Defaulting to user installation because normal site-packages is not writeable

Try This Command:

Python 3

python3 -m pip install [package_name]

Python 2

python -m pip install [package_name]

If you see the message “Defaulting to user installation because normal site-packages is not writeable” when installing Python packages, it means that your Python interpreter does not have the necessary permissions to write to the system’s site-packages directory. In this case, Python will install the package in the user’s local directory, which should be writeable. To avoid this message and install packages directly to the system’s site-packages directory, you can try running the installation command with administrator privileges or use a virtual environment to install packages locally without requiring system-level permissions. Additionally, you can modify the Python installation to ensure that the system’s site-packages directory is writeable by the user or group that you are using to run Python.

• pip3 install –upgrade pip
• python3 -m pip install –upgrade pip
• python3.7 -m pip install –upgrade pip

The main cause of the “Defaulting to user installation because normal site-packages is not writeable” message is that the Python interpreter does not have the necessary permissions to write to the system’s site-packages directory. The site-packages directory is a directory used by Python to store globally installed packages, and it is typically located in the system’s Python installation directory.

If the user or group that is running Python does not have write access to the site-packages directory, Python will be unable to install packages globally and will default to installing them in the user’s local directory, which should be writeable. This can lead to the “Defaulting to user installation because normal site-packages is not writeable” message being displayed during the installation process.

Other factors that can contribute to this issue include incorrect file permissions or ownership on the system’s Python installation directory, running Python as a non-root user, or using a non-standard Python installation directory. By ensuring that the user or group running Python has the necessary permissions to write to the site-packages directory, you can help prevent this issue from occurring.

Here are some best practices you can follow to prevent the “Defaulting to user installation because normal site-packages is not writeable” message when installing Python packages:

1. Use a virtual environment: Creating a virtual environment using tools like venv or virtualenv allows you to install packages locally without requiring system-level permissions. This can help prevent issues related to write permissions and ensure that your Python environment is isolated from other Python installations on the system.
2. Use pip install –user: If you want to install packages globally, you can use the pip install –user command to install packages in the user’s local directory, which should be writeable. This can help prevent issues related to write permissions and allow you to install packages globally without requiring administrator or root-level permissions.
3. Check permissions on site-packages directory: If you need to install packages globally and are encountering write permission issues, you can check the permissions on the system’s site-packages directory and ensure that the user or group you are using to run Python has write access to that directory. However, modifying the Python installation itself is not recommended unless you have a good understanding of the potential risks and consequences.
4. Use a package manager: Using a package manager like conda or apt can help ensure that your Python packages are installed in a consistent and controlled manner, without requiring system-level permissions. Package managers can also help manage dependencies and ensure that your Python environment is isolated from other installations on the system.