When I want to install modules to Anaconda, I run conda install
. However, now I have a .tar.gz
file and want to install this. How to do?

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did you try `conda install
`? – Charlie Parker Sep 23 '20 at 20:58
5 Answers
There are several ways to achieve this, I'm describing one here, which should be relatively straight forward, even if your default python
variable is not anaconda's.
- Check what is your desired anaconda environment (if you're not sure what does this mean, it probably means that you are using root, the default environment)
- Run:
conda info --envs
to see the path where your environment is installed - Go to that path, and find the absolute path to python.exe, for example:
"C:\Program Files\Anaconda3\python.exe"
- Now, run the following command:
<absolute path to python.exe> -m pip install <path to tar.gz>
for example:
C:\Program Files\Anaconda3\python.exe -m pip install c:\mymodule\great.tar.gz
Note that <path to tar.gz>
can be relative, absolute and even an online link.

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4Just an addition for the noobs in python like me. If you use Anaconda, replace 'pip' to 'conda' – Florida Man Oct 29 '17 at 15:44
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It still looks for the package in the repos. Adding --offline field with conda also does not help.I am also trying to do a local install without needing internet connection. – GreenEye Jul 03 '19 at 20:14
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what if my package comes from here: https://public.dhe.ibm.com/ibmdl/export/pub/software/server/ibm-ai/conda/#/ – Charlie Parker Sep 23 '20 at 21:08
It depends on where your archive comes from:
- If you got it from pypi, you need to install it using
pip
:
pip install package.tar.gz
# Or:
python -m pip install package.tar.gz
- If you got it from conda-forge, you need to use
conda
:
conda install package.tar.gz
If you have multiple python installations, you may need to specify absolute path to the python/conda executable.
Note that the archive files on pypi and conda-forge are usually very different:
- pypi archives contain source files, so you may need to build the package in order to install it, which may requires external dependencies;
- conda-forge are architecture-specific and contains pre-built package, which are much less likely to require external dependencies.
If you already have a working Anaconda distribution, I would encourage you to get archives from conda-forge instead of pypi.

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I just tried installing numpy this way. It doesn't work for me. It seems like `conda install package.tar.gz` does not grab any dependencies. – Joel Stansbury Jan 30 '22 at 02:57
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Here's some more info about it https://github.com/conda/conda/issues/1884 – Joel Stansbury Jan 30 '22 at 04:02
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And how would I know if it is pypi or conda-forge, if the URL is e.g., https://anaconda.org/anaconda/dal/files?sort=downloads&version=2021.5.0 as described [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/74432492/conda-update-conda-cannot-download-a-few-packages)? – sancho.s ReinstateMonicaCellio Nov 14 '22 at 13:49
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@sancho.sReinstateMonicaCellio If it's from the anaconda registry, it's a conda package, so `conda install`. – Holt Nov 14 '22 at 14:37
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I guess that is even if not from `conda-forge`. Perhaps it is useful to clarify this point in the answer... – sancho.s ReinstateMonicaCellio Nov 14 '22 at 17:21
Here is how to do :
Q:\anaconda3\Scripts>conda install q:\quandl-3.4.4-py37_0.tar.bz2
Downloading and Extracting Packages
###########################################################################################
#################################################################### | 100%
Preparing transaction: done
Verifying transaction: done
Executing transaction: done
Q:\anaconda3\Scripts>

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If you are using Anaconda and downloaded the package from Anaconda Cloud, then you can place your "package.tar.bz2" files in the path shown in Anaconda prompt (Eg. C:\Users) and type in the following command in Anaconda Prompt
conda install package.tar.bz2
I believe it will work for .tar.gz files too.

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Just a PSA please don't use conda install <pkg.tar>
when updating python from a tar.bz. This has the potential to break Anaconda.

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Comment, I lack credit to post it as such. I only added it as an answer to prevent others from following the general comment at the top of the thread. I'l gladly remove it if you know a way for me / someone else to add it as a comment. – SteveZ Feb 16 '21 at 17:01