What is the correct format to upgrade pip3 when the default pip is pip2? What is the correct format to upgrade pip3 when the default pip is pip2? python-3.x python-3.x

What is the correct format to upgrade pip3 when the default pip is pip2?


Just use the pip3 command you already have:

pip3 install --upgrade pip

The installed project is called pip, always. The pip3 command is tied to your Python 3 installation and is an alias for pip, but the latter is shadowed by the pip command in your Python 2 setup.

You can do it with the associated Python binary too; if it executable as python3, then use that:

python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip

Again, the project is called pip, and so is the module that is installed into your site-packages directory, so stick to that name for the -m command-line option and for the install command.


When I searched for "how to update pip3" this came up. I had the problem described here in mind:

The Problem

Upgrading with pip3 might make point pip to the Python 3 version.

It seems as if this is not the case (any more).

The solution

Update the one you want to keep after the one you want to upgrade. Hence

pip3 install --upgrade pippip2 install --upgrade pip --force-reinstall

will make sure that pip points to pip2.