I installed Python Anaconda on Mac (OS Mavericks). I wanted to revert to the default version of Python on my Mac. What's the best way to do this? Should I delete the ~/anaconda directory? Any other changes required?

Currently when I run which python I get this path:

/Users/username/anaconda/bin/python

19 Answers

From the docs:

To uninstall Anaconda open a terminal window and remove the entire anaconda install directory: rm -rf ~/anaconda. You may also edit ~/.bash_profile and remove the anaconda directory from your PATH environment variable, and remove the hidden .condarc file and .conda and .continuum directories which may have been created in the home directory with rm -rf ~/.condarc ~/.conda ~/.continuum.

Further notes:

• Python3 installs may use a ~/anaconda3 dir instead of ~/anaconda.
• You might also have a ~/.anaconda hidden directory that may be removed.
• Depending on how you installed, it is possible that the PATH is modified in one of your runcom files, and not in your shell profile. So, for example if you are using bash, be sure to check your ~/.bashrc if you don't find the PATH modified in ~/.bash_profile.

The anaconda installer adds a line in your ~/.bash_profile script that prepends the anaconda bin directory to your $PATH environment variable. Deleting the anaconda directory should be all you need to do, but it's good housekeeping to remove this line from your setup script too.

Package "anaconda clean", available from Anaconda platform, should uninstall safely.

conda activate your_conda_env # activate your conda environment conda install anaconda-clean # install the package anaconda clean anaconda-clean --yes # clean all anaconda related files and directories rm -rf ~/anaconda3 # removes the entire anaconda directory rm -rf ~/.anaconda_backup # anaconda clean creates a back_up of files/dirs, remove it # (conda list; cmd shouldn't respond after the clean up) 

Refer: for more details.

Note: Also, you may want to edit .bashrc (or .bash_profile) & remove the conda path in $PATH environment variable for full proper clean-up

Removing the Anaconda directory helps, but I don't think that's a good idea as you might need to use anaconda sometimes in near future. So, as suggested by mwaskom, anaconda installer automatically adds PATH variable which points to anaconda/bin directory in the ~/.bashrc file.

It looks like this

PATH="/home/linuxsagar/anaconda3/bin:$PATH 

So, just comment out the line (add # in the beginning of the line). Then reload the ~/.bashrc file executing source ~/.bashrc

Now, verify the changes executing which python in the new terminal.

rm -rf ~/anaconda 

It was pretty easy. It switched my pointer to Python:

If you're uninstalling Anaconda to be able to use the base Python installation in the system, you could temporarily disable the path by following these steps and not uninstalling Anaconda.

Go to your home directory. Just a cd command will do.

Edit the file .bashrc.

Look for something like export PATH="/home/ubuntu/anaconda3/bin:$PATH" in the file.

Put a # at the beginning to comment it from the script.

#export PATH="/home/ubuntu/anaconda3/bin:$PATH" 

Open a new terminal and you should be running the base python installation. This works on Linux systems. Should work on Mac too.

rm -rf ~/anaconda3 nano ~/.bashrc 

• Ctrl+W to search for "Anaconda"

• Delete or comment out the following lines:

  /home/sammuel/.bashrc # added by Anaconda3 4.2.0 installer export PATH="/home/sammuel/anaconda3/bin:$PATH" 

When you’re done editing the file, type Ctrl+X to exit and y to save changes.

Anaconda is now removed from your server.

Uninstalling Anaconda

To uninstall Anaconda, you can do a simple remove of the program. This will leave a few files behind, which for most users is just fine. See Option A.

If you also want to remove all traces of the configuration files and directories from Anaconda and its programs, you can download and use the Anaconda-Clean program first, then do a simple remove. See Option B.

Option A.

Use simple remove to uninstall Anaconda:

macOS–Open the Terminal.app or iTerm2 terminal application, and then remove your entire Anaconda directory, which has a name such as anaconda2 or anaconda3, by entering rm -rf ~/anaconda3.

Option B.

Full uninstall using Anaconda-Clean and simple remove.

NOTE: Anaconda-Clean must be run before simple remove.

Install the Anaconda-Clean package from Anaconda Prompt or a terminal window:

conda install anaconda-clean 

In the same window, run one of these commands:

Remove all Anaconda-related files and directories with a confirmation prompt before deleting each one:

anaconda-clean 

Or, remove all Anaconda-related files and directories without being prompted to delete each one:

anaconda-clean --yes 

Anaconda-Clean creates a backup of all files and directories that might be removed, such as .bash_profile, in a folder named .anaconda_backup in your home directory. Also note that Anaconda-Clean leaves your data files in the AnacondaProjects directory untouched. After using Anaconda-Clean, follow the instructions above in Option A to uninstall Anaconda. Removing Anaconda path from .bash_profile

If you use Linux or macOS, you may also wish to check the .bash_profilefile in your home directory for a line such as:

export PATH="/Users/jsmith/anaconda3/bin:$PATH" 

NOTE: Replace /Users/jsmith/anaconda3/ with your actual path.

This line adds the Anaconda path to the PATH environment variable. It may refer to either Anaconda or Miniconda. After uninstalling Anaconda, you may delete this line and save the file.

by official uninstalling way

In case you have multiple version of anaconda,

rm -rf ~/anaconda2 [for version 2]

rm -rf ~/anaconda3 [for version 3]

Open .bashrc file in a text editor

vim .bashrc

remove anaconda directory from your PATH.

export PATH="/home/{username}/anaconda2/bin:$PATH" [for version 2]

export PATH="/home/{username}/anaconda3/bin:$PATH" [for version 3]

I simply:

rm -rf ~/anaconda3 

...this removed conda also.

Then:

mousepad ~/.bashrc 

...and removed the path line added at the very bottom (clearly identified by Anaconda as 'added by Anaconda'.

Worth noting that anaconda3 created a backup of my .bashrc file before modification, and named it as:

./bashrc-anaconda3.bak 

...so I could always have just renamed this and deleted my modified .bashrc

To uninstall anaconda you have to:

1) Remove the entire anaconda install directory with:

rm -rf ~/anaconda2

2) And (OPTIONAL):

->Edit ~/.bash_profile to remove the anaconda directory from your PATH environment variable.

->Remove the following hidden file and folders that may have been created in the home directory:

rm -rf ~/.condarc ~/.conda ~/.continuum

source

I always try to follow the developers advice, since they are usually the ones that now how it would affect your system. Theoretically this should be the safest way:

Install the Anaconda-Clean package from Anaconda Prompt (terminal on Linux or macOS):

conda install anaconda-clean

In the same window, run one of these commands:

1. Remove all Anaconda-related files and directories with a confirmation prompt before deleting each one:

anaconda-clean

2. Remove all Anaconda-related files and directories without being prompted to delete each one:

anaconda-clean --yes

Anaconda-Clean creates a backup of all files and directories that might be removed in a folder named .anaconda_backup in your home directory. Also note that Anaconda-Clean leaves your data files in the AnacondaProjects directory untouched.

To uninstall Anaconda Fully from your System :

1. Open Terminal
2. rm -rf ~/miniconda
3. rm -rf ~/.condarc ~/.conda ~/.continuum

rm -rf ~/anaconda3 

It was enough

In my case Anaconda3 was not installed in home directory. Instead, it was installed in root. Therefore, I had to do the following to get it uninstalled:

sudo rm -rf /anaconda3/bin/python 

For windows

• Install anaconda-clean module using

  conda install anaconda-clean 

  then, run the following command to delete files step by step:

  anaconda-clean 

  Or, just run following command to delete them all-

  anaconda-clean --yes 

• After this Open Control Panel> Programs> Uninstall Program, here uninstall that python for which publisher is Anaconda.

• Now, you can remove anaconda/scripts and /anaconda/ from PATH variable.

Hope, it helps.

Install the Anaconda-Clean package from Anaconda Prompt

conda install anaconda-clean 

In the same window, run one of these commands: TO remove all Anaconda-related files and directories without being prompted to delete each one:

anaconda-clean --yes 

Windows:

Use Windows Explorer to delete the envs and pkgs folders prior to running the uninstall in the root of your installation.

In the Control Panel, choose Add or Remove Programs or Uninstall a program, and then select Python 3.6 (Anaconda) or your version of Python.

In macOs rm -rf ~/opt/anaconda3

Install the cleaner

me@host:~$ conda install anaconda-clean 

Activate the 'base' virtual environment

me@host:~$ source ~/anaconda3/bin/activate 

Run the cleaner

(base) me@host:~$ anaconda-clean --yes 

Deactivate the 'base' virtual environment

(base) me@host:~$ conda deactivate 

Remove the files

me@host:~$ rm -rf ~/anaconda3 me@host:~$ rm -rf ~/.anaconda_backup 

Delete lines added by conda from environment file(s)

Open the .bashrc file (and/or .profile and/or .bash_profile)

nano .bashrc 

Search for conda:

1. press CTRL+W
2. type conda
3. press ENTER

Remove everything that looks like it has been added by/for anaconda:

# >>> conda initialize >>> # !! Contents within this block are managed by 'conda init' !! __conda_setup="$('/home/me/anaconda3/bin/conda' 'shell.bash' 'hook' 2> /dev/null)" if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then eval "$__conda_setup" else if [ -f "/home/me/anaconda3/etc/profile.d/conda.sh" ]; then . "/home/me/anaconda3/etc/profile.d/conda.sh" else export PATH="/home/me/anaconda3/bin:$PATH" fi fi unset __conda_setup # <<< conda initialize <<< 

This was done on Ubuntu 18.04