16:54

rlotun

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Even easier: I've never seen "print module" fail to properly display it's location, whether module, package, inside zip file, etc. – Peter Hansen Mar 23 '10 at 17:59
A python library may also install standalone scripts which would be placed in other directories. – erickrf Jul 17 '15 at 19:42
7

With python3 don't forget the brackets: print(module.__file__) – Christian Schulzendorff Jul 31 '16 at 09:41
i really needed this to uninstall `subprocess.run` , thanks al lot – Vinod Srivastav Oct 19 '20 at 10:23

score 18 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 22 '16 at 14:14

If you are using python under windows, the following command is what you need

pip uninstall module

In some cases, you may have installed different versions of the module. For example, after I had the lxml3.4.4 installed via pip, I also installed lxml3.5.0 using its pre-built binary, and thus, the command listed above only remove the first one. So I need to run it twices

pip uninstall lxml
pip uninstall lxml

And it got completed uninstalled. See whether it helps.

score 5 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:02

5

This has already been asked here.

Go into the "site-packages" directory of your python install and remove the files manually.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:02

Community

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answered Mar 23 '10 at 16:40

manifest

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered May 07 '21 at 01:53

Another way using -m flag (especially if Alex Feng's answer is not working) is:

python -m pip uninstall module

NOTE: This works only for Windows, and is to be run in the Command Prompt. To see if the module has been uninstalled, simply try to import the module again.

Deleting Python modules

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