python/django - "Cannot use ImageField because Pillow is not installed"

Question

I'm joining a project, so I want to set up the environnment, so what I did is :

pip install -r requirements.txt

This fully installed all requirements including django 1.7.0, Pillow 2.4.0 and some others.

Then I want to build the database :

python manage.py migrate

And boom, error, I get the following :

CommandError: System check identified some issues:

ERRORS:
stu.chan.icon: (fields.E210) Cannot use ImageField because Pillow is not installed.
    HINT: Get Pillow at https://pypi.python.org/pypi/Pillow or run command "pip install pillow".
stu.chan.image: (fields.E210) Cannot use ImageField because Pillow is not installed.
    HINT: Get Pillow at https://pypi.python.org/pypi/Pillow or run command "pip install pillow".
stu.Piec.icon: (fields.E210) Cannot use ImageField because Pillow is not installed.
    HINT: Get Pillow at https://pypi.python.org/pypi/Pillow or run command "pip install pillow".

... like I didn't install Pillow. So I checked the installed package (with this technique), and Pillow 2.4.0 IS installed.

Then, I also tried to force reinstall : pip install --upgrade --force-reinstall Pillow==2.4.0

But, nothing to do I get the same error when running migrate.

I'm using python 3.4.0 and django 1.7.0 on a mac OS X 10.6.7 wrapped in virtualenv 1.11.6 with pip downgraded to pip 1.2.1 (because of some well-known-yet-not-fully-resolved-nor-understood issue with pip and ssl).

All of the code above is within virtualenv (bin/activate done).

Do you have any ideas on why this problem and how to resolve it?

- - - - - - EDIT - - - - - -

When I run the above force-reinstall command, (so many code gets outpouted I can't paste it all but) although it finishes with "Successfully installed Pillow", there's some warnings in the code :

building 'PIL._imaging' extension
 (blabla code)
    _imaging.c:975:13: warning: array index of '1' indexes past the end of an array (that contains 1 elements) [-Warray-bounds]
        value = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(xy, 1);
                ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    /usr/local/include/python3.4m/tupleobject.h:58:34: note: instantiated from:
    #define PyTuple_GET_ITEM(op, i) (((PyTupleObject *)(op))->ob_item[i])
                                     ^
    /usr/local/include/python3.4m/tupleobject.h:27:5: note: array 'ob_item' declared here
        PyObject *ob_item[1];
        ^
    1 warning generated.

(blabla code)
   libImaging/Unpack.c:867:1: warning: unused function 'copy3' [-Wunused-function]
    copy3(UINT8* out, const UINT8* in, int pixels)
    ^
    1 warning generated.

I updated the question. Please look at the warnings during the installation. — lapin, Sep 04 '14 at 13:20
Do you have PIL installed? Sometimes, you need to uninstall PIL first and then install pillow. — abrunet, Sep 04 '14 at 14:33
@rajasimon : same warnings with sudo because I'm in virtualenv — lapin, Sep 05 '14 at 00:48
@abrunet : I don't know if it is installed. How could I know? — lapin, Sep 05 '14 at 00:48
Didn't work because pil is not found. pip install pil didn't work either. But I found the solution, I'll post it. — lapin, Sep 07 '14 at 14:05
use Python 3.6.1rc1 - 2017-03-05, Download Windows x86-64 executable installer, install this and next >pip install pillow, but not use Python 3.6.1 - 2017-03-21, becose pillow not install. I no understend why. Sory for uncorrect word, i am rus) p.s. this for windows 10 — atkisai, May 28 '17 at 09:35

score 36 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 17 '18 at 00:08

36

I was having this problem on a Mac with Python 3.6.4. The solution was to uninstall Pillow 5.1.0 and instead install 5.0.0.

pip uninstall Pillow
pip install Pillow==5.0.0

edited Apr 17 '18 at 00:08

Stephen Rauch

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answered Apr 16 '18 at 23:48

PatrickReagan

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Thanks a lot! This actually solved my problem after trying several ways. But Why Pillow5.1.0 caused this problem? – aforwardz May 06 '18 at 07:25

score 7 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

I tried :

Reinstall globaly PIL by compiling "Imaging-1.1.7" using some instructions here, but didn't work
Reinstall Pillow and it's dependency globally using that link, but didn't work
Reinstall GCC4.2 using this link, but it didn't work

I finally figured out I was in the case described in the wonderfull answer to this post. In other words, I am running a mac whose CPU is capable of 64bit but whose kernel firmware is set to 32bit. Which is a problem as the project I'm working on was built for 64bit.

As explained in that post, when you install python3 using an installer (DMG) it will sniff if the kernel is set to 32 bit and install 32bit version of python 3 accordingly. But if you just download the tarball source from python's website and install it with :

cd Python-3.4.1
./configure
make
sudo make install

Then the 64bit version of python3 should be installed. Which you can verify by doing :

file /usr/local/bin/python3
/usr/local/bin/python3: Mach-O 64-bit executable x86_64

That done, all problems are gone with PIL/Pillow in the virtualenv using this 64bit version of python3. Even the pip downgrade became unnecessary.

PIL needs 64 bit instead of 32? – Timo Sep 08 '18 at 18:43 — Timo, Sep 08 '18 at 18:43

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 15 '17 at 10:29

5

I was too getting same problem while implememnting Image Upload using CLoudinary , but found the Above answer, but in some other way.

 sudo pip uninstall PIL

 sudo pip uninstall Pillow

 sudo pip install Pillow

After that mine Problem was solved !

answered Aug 15 '17 at 10:29

MD Shahrouq

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score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 05 '21 at 11:29

4

For those who faced this issue with alpine-based image in docker;

Pillow requires these os level modules(for installation)

gcc musl-dev jpeg-dev zlib-dev libjpeg

You probably delete these modules after install your python packages but, for use Pillow without issue, it requires libjpeg Unless, Django raise with error:

Cannot use ImageField because Pillow is not installed.

So add this module in Dockerfile(or don't uninstall):

RUN apk add libjpeg

works for me

answered Nov 05 '21 at 11:29

Abdullah Özel

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this isn't clear. You list several packages as required at first, but then the rest of the answer sounds like only `libjpeg` is required. – Nov 05 '21 at 22:29
2

In Dockerfile we add some modules to install our python packages. After install python packages, we remove these os level modules to reduce container's size. Because we don't need them generally after our packages installed. But for my side, i faced the error 'Pillow is not installed..' even i already installed. Django can't recognize the pillow because it dependent with libjpeg to use(not just install, also use). The solution is don't remove the libjpeg module (or add this again after clear your modules like i mention) in Dockerfile. @user17242583 – Abdullah Özel Nov 07 '21 at 08:46

score 2 · Answer 5 · edited Nov 19 '17 at 05:51

Had a similar problem, and my solution was much simpler:

Apparently packages PIL and Pillow can't coexist. If you want to use Pillow you first have to uninstall PIL and then install Pillow.

If you are on Mac, you have to install a few libraries as well using brew. Mentioned below is the sequence of steps:

$pip uninstall PIL
$brew install libtiff libjpeg webp little-cms2
$pip install Pillow

To test if pillow is installed and ready to use, open python interpreter and try to import the following:

>>> from PIL import Image

*note that the library still says PIL but now it is importing from Pillow instead of PIL.

If you are able to successfully import then you are good to go (in all probability you won't have to worry about setting PYTHONPATH or 32/64-bit installations)

Source: https://pillow.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation.html

The comment 'to test if pillow is installed [...] `from PIL import Image`' is very helpful - in my case it returns more detailed debugging info about an ImportError related to libjpeg. — ptim, Nov 19 '17 at 05:55

score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 28 '18 at 18:11

2

macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 My solution was

pip3 install Pillow

Not

pip install Pillow

answered Aug 28 '18 at 18:11

Nick Patsiuk

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score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 11 '20 at 02:35

2

I do not know why, but uninstalling and then reinstalling Pillow (same version) solved this problem for me.

python -m pip uninstall Pillow
python -m pip install Pillow

The Pillow version was 7.1.1.

answered Apr 11 '20 at 02:35

orangecaterpillar

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score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 10 '21 at 01:50

2

For some reason,

pip install pillow

wasnt working. so I went to the official site of pillow and used

python -m pip install --upgrade pillow

which solved my issue of installing pillow.

answered Apr 10 '21 at 01:50

Raj Tagore

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score 2 · Answer 9 · answered Jul 09 '22 at 08:56

I was able to solve mine by going to this link in the docs: https://pillow.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation.html

Answer: PILLOW VERSION WILL NOT WORK IN A PYTHON VERSION IT WAS NOT MADE FOR!

So I had to check the chart. I was running django on python==3.9.13, so I needed to uninstall the pillow==7.2.0 to Install pillow==8.3.1 for my python version 3.9.13 and Boom it started working.

I did this:

pip uninstall Pillow
pip install Pillow==8.3.1

OR

python -m pip uninstall Pillow
python -m pip install Pillow==8.3.1

So it all depends on the python version you are running pillow on.

score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Jul 14 '17 at 17:07

1

I had this error using PyCharm's debugger. I had to go to Settings->'Project Interpreter' highlight 'Pillow' and hit the little up arrow on the right to upgrade it. Then the error disappeared.

answered Jul 14 '17 at 17:07

slashdottir

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score 1 · Answer 11 · answered May 01 '21 at 10:47

In your 'site-packages' file, download your desired pillow (.whl) file, then install it using command, 'pip install "directory"'.

I have seen that this error occurs due to wrong version of pillow, in term of bit installation in my case.

If you have 32 bit machine then you have to download 32 bit Pillow. If you have 64 bit machine then you have to download 64 bit Pillow.

In my case I was using Visual Studio but when I tried to install Pillow using PyCharm then it downloaded and installed suitable Pillow version automatically which work was not being done by Visual Studio automatically.

Visual Studio was installing Pillow wrong version again and again many times when I was trying to install Pillow by uninstalling. Basically it was fetching .whl file from cache file I guess.

score 0 · Answer 12 · edited Aug 11 '18 at 04:36

0

For python3 make sure your $PYTHONPATH has the virtualenv path and Instead of running the command

python manage.py migrate

Run:

python3 manage.py migrate

edited Aug 11 '18 at 04:36

Jeremy

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answered Jul 17 '18 at 09:15

Arun Selvakumar Govindaraj

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score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Mar 15 '19 at 07:40

0

If you are using Pillow 4.1.0 with Python 3.6.0 then upgrading the Python version will fix this issue. Found the solution here: https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/issues/2479#issuecomment-292252147

answered Mar 15 '19 at 07:40

Parth Karia

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score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Nov 14 '19 at 16:56

I had the same problem in my virtual environment, even though Pillow was installed. Also installing a lower version didn't help. As soon I left my virtual environment it worked. Maybe this is helping someone.

There is the command:

    (wb_env) C:\Users\Taranis\Dropbox\08_Coding\Python 
    Coding\Programme\Projekt_Webblog\tim_webblog>python manage.py makemigrations app_webblog

The error:

    SystemCheckError: System check identified some issues:

    ERRORS:
    app_webblog.BlogEntry.entry_img: (fields.E210) Cannot use ImageField because 
    Pillow is not installed.
    HINT: Get Pillow at https://pypi.org/project/Pillow/ or run command "pip install 
    Pillow".

score 0 · Answer 15 · answered Feb 20 '20 at 12:25

What worked for me was to uninstall Pillow from user folder and install it with sudo.

Initial install was:

$ pip3 install Pillow --user

installed to: ~/.local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/Pillow-7.0.0.dist-info

So first uninstalled it and then installed with sudo:

$ pip3 uninstall Pillow
$ sudo pip3 install Pillow

new location: /usr/local/lib64/python3.7/site-packages/Pillow-7.0.0.dist-info and problem was fixed.

score 0 · Answer 16 · edited Feb 11 '21 at 07:05

0

Window users

First Uninstall Pip

pip uninstall Pillow

Then Install it Again

pip install Pillow

Ubuntu users

First Uninstall Pip

sudo pip uninstall Pillow

Then Install it Again

sudo pip install Pillow

I Hope It will works for you

edited Feb 11 '21 at 07:05

Fabio Mendes Soares

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answered Feb 11 '21 at 05:42

Sushang Agnihotri

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score 0 · Answer 17 · answered Jul 18 '21 at 21:17

This is what worked for me,

sudo apt-get install libjpeg-dev -y
sudo apt-get install zlib1g-dev -y
sudo apt-get install libfreetype6-dev -y
sudo apt-get install liblcms1-dev -y
sudo apt-get install libopenjp2-7 -y
sudo apt-get install libtiff5 -y

You probably have some of them installed but not all. For me, some of them weren't and that was causing the issue.

AnonymousUser · Answer 18 · 2021-09-14T06:35:20.220

You might get ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pillow'

This could be because you added it to your installed_apps in settings.py

To solve this:

Just remove it from installed_apps or change it to "PIL"

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',

    # installed apps
    'pillow',
]

to this:

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',

    # installed apps
    'PIL',
]

If you just comment it out,

# 'pillow'

you will still get ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pillow'

so make sure you delete it completely.

score 0 · Answer 19 · answered Sep 19 '21 at 19:45

0

If you are coding on a raspberry with a lite os, this fixed my bug :

sudo apt-get install libopenjp2-7-dev

Good Luck ;)

answered Sep 19 '21 at 19:45

gsw_ww

1

score 0 · Answer 20 · answered Dec 25 '21 at 08:44

Got similar issue, I was running django in a virtual environment.

pip install Pillow

command installed Pillow but django was not recognising it.

This solved the issue for me:

python3 -m pip install Pillow

Initially I got issue when I tried running the pip command using python -m but then I installed pip using python3

  curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py -o get-pip.py

   python3 get-pip.py --force-reinstall

and then ran python3 -m pip install Pillow

score 0 · Answer 21 · answered Feb 16 '22 at 05:24

0

pip uninstall Pillow
Then Press, Y
After that, pip ins

answered Feb 16 '22 at 05:24

Taimoor hassan

1
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score 0 · Answer 22 · answered Mar 14 '22 at 01:51

0

you just install pillow in your (venv) not in your main python path. you have to use poweshell or commandline of pycharm (for example).

answered Mar 14 '22 at 01:51

Hadi Rahmani

1

score 0 · Answer 23 · answered Mar 30 '22 at 14:11

0

i just do to add pillow in Project Settings-->Python interpreter and download

answered Mar 30 '22 at 14:11

user363371

1

What platform, Windows 10? if so, you should state which python version you have this working on – Conor Aug 03 '22 at 13:58

score 0 · Answer 24 · answered Apr 12 '22 at 16:28

0

If you have installed Pillow but the error is persisting , This will solve the problem

python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
python3 -m pip install --upgrade Pillow

answered Apr 12 '22 at 16:28

Insookwa

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score 0 · Answer 25 · answered Jun 20 '22 at 08:16

0

If you're using VS Code, try to restart the editor. It works (for me).

answered Jun 20 '22 at 08:16

user19373368

1

python/django - "Cannot use ImageField because Pillow is not installed"

25 Answers25

For those who faced this issue with alpine-based image in docker;

Window users

First Uninstall Pip

Then Install it Again

Ubuntu users

First Uninstall Pip

Then Install it Again

To solve this:

Linked