"The Ultimate Guide to Uninstalling Python": Step-by-Step Instructions to Thoroughly Remove Residuals and Prevent System Chaos

# 1. Overview of Python Uninstallation

Python uninstallation refers to the removal of the Python interpreter, libraries, and associated files from a computer. This article primarily introduces methods of uninstalling Python and solutions to common problems.

# 2. Python Uninstallation on Windows Systems

There are two methods:

1. If the installation package is still available, run it and click Uninstall to uninstall.

![windows uninstall python](***

*** > Apps > Apps & features, or search "Add or remove programs" directly, find the python-related options, and click to uninstall.

3. Clear Unnecessary Environment Variables

Right-click on My Computer, select Properties, go to Advanced System Settings, and navigate to Environment Variables settings. If you have configured the Python variable in the path variable, you need to delete all of them (usually two Python variables, one pointing to the Python installation path, and the other pointing to the Script folder under the installation path)

### 3.2 Python Uninstallation on macOS Systems

Uninstalling Python on macOS can be somewhat complicated because macOS自带了一些Python版本，且系统的一些工具可能依赖于这些版本。为了避免影响系统的正常运行，建议不要删除系统自带的Python版本，而是删除你自己安装的Python版本。

Here are the steps to delete the Python version you installed:

**First Method:**

If you do not have `sudo` permissions and wish to avoid using the potentially dangerous `rm -rf` command, you can try the following safer method to delete the Python version you installed.

If you do not have `sudo` permissions and wish to avoid using the potentially dangerous `rm -rf` command, you can try the following safer method to delete the Python version you installed.

1. Use Package Management Tools
If you installed Python through package management tools (such as Homebrew), you can use the corresponding tools to uninstall.

Homebrew
If you installed Python through Homebrew, you can uninstall using the following command:

brew uninstall python@3.8

2. Manually Delete Python Files
If you installed Python manually, you can gradually delete the relevant files and directories instead of using `rm -rf`.

Confirm Installation Path
First, confirm the path of the Python version you installed. You can use the following command to check:

which python3.8

Assuming the output is `/usr/local/bin/python3.8`, you can gradually delete the relevant files.

Delete Executable Files
Find and delete Python executable files:

rm /usr/local/bin/python3.8

Delete Library Files
Find and delete Python library files. These files are usually located under `/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/` directory.

rm -rf /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.8

3. Use the Graphical Interface
If you are not familiar with command-line operations, you can use Finder to delete files.

Open Finder
1. Open Finder.
2. Navigate to `/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/` directory.
3. Find the `3.8` directory, right-click and select "Move to Trash."

Clean Up Symbolic Links
1. Open Finder.
2. Navigate to `/usr/local/bin` directory.
3. Find and right-click on the symbolic links related to Python 3.8 (such as `python3.8`, `pip3.8`), and select "Move to Trash."

4. Clean Up Environment Variables
If you have set Python-related environment variables in `.bash_profile`, `.zshrc`, or other shell configuration files, remember to clean these configurations.

Open your shell configuration file, for example:

nano ~/.zshrc

Delete the lines related to Python 3.8, then save and exit.

5. Update Shell Configuration
Finally, update your shell configuration to apply the changes:

source ~/.zshrc

By following these steps, you can safely delete the Python version you installed without `sudo` permissions and avoid using `rm -rf`.

**Second Method**:
This method uses sudo and rm -rf, please be sure to check the rm -rf command carefully to avoid accidental deletion of important files.

1. First, confirm the Python version you installed. You can use the following command to view all installed Python versions:

ls /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/

2. Delete a specific Python version

sudo rm -rf /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.8

3. Delete related symbolic links

You may also need to delete related symbolic links, which are usually located in the `/usr/local/bin` directory. You can use the following command:

bash
copy code ls -l /usr/local/bin | grep python

Find and delete the symbolic links related to Python 3.8. For example:

         bash copy code sudo rm /usr/local/bin/python3.8
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/pip3.8

4. Check and Clean Environment Variables

If you have set Python-related environment variables in `.bash_profile`, `.zshrc`, or other shell configuration files, remember to clean these configurations.

Open your shell configuration file, for example:

bash
copy code nano ~/.zshrc

Delete the lines related to Python 3.8,