How to set Python3 as default in MacOS Monterey (Macbook Air M1)?

Question

Monterey(M1) has python2 and python3 preinstalled. But the python2 is set as default, I want to change it to python3. How to change the default version to python3?

In my Macbook Air having

Samal

not sure if it would break some existing functionality under the hood by changing python to point to python3. what is wrong with just typing python3? – Unjust

you would need to add symbolic(as suggested by Saliou DJIBRILA) and then export that. These two posts will give you some more details python3 before python2 and symbolic link – Teage

Please do not upload images of code/errors/text when asking a question. – Stretto

Answer 1

If you are on Mac M1

Steps

1. $ brew install python
2. $ sudo ln -s -f /opt/homebrew/bin/python3 /usr/local/bin/python
3. Restart your terminal.
4. $ python --version

If you are on Intel Mac

Steps

1. $ brew install python
2. $ ln -s -f /usr/local/bin/python3.<your version> /usr/local/bin/python
3. Close Terminal and test version 
4. $ python --version

Angelineangelique

ln: /usr/local/bin/python: No such file or directory on M1 Monterey 12.3 – Kerge

Answer 2

You can use symbolic link: ln -s -f /usr/local/bin/python3 /usr/local/bin/python

Frum

permission denied?.... – Samal

Doesn't work: ln: /usr/local/bin/python: No such file or directory on M1 Monterey 12.3 – Kerge

This is the only solution that worked in my case, thanks – Dromond

Answer 3

From the information provided it is not possible to say if /usr/bin/python is already a symlink. You can check all the python versions in that directory and see if it is a symlink or not.

ls -l /usr/bin/python*
ls -l /usr/local/bin/python*

If python is an existing symlink

In the case that python is a symlink, you should be able to change the symlink to link to python3 as already suggested here, -s for soft, -f for force to overwrite an existing symlink.

ln -sf /usr/bin/python3 /usr/local/bin/python

If the operation is not permitted you will need to create it as root. If this is good solution I do not know, so use my answer with precaution.

sudo -i
ln -sf /usr/bin/python3 /usr/local/bin/python

Check if the right version is recognised

where python
python -V

From MacOS Monterey 12.3

From MacOS Monterey Version 12.3, python2 is no longer preinstalled, and is shipped with Python 3.8.9. Therefore python is not in use and a symlink can be used without concerns regarding python2.

python -V
zsh: command not found: python
python2 -V
zsh: command not found: python2
python3 -V
Python 3.8.9

Rossy