Cannot update python in Conda by following Conda documentation

Question

I'm running MacOS Sequoia: 15.6.1

I want to update miniconda python 3.9 to 3.12.

I first updated miniconda and packages via

conda update conda
conda update --all

The current version is conda 25.9.1.

But the current version of python is still 3.9

Python 3.9.25 (main, Nov 3 2025, 22:29:32) [Clang 20.1.8 ] :: Anaconda, Inc. on darwin

I followed the conda documentation and answer to a previous question

conda create -n py312 python=3.12

but I received the error

Channels:

Platform: osx-arm64 Collecting package metadata (repodata.json): done Solving environment: failed

PackagesNotFoundError: The following packages are missing from the target environment:

python=3.12

So I backed up and tried a previously suggested step from the conda documentation

conda search python

and received a similar error

Loading channels: done No match found for: python. Search: python

PackagesNotFoundError: The following packages are missing from the target environment:

python

I'm stuck. What am I missing here? How do I update to python 3.12 in miniconda?

astromonerd · Accepted Answer · 2025-11-18 22:34:13Z

1

I further explored why conda search yielded no python packages and found that conda config --show channels yielded an empty channel list. With conda list --show-channel-urls I saw all the packages were in defaults, which I added with conda config --add channels defaults. I was able to execute conda create -n py312 python=3.12 and switch to that environment with conda activate py312.

answered Nov 18 at 22:34

astromonerd

9472 gold badges16 silver badges37 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Cannot update python in Conda by following Conda documentation

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related