Installing Jupyter Notebook on Mac: A Step-by-Step Setup Guide

What you need to install Jupyter Notebook on Mac

Jupyter Notebook runs on Python, so you need Python installed first. Most Macs come with Python 2, which is outdated — you need Python 3. The fastest way is to install Python 3 using Homebrew, a package manager that handles downloads and setup automatically. If you don't have Homebrew yet, you install it in one line from Terminal. Once Python 3 is in place, you install Jupyter Notebook itself using pip, Python's built-in package installer.

The whole process takes about 10 minutes on a typical Mac with a decent internet connection. You'll work entirely in Terminal, the command-line process that comes with every Mac. No graphical installer — just typing commands and watching them run.

Key Takeaways

Jupyter Notebook requires Python 3, which you install first using Homebrew, a free package manager for Mac.
After Python 3 is installed, you use pip (Python's package installer) to read and set up Jupyter Notebook itself.
The entire setup happens in Terminal, Mac's built-in command-line process, using four or five short commands.
Once installed, you launch Jupyter Notebook by typing a single command in Terminal, which opens it in your web browser.

Installing Homebrew if you don't have it

Open Terminal by pressing Command + Space, typing "Terminal", and pressing Enter. Copy this entire line and paste it into Terminal, then press Enter:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Terminal will ask for your Mac password — this is normal. Type it (you won't see the characters appear) and press Enter. Homebrew downloads and installs. This can take a few minutes. When it finishes, you'll see a message saying "Installation successful!" or similar.

If you already have Homebrew, skip this step. To check, type brew --version in Terminal and press Enter. If a version number appears, you're ready to move on.

Installing Python 3 using Homebrew

In Terminal, type this command and press Enter:

brew install python3

Homebrew downloads Python 3 and installs it. This takes a couple of minutes. When it finishes, verify the installation by typing:

python3 --version

Press Enter. You should see a version number like "Python 3.11.5" or higher. If you see a version number, Python 3 is installed correctly and you can move to the next step.

Installing Jupyter Notebook with pip

Now that Python 3 is installed, use pip to install Jupyter Notebook. Type this command in Terminal and press Enter:

pip3 install jupyter

pip downloads Jupyter Notebook and its dependencies — the supporting software it needs to run. This step takes longer than the previous ones, usually 2 to 5 minutes depending on your internet speed. You'll see lines of text scrolling past as packages read and install. When it finishes, you'll see a line that says "Successfully installed" followed by a list of packages.

Verify the installation by typing:

jupyter --version

Press Enter. You should see a version number. If you do, Jupyter Notebook is ready to use.

Launching Jupyter Notebook for the first time

In Terminal, navigate to the folder where you want to store your notebooks. For example, to go to your Documents folder, type:

cd ~/Documents

Press Enter. Now type:

jupyter notebook

Press Enter. Terminal will print several lines of information, including a URL that starts with "http://localhost:8888". Your default web browser opens automatically and displays Jupyter Notebook's file browser. You're now inside Jupyter Notebook and ready to create your first notebook.

To stop Jupyter Notebook, go back to Terminal and press Control + C. Terminal will ask if you want to shut down the notebook server — type "y" and press Enter.

Creating and saving your first notebook

In the Jupyter Notebook file browser, click the "New" button in the top right, then select "Python 3" from the dropdown. A new notebook opens with an empty cell ready for code. Type some Python code — for example, print("Hello, Jupyter") — and press Shift + Enter to run it. The output appears directly below the cell.

To save your notebook, press Command + S or go to File > Save. Jupyter saves it as a .ipynb file in the folder where you launched Jupyter Notebook. You can create as many notebooks as you want in the same folder, and they all appear in the file browser.

Launching Jupyter Notebook after the first time

You don't need to reinstall anything. Each time you want to use Jupyter Notebook, open Terminal, navigate to your notebooks folder (using cd ~/Documents or wherever you keep them), and type jupyter notebook. It launches when ready.

If you want to avoid typing the navigation command every time, you can create a shortcut. Open Terminal and type:

nano ~/.zshrc

Press Enter. A text editor opens. Go to the end of the file and add this line:

alias jupyter-start='cd ~/Documents && jupyter notebook'

Press Control + X, then Y, then Enter to save. Now you can type jupyter-start in Terminal and it automatically navigates to Documents and launches Jupyter Notebook in one command. Replace ~/Documents with whatever folder you actually use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I get a "command not found" error?

This usually means Python 3 or Jupyter Notebook didn't install correctly. Go back and run the installation commands again. Make sure you're typing python3 and pip3, not python or pip — the "3" matters. If the error persists, restart Terminal completely and try again.

Can I use Jupyter Notebook with other programming languages?

Yes, but you need to install additional kernels. Python 3 is the default and easiest to set up. Other languages like R or Julia require separate installation steps. For most people starting out, Python 3 is the right choice.

How do I update Jupyter Notebook to the latest version?

In Terminal, type pip3 install --upgrade jupyter and press Enter. pip downloads and installs the newest version. This is optional — your current version works fine unless you need a specific new feature.

What if Jupyter Notebook won't open in my browser?

Look at the Terminal window where you typed jupyter notebook. Find the line that starts with "http://localhost:8888" and copy the full URL including the token at the end. Paste it directly into your browser's address bar. If that doesn't work, try a different browser — sometimes Safari has issues, but Chrome or Firefox usually work.

Can I use Jupyter Notebook on an M1 or M2 Mac?

Yes. The installation process is identical. Homebrew and pip handle the differences automatically. Your M1 or M2 Mac will run Jupyter Notebook smoothly without any extra steps.

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