pyenv does not change python version on mac

Question

I installed pyenv on mac and have used the following commands to install the required python version:

pyenv install 3.8.0
pyenv global 3.8.0

I am using zsh and my zshrc file contains the following:

if command -v pyenv 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then
  eval "$(pyenv init -)"
fi

When I check the python version, I can still see the old system version i.e. 2.7.15 responded by the command:

python -V

Any thoughts on what I might be doing wrong?

I have tried bash as well. I did not see any pyenv references in my bashrc file.

ddayan · Accepted Answer · 2019-12-29 12:50:09Z

6

Does it work if you restart your shell?

$ exec "$SHELL"

If yes then the problem is that zshenv is loaded too soon, you can add the following to .zprofile or .zshrc

if command -v pyenv 1>/dev/null 2>&1; then
  eval "$(pyenv init -)"
fi

edited Dec 29, 2019 at 12:50

answered Dec 29, 2019 at 12:26

ddayan

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1 Comment

Carlo Miguel Cruz Over a year ago

Just by running eval "$(pyenv init -)" on the same shell should also fix the problem. New shells should also follow the global setting. Thanks @ddayan!

Davide Fiocco · Accepted Answer · 2024-02-13 20:17:04Z

1

I've run into this same situation with my system version on Mac not updating after running the pyenv commands. This is what worked for me (you need to reset your shell and pyenv after setting the command):

pyenv global 3.7.4
eval "$(pyenv init -)"

edited Feb 13, 2024 at 20:17

Davide Fiocco

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answered Sep 1, 2020 at 13:14

danielv123

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Comments

Arnaud Mombrial · Accepted Answer · 2025-05-16 09:55:11Z

1

Following the github documentation of pyenv, there are some specifics for each shell.

https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv?tab=readme-ov-file#b-set-up-your-shell-environment-for-pyenv

For example for zsh users, the documentation states to add those lines to your .zshrc

export PYENV_ROOT="$HOME/.pyenv"
[[ -d $PYENV_ROOT/bin ]] && export PATH="$PYENV_ROOT/bin:$PATH"
eval "$(pyenv init - zsh)"

See the little difference in the last sentence, zsh statement after the init -

eval "$(pyenv init - zsh)"

Of course the SHELL has to be fully restarted after that :

exec "$SHELL"

or simply restart the (i)Term(2|inal)

answered May 16 at 9:55

Arnaud Mombrial

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