Spyder 5 won't launch

Question

I just downloaded Spyder 5 using

conda upgrade anaconda
conda install spyder=5.0.0

However, after installation when I launch Spyder from the Windows menu, I see a pop up indicating that Spyder 5 is launching. However, after a few seconds the popup disappears and Spyder does not launch.

When I try to launch Spyder from the Anaconda Navigator, I get the following error:

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\utils\image_path_manager.py:46: UserWarning: The icon located in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\images\kite\kite_completions.png is overriding the existing kite_completions
f'The icon located in {complete_path} is overriding '
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\utils\image_path_manager.py:46: UserWarning: The icon located in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\images\old_svg\CloseButton.svg is overriding the existing CloseButton
f'The icon located in {complete_path} is overriding '
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\utils\image_path_manager.py:46: UserWarning: The icon located in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\images\spyder2_icon_theme\folding.arrow_down_off.png is overriding the existing folding.arrow_down_off
f'The icon located in {complete_path} is overriding '
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\utils\image_path_manager.py:46: UserWarning: The icon located in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\images\spyder2_icon_theme\folding.arrow_down_on.png is overriding the existing folding.arrow_down_on
f'The icon located in {complete_path} is overriding '
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\utils\image_path_manager.py:46: UserWarning: The icon located in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\images\spyder2_icon_theme\folding.arrow_right_off.png is overriding the existing folding.arrow_right_off
f'The icon located in {complete_path} is overriding '
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\utils\image_path_manager.py:46: UserWarning: The icon located in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\images\spyder2_icon_theme\folding.arrow_right_on.png is overriding the existing folding.arrow_right_on
f'The icon located in {complete_path} is overriding '
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\utils\image_path_manager.py:46: UserWarning: The icon located in C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\images\tour\tour-spyder-logo.svg is overriding the existing tour-spyder-logo
f'The icon located in {complete_path} is overriding '
No QCoreApplication instance found. Application patches not applied. You have to call load_stylesheet function after instantiation of QApplication to take effect. 
ipython_console: cannot import name 'secure_write' from 'jupyter_core.paths' (C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\jupyter_core\paths.py)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\solver.py", line 117, in find_external_plugins
mod = importlib.import_module(entry_point.module_name)
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\importlib\__init__.py", line 127, in import_module
return _bootstrap._gcd_import(name[level:], package, level)
File "", line 1006, in _gcd_import
File "", line 983, in _find_and_load
File "", line 967, in _find_and_load_unlocked
File "", line 677, in _load_unlocked
File "", line 728, in exec_module
File "", line 219, in _call_with_frames_removed
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\plugins\ipythonconsole\plugin.py", line 24, in 
from jupyter_client.connect import find_connection_file
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\jupyter_client\__init__.py", line 4, in 
from .connect import *
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\jupyter_client\connect.py", line 35, in 
from jupyter_core.paths import jupyter_data_dir, jupyter_runtime_dir, secure_write
ImportError: cannot import name 'secure_write' from 'jupyter_core.paths' (C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\jupyter_core\paths.py)
Pruned plugin: variable_explorer
Pruned plugin: plots
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\mainwindow.py", line 2146, in create_window
main.setup()
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\mainwindow.py", line 836, in setup
plugin_deps = solve_plugin_dependencies(enabled_plugins.values())
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\solver.py", line 210, in solve_plugin_dependencies
plugin_deps = [plugin_names[name] for name in deps]
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\solver.py", line 210, in 
plugin_deps = [plugin_names[name] for name in deps]
KeyError: 'plots'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\Scripts\spyder-script.py", line 10, in 
sys.exit(main())
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\start.py", line 214, in main
mainwindow.main(options, args)
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\mainwindow.py", line 2293, in main
mainwindow = create_window(app, splash, options, args)
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\mainwindow.py", line 2148, in create_window
if main.console is not None:
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\mainwindow.py", line 1159, in __getattr__
return self.get_plugin(self._INTERNAL_PLUGINS_MAPPING[attr])
File "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Continuum\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\spyder\app\mainwindow.py", line 168, in get_plugin
raise SpyderAPIError('Plugin "{}" not found!'.format(plugin_name))
spyder.api.exceptions.SpyderAPIError: Plugin "internal_console" not found!

I have already tried the following things already (unsuccessfully):

• Uninstalling (through Windows menu) Spyder and reinstalling it in the Anaconda prompt
• Installing Spyder 4 again conda install spyder=4.0.0. However, this does not launch either anymore.

What can I do to launch Spyder again?

Daffi

(Spyder maintainer here) This part of your error ImportError: cannot import name 'secure_write' from 'jupyter_core.paths' indicates that you have a serious installation problem in Anaconda. So my recommendation is to uninstall and reinstall Anaconda again. And to do that, please follow the instructions in our video about it. – Bloodfin

If you want to use Spyder without any issues and avoid all the headaches involved after every update in Anaconda, another option is to use our Windows installer. – Bloodfin

@CarlosCordoba That's the recommended way to install it now? It should say that in the upgrade popup then (instead of conda install spyder=5.0.0 which breaks everything)? – Tradescantia

Using our Windows and macOS installers is now the recommended way to install Spyder. We mention that in our docs, webpage and Github releases page. – Bloodfin

However, if you installed Spyder with Anaconda, then we have to tell people how to update it using conda (I think it'd be quite confusing to recommend a different method). Unfortunately, we don't have any control over how conda performs updates, and that's why we created our installers. Usually it's a good strategy to use a different environment instead of your base one to try new versions, and wait a couple of months before installing a new major version (not only of Spyder, but of any software in general). – Bloodfin

Answer 1

Try to use:

icon_theme = spyder 2

in the file C:\Users<user_name>.spyder-py3\config\spyder.ini

Daynadays

This is a solution that doesn't need admin rights. Much appreciated! – Elana

Answer 2

You need remove Spyder History.

rm ~/.config/spyder-py3

Kill

Thank this worked for me. Had to add the -r though (it's a folder not a file). rm -r ~/.config/spyder-py3 – Drumlin

Answer 3

I was having the same problem and I just completely uninstalled anaconda 3 with the Uninstall-Anaconda.exe then I reinstalled and updated everything again. That may not really be a viable option for you but I did get it to work.

Longinus

Answer 4

Below commands worked for me without breaking anything:

conda update anaconda

and then

conda install spyder=5

Zalucki