How to Install Jupyter Notebook on Windows, Mac, or Linux

Install Jupyter Notebook using Python and pip

The fastest way to get Jupyter Notebook running is to install it through pip, Python's package manager. Pip comes built into Python 3.4 and later, so if you have Python installed, you already have the tool you need. Open your terminal or command prompt and run a single command to download and install Jupyter Notebook and its dependencies in one step.

Before you install, check that Python is on your system. Type python --version or python3 --version into your terminal. If you see a version number (3.6 or higher), you are ready to proceed. If Python is not installed, download it from python.org first — the installer includes pip automatically.

Once Python is confirmed, type this command into your terminal and press Enter:

pip install jupyter

On some systems, you may need to use pip3 instead of pip. The installation takes a few minutes and downloads Jupyter Notebook plus about 50 supporting libraries it depends on. When the command finishes without errors, Jupyter Notebook is installed and ready to use.

Key Takeaways

Jupyter Notebook installs in one command using pip, Python's built-in package manager, and requires only Python 3.6 or later.
After installation, you start Jupyter by typing jupyter notebook in your terminal, which opens the interface in your web browser.
Windows, Mac, and Linux all use the same pip installation method, though Windows users may need to use pip3 instead of pip.
If pip installation fails, Anaconda is an alternative that bundles Python, pip, and Jupyter Notebook together in a single installer.

Start Jupyter Notebook after installation

After pip finishes installing, type this command into the same terminal window:

jupyter notebook

The terminal will print several lines of output, including a URL that starts with http://localhost:8888. Your default web browser will open automatically and display the Jupyter Notebook interface — a file browser showing the folders and files in your home directory. If the browser does not open, copy the URL from the terminal and paste it into your address bar manually.

The Jupyter Notebook interface runs in your browser, but the actual program is still running in your terminal window. Do not close the terminal while you are using Jupyter, or the notebook will stop responding. To shut down Jupyter, return to the terminal and press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac), then type y and press Enter to confirm.

Create and run your first notebook

In the Jupyter Notebook file browser, click the New button in the top right corner and select Python 3 from the dropdown menu. A new tab will open with a blank notebook — a document divided into cells, each of which can hold code or text.

Click inside the first cell and type a simple Python command, such as print("Hello, Jupyter"). Press Ctrl+Enter (or Cmd+Enter on Mac) to run the cell. The output appears directly below the cell. You can add more cells by pressing Ctrl+M then B, or by clicking the Insert menu and selecting Insert Cell Below.

To save your notebook, press Ctrl+S (or Cmd+S on Mac). Jupyter saves the file with a .ipynb extension in the folder where you started Jupyter. You can rename the notebook by clicking the title at the top of the page and typing a new name.

Install Jupyter using Anaconda instead

If pip installation fails or you prefer a single installer that includes Python and common data science libraries, Anaconda is an alternative. Anaconda bundles Python, pip, Jupyter Notebook, and about 250 other packages into one download, so you do not have to install them separately.

Download the Anaconda installer from anaconda.com and choose the version for your operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux). Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts. When installation finishes, Jupyter Notebook is already included and ready to use — type jupyter notebook in your terminal to start it, just as you would after a pip installation.

Anaconda takes up more disk space than a pip-only installation (about 3 GB compared to 500 MB), but it saves time if you plan to use data science tools like NumPy, Pandas, or Matplotlib alongside Jupyter. If you only need Jupyter and want to keep your installation small, pip is the better choice.

Troubleshoot common installation problems

If pip install jupyter returns a "command not found" error, Python or pip is not in your system's PATH — the list of locations your terminal searches for programs. On Windows, the Python installer usually adds Python to PATH automatically, but you may need to restart your terminal after installing Python. On Mac or Linux, you may need to use pip3 instead of pip, or install Python through Homebrew (Mac) or your package manager (Linux).

If Jupyter starts but your browser does not open automatically, the URL is still printed in your terminal. Copy it and paste it into your address bar. If you see a "port already in use" error, another program is using port 8888. Type jupyter notebook --port 8889 to use a different port instead.

If you installed Jupyter but the jupyter notebook command is not found, pip installed it in a location your terminal cannot find. On Windows, try restarting your terminal. On Mac or Linux, try typing python -m jupyter notebook instead, which runs Jupyter through Python directly.

Update Jupyter Notebook to the latest version

Jupyter Notebook receives updates regularly. To check your current version, type jupyter notebook --version in your terminal. To update to the latest version, type:

pip install --upgrade jupyter

This command downloads and installs any newer version available. Updates usually add new features or fix bugs but rarely break existing notebooks, so updating is generally safe. If you installed Jupyter through Anaconda, you can update it through the Anaconda Navigator application instead, or by typing conda update jupyter in your terminal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to install Jupyter separately for each Python version?

No. Jupyter Notebook works with whichever Python version you used to install it. If you have Python 3.8 and install Jupyter with it, Jupyter will run Python 3.8 code. If you later install Python 3.11 and want Jupyter to use that version instead, you can reinstall Jupyter with the new Python version, but you do not need separate Jupyter installations.

Can I use Jupyter Notebook without installing anything?

Yes. JupyterLite and Google Colab both run Jupyter Notebook in your browser without installation. JupyterLite runs entirely in your browser with no server needed. Google Colab is a free service that runs notebooks on Google's servers. Both are useful for learning or sharing notebooks, but a local installation gives you more control and works offline.

What if I want to use Jupyter Lab instead of Jupyter Notebook?

Jupyter Lab is a newer interface for the same underlying system. Install it by typing pip install jupyterlab, then start it with jupyter lab. Jupyter Lab has a more modern design and additional features, but Jupyter Notebook is simpler and sufficient for most tasks. You can install both and switch between them.

How do I uninstall Jupyter Notebook?

Type pip uninstall jupyter in your terminal and press Enter. Pip will ask you to confirm, then remove Jupyter and its dependencies. This does not remove Python itself, only the Jupyter package.

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