---
# System prepended metadata

title: 'error: externally-managed-environment (Python, WSL)'
tags: [wsl, python]

---

# error: externally-managed-environment (Python, WSL)

> Author: Junner
> Date: 11/22/24
> Last update: 12/5/25


While installing Python package:
```bash
pip install numpy
```
You'll see:

    error: externally-managed-environment

    × This environment is externally managed
    ╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
        python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
        install.

        If you wish to install a non-Kali-packaged Python package,
        create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
        Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
        sure you have pypy3-venv installed.

        If you wish to install a non-Kali-packaged Python application,
        it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
        virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.

        For more information, refer to the following:
        * https://www.kali.org/docs/general-use/python3-external-packages/
        * /usr/share/doc/python3.13/README.venv

    note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages.
    hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.
    
    


You can run this to remove the error message and protection:
```bash
sudo mv /usr/lib/python3.x/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED /usr/lib/python3.x/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED.bk
```
replace `x` with your python version.

And this command mean to rename `EXTERNALLY-MANAGED` to other name. So it will not pop up again.