How to Install Python on macOS & Run Your First Hello World Program

Ready to dive into coding on your Mac? Python is one of the most beginner-friendly and powerful programming languages out there, and macOS makes a great platform to get started. Whether you’re new to programming or just setting up your development environment, this guide will walk you through installing Python on macOS and writing your very first “Hello, World!” program. In just a few steps, you’ll go from zero to running code in your terminal — no prior experience needed. Let’s get your Mac talking Python!

Check If Python Is Already Installed

Open Terminal

• Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight
• Type “Terminal” and hit Enter

Check the Python Version

Type this command and press Enter:

python3 --version

If Python is installed, you’ll see something like:

Python 3.11.5

If you get an error, don’t worry—just follow the next step to install it.

Installing Python on macOS

Download Python

Go to the official site: python.org/downloads

Click Download Python for macOS.

Run the Installer

• Open the .pkg file you downloaded
• Follow the on-screen instructions
• Python and pip (Python’s package manager) will be installed

Verify pip

Open Terminal and type:

pip3 --version

You should see something like:

pip 23.2.1 from ...

Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

Download VS Code

👉 code.visualstudio.com

Click “Download for macOS”.

Install VS Code

• Open the .zip file
• Drag Visual Studio Code.app into your Applications folder

Enable Terminal Access

Open VS Code, press Cmd + Shift + P, and type:

Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH

This lets you open VS Code from Terminal using:

code .

Set Up Python in VS Code

Install the Python Extension

• Click the Extensions icon (or press Cmd + Shift + X)
• Search for “Python”
• Install the one by Microsoft

Select Your Python Interpreter

• Press Cmd + Shift + P
• Type “Python: Select Interpreter”
• Choose the version you installed

Write & Run Your First Python Program

Create a New File

• Go to File > New File
• Save it as hello.py

Write Your Code

Paste this into the file:

python

print("Hello, world!")

Run the Program

• Click the Run button
• Or right-click and choose “Run Python File in Terminal”

You should see:

Hello, world!

Congrats—you just ran your first Python program!

Troubleshooting Tips

• Python Not Found in VS Code Use “Python: Select Interpreter” and make sure Python is installed
• pip Not Working Try:bashpython3 -m ensurepip python3 -m pip install package_name
• Terminal Issues In VS Code, go to View > Terminal and click the trash icon to reset
• Multiple Python Versions Use python3 --version and which python3 to check. Uninstall older versions if needed
• Virtual Environment Confusion Activate with:bashsource venv/bin/activate
• Syntax Errors Python is picky about spaces! VS Code helps catch these early

Pro Tips for Beginners

• Keep Python and VS Code updated
• Use virtual environments to keep projects organized