Installing Python Packages in Blender
=====================================

This page explains how to instal packages like `PIL` into Blender built-in python.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator
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On Windows:

1. Press the **Windows key**, type `cmd`.
2. Right-click on **Command Prompt**, and select **Run as administrator**.

Step 2: Install `pip` (Only for older Blender versions)
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- ⚠ This step is **not needed** for Blender 2.8 or later (including Blender 3.x and 4.x).

Blender versions less than **2.79** do not include `pip` by default. In that case, you must install it manually using Blender’s internal Python interpreter.

Run the following command, replacing `2.79` with your Blender version if different:

"C:\\Program Files\\Blender Foundation\\Blender\\2.79\\python\\bin\\python.exe" -m ensurepip

Step 3: Upgrade `pip`
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"C:\\Program Files\\Blender Foundation\\Blender 3.4\\3.4\\python\\bin\\python.exe" -m pip install --upgrade pip

- Please check your installation directory.

Step 4: Install Other Packages
------------------------------

To install packages such as `PIL`, run:

"C:\\Program Files\\Blender Foundation\\Blender 3.4\\3.4\\python\\bin\\python.exe" -m pip install Pillow

To run the built-in version, `PIL` and `einops` is required and can be installed based on the process. 

Tips
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- Always run your terminal **as Administrator** when modifying Blender's internal Python.
- You can use `--target <path>` with `pip install` if you prefer installing packages to a specific folder and importing manually via `sys.path.append(...)`.

Installing from Prebuilt Wheel Files
------------------------------------

If a package cannot be installed directly using `pip` inside Blender's Python environment—due to missing compilers or build tools—you can download a prebuilt `.whl` (wheel) file instead.

1. Visit the following website to find precompiled wheel files:

- https://www.wheelodex.org/

2. Download the `.whl` file that matches:
- Your Blender's Python version (e.g., `cp310` for Python 3.10)
- Your operating system and architecture (e.g., `win_amd64` for 64-bit Windows)

3. Install it using Blender’s Python:

Example:

"C:\\Program Files\\Blender Foundation\\Blender 3.4\\3.4\\python\\bin\\python.exe" -m pip install C:\\path\\to\\downloaded\\file.whl

- Be sure the `.whl` file version exactly matches your Python version (`cp39`, `cp310`, etc.).