Python installed for all users or current user only?

Question

Using Python, How can I programmatically find whether the Python installed in my PC is installed for all users or for current user only?

I'm a Linux user, but couldn't you go in your PATH variable and see if it's added for just a user, or globally? First thought. Haven't used Windows since.. 2011 though. — cbll, Jan 30 '17 at 13:07
For all user python will be installed in program files, for the current user, it will be in appdata. — JinSnow, Nov 20 '22 at 13:10

score 6 · Answer 1 · edited Mar 12 '19 at 10:44

6

If you have installed Python for all users, You should install python in this folder:

C:\Python27

Same as image

for more details check this tutorial

edited Mar 12 '19 at 10:44

Shady Mohamed Sherif

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answered Jan 30 '17 at 13:14

Jason Jiménez

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score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 08 '18 at 07:38

You could check if the Python executable is located in the user's home directory. The location of the home directory is retrieved by using the os.path.expanduser() method. The location of the Python interpreter is retrieved by using the sys.executable() method.

The following function returns True if the Python interpreter was installed within the user's home directory, and False otherwise. It works under Linux, and should work under macOS and Windows (but I didn't test those).

import sys
import os

def user_python():
    try:
        return sys.executable.startswith(os.path.expanduser("~"))
    except AttributeError:
        return False

The exception is needed because according to the documentation of sys.executable(), it may return None under some circumstances.

EDIT 2018-12-08: it works on Windows 10.

Python installed for all users or current user only?

2 Answers2