Fixing missing ‘Anaconda Prompt’ start menu shortcut on windows 10

July 1st, 2019 | Categories: python | Tags:

I am a huge user of Anaconda Python and the way I usually get access to the Anaconda Prompt is to start typing ‘Anaconda’ in the Windows search box and click on the link as soon as it pops up. Easy and convenient. Earlier today, however, the Windows 10 menu shortcuts for the Anaconda command line vanished from my machine!

I’m not sure exactly what triggered this but I was heavily messing around with various environments, including the base one, and also installed Visual Studio 2019 Community Edition with all the Python extensions before I noticed that the menu shortcuts had gone missing. No idea what the root cause was.

Fortunately, getting my Anaconda Prompt back was very straightforward:

  • launch Anaconda Navigator
  • Click on Environments
  • Selected base (root)
  • Choose Not installed  from the drop down list
  • Type for console_ in the search box
  • Check the console_shortcut package
  • Click Apply and follow the instructions to install the package

console_shortcut

  1. Bob Alvarez
    July 19th, 2019 at 10:06
    Reply | Quote | #1

    Hi Mike

    A while ago, a few years?, you wrote a post describing how the forced updates of windows 10 were causing some scientific software packages to behave erratically.
    I’m curious what your take is on Windows 10 now? Have you made peace with the forced updates? Have you evolved strategies to minimize their effects?

    Bob

  2. Bob Alvarez
    July 19th, 2019 at 10:13
    Reply | Quote | #2

    Some background: I use a windows 7 system but I am facing the January 2020 deadline for Microsoft to discontinue support. I dearly love my Win7 system and it is set up just the way I like it so I have a strong resistance to switching over. I’m considering Linux but windows 10 seems like it would be the path of least resistance to update to a supported system that is close to my current system.

  3. Mike Croucher
    August 23rd, 2019 at 04:25
    Reply | Quote | #3

    I have to say the the frequent updates have led me considering Windows 10 as a superb environment in which to do scientific computing. Things such as Visual studio code and The Windows Subsystem for Linux have changed everything for me. The situation regarding updates isn’t as bad as I once thought it might be.

    I do most of my technical computing in Windows 10 now, using Linux when I use HPC facilities.

  4. Harsha
    November 14th, 2019 at 02:49
    Reply | Quote | #4

    Thanks. It worked.

  5. Suvarna
    September 7th, 2020 at 01:55
    Reply | Quote | #5

    Thank you sir..Its working