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I'm on macOS with a new install of Blender, current version as of now. I had some issues and finally managed to get pip working with the Blender install of Python and I'm adding modules I need to use in some scripts. (Such as Pillow, for adding ID info on rendered images then saving the blended images as PNGs.) So I have special modules set up in that instance of Python, which is entirely within the main Blender directory, in /Applications/Blender.

When I upgrade to a newer version of Blender, on Mac, that's generally done by drag-and-drop, which would lead to replacing everything in the old Blender install.

Is there a preset way to handle this that lets me install the new Blender and keeping the modules I've added to that Python install? Or do I just need to keep a record of what modules I add so when I get a new version of Blender, I can re-install pip and re-add all the modules I've added?

Harry McKenzie
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Tango
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1 Answers1

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Yes you will need to have a backup setup script which you have to manually keep and maintain that when executed will install ensurepip, pip, enable built-in addons, and install the third party addons, etc. Basically it would look something like the following script which you execute everytime you have a new Blender install:

import subprocess
import sys
import os

python_exe = os.path.join(sys.prefix, 'bin', 'python.exe')


install pip


subprocess.call([python_exe, '-m', 'ensurepip'])
subprocess.call([python_exe, '-m', 'pip', 'install', '--upgrade', 'pip'])


Install Python Modules/Libraries/Packages


subprocess.call([python_exe, '-m', 'pip', 'install', '--upgrade', 'PACKAGE_NAME_1'])
subprocess.call([python_exe, '-m', 'pip', 'install', '--upgrade', 'PACKAGE_NAME_2'])
subprocess.call([python_exe, '-m', 'pip', 'install', '--upgrade', 'PACKAGE_NAME_3'])


Enable built-in addons


Enable addon 1


Enable addon 2


Enable addon 3


Install third party addons


Install addon 1


Install addon 2


Install addon 3

You can find more info here:

Harry McKenzie
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  • I'm looking this over - it's been so long since I wrote and used my add-on, but I will need it in the future. I just commented that I had asked about this in the Blender Artists forum - you didn't see my comment there, by any chance, and find this from that, did you? – Tango Jan 10 '23 at 06:24
  • No, I went through some old unanswered questions and thought i'd put an answer. can you post a link to the blenderartist post – Harry McKenzie Jan 10 '23 at 09:40
  • Not really necessary to post a link since the other post doesn't add any info. I want to test this out, which won't be immediately, to see how it works. With your extra sections to enable built-in and third party, do you mean that every time I upgrade Blender, I have to re-enable any add-ons I've started using? – Tango Jan 11 '23 at 18:14