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Conda/Miniforge environments not detected as Jupyter kernels in VSCode (2025.x extension versions) #25554

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Conda/Miniforge environments not detected as Jupyter kernels in VSCode (2025.x extension versions)#25554
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eleanorjboyd
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bugIssue identified by VS Code Team member as probable bug

Description

@aaronjnewman
Aaron Newman (aaronjnewman)
opened on Oct 31, 2025

Conda/Miniforge environments not detected as Jupyter kernels in VSCode (2025.x extension versions)

Environment Data

  • VS Code Version: 1.105.1
  • OS Version: macOS (Darwin arm64)
  • Python Extension Version: 2025.17.2025101701 (broken), rolled back to 2024.16.0 (working)
  • Jupyter Extension Version: 2025.9.1 (broken), rolled back to 2024.9.1 (working)
  • Python Environment Manager Extension Version: 1.11.13001538
  • Python Distribution: Miniforge3
  • Python Version: 3.x (multiple environments)

Expected Behavior

When opening a Jupyter notebook in VSCode and selecting a kernel, all conda environments with ipykernel installed should appear in the kernel selection menu, as they did in previous versions of the extensions.

Actual Behavior

With Python extension v2025.x and Jupyter extension v2025.x, conda environments are not detected as available kernels. Only system Python interpreters appear in the kernel selection menu, despite having multiple conda environments properly configured with ipykernel installed.

Error Logs

The Jupyter output panel shows the following errors:

20:23:57.148 [warn] No interpreter with path ~/miniforge3/bin/python found in Python API, will convert Uri path to string as Id ~/miniforge3/bin/python
20:23:57.149 [warn] No interpreter with path ~/miniforge3/envs/ncil/bin/python found in Python API, will convert Uri path to string as Id ~/miniforge3/envs/ncil/bin/python
20:24:00.398 [warn] Failed to get Python interpreter details from Python Extension API for ~/miniforge3/envs/ncil/bin/python Error: Failed to run "conda info --envs --json":
 /bin/sh: ~/miniforge3/bin: is a directory
20:24:00.400 [warn] Kernel Spec for 'Python (ncil)' (~/Library/Jupyter/kernels/ncil/kernel.json) hidden, as we cannot find a matching interpreter argv = '~/miniforge3/envs/ncil/bin/python'. To resolve this, please change '~/miniforge3/envs/ncil/bin/python' to point to the fully qualified Python executable.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Install Miniforge3 on macOS (ARM64)
  2. Create conda environments with ipykernel installed: 
    conda create -n test_env python=3.10
conda activate test_env
conda install ipykernel
  3. Register the kernel (though this shouldn't be necessary with nb_conda_kernels): 
    python -m ipykernel install --user --name test_env --display-name "Python (test_env)"
  4. Open VSCode with latest Python (2025.x) and Jupyter (2025.x) extensions
  5. Open a Jupyter notebook
  6. Attempt to select kernel - conda environments will not appear

Attempted Solutions That Failed

  1. Updated settings.json with full paths (no tildes):

    {
    "python.condaPath": "/Users/username/miniforge3/bin/conda",
    "python.defaultInterpreterPath": "/Users/username/miniforge3/bin/python",
    "jupyter.kernels.trusted": ["/Users/username/miniforge3/envs/*/bin/python"]
}

  2. Manually registered kernels using ipykernel install with full paths

  3. Verified kernel.json files contain full paths without tildes:

    {
 "argv": [
  "/Users/username/miniforge3/envs/ncil/bin/python",
  "-m",
  "ipykernel_launcher",
  "-f",
  "{connection_file}"
 ]
}

  4. Installed nb_conda_kernels in base environment (should auto-detect all conda envs)

  5. Cleared all VSCode caches:

    rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/workspaceStorage/
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/globalStorage/ms-python.python/
rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/globalStorage/ms-toolsai.jupyter/

Root Cause Analysis

The issue appears to be related to tilde (~) path expansion. Despite having full paths in all configuration files, the VSCode extensions internally attempt to use paths with tildes (as seen in the error logs), which fail to resolve properly. The error message shows the extension is looking for ~/miniforge3/bin/python instead of /Users/username/miniforge3/bin/python.

The extensions seem to be caching these tilde paths internally and not properly expanding them, even when all user-facing configuration uses full absolute paths.

Solution/Workaround

Rolling back to earlier versions resolves the issue completely:

  1. Rollback Jupyter extension to v2024.9.1
  2. Rollback Python extension to v2024.16.0
  3. Reload VSCode

After rollback, all conda environments immediately appear in the kernel selection menu without any additional configuration needed.

Impact

This bug severely impacts data science workflows for users who:

  • Use conda/mamba/miniforge for environment management
  • Work with Jupyter notebooks in VSCode
  • Have upgraded to the latest extension versions

This is a regression from previous versions where conda environment detection worked automatically and reliably.

Suggested Fix

  1. Fix tilde path expansion in the interpreter detection logic
  2. Ensure the extensions properly expand ~ to the user's home directory before attempting to access files
  3. Add test coverage for conda environments with paths containing tildes
  4. Consider reverting whatever change was made between v2024.16.0 (Python) / v2024.9.1 (Jupyter) and the 2025.x versions that broke this functionality

Related Issues

This may be related to other reported issues with interpreter detection on macOS, particularly for conda/miniforge installations.

Additional Context

  • The issue affects Miniforge3 installations on macOS ARM64 (Apple Silicon)
  • nb_conda_kernels package is installed but not being recognized by the 2025.x extensions
  • The same setup works perfectly with the September/October 2024 versions of the extensions
  • This appears to be a regression introduced in the 2025.x versions

Reproducibility

This issue is 100% reproducible on the affected setup and is immediately resolved by rolling back to the specified earlier versions.

Activity

  1. Aaron Newman (aaronjnewman)
    added
    bugIssue identified by VS Code Team member as probable bug
    on Oct 31, 2025
  2. vs-code-engineering
    assigned
    Don Jayamanne (DonJayamanne)
    on Nov 1, 2025

  3. DonJayamanne commented on Nov 1, 2025

    @DonJayamanne
    Don Jayamanne (DonJayamanne)
    on Nov 1, 2025

    rolling back to the specified earlier versions.

    Please can you verify that all you need to do is roll back python extension(s)
    The Jupyter extension doesn’t find Python envs, I want to isolate the issue to being a problem with Python extension(s),

    I am fairly certain that’s the case, but would like a confirmation

  4. aaronjnewman commented on Nov 1, 2025

    @aaronjnewman
    Aaron Newman (aaronjnewman)
    on Nov 1, 2025
    Author

    Confirmed. I updated the Jupyter extension to the current
    2025.9.1 version, while leaving the Python extension at 2024.16.0, and VS Code was still able to find all my kernels including Conda environments. Updating the Python extension to
    2025.17.2025101701 breaks this functionality and only lists system Python environments.

  5. Don Jayamanne (DonJayamanne)
    transferred this issue frommicrosoft/vscode-jupyteron Nov 1, 2025
  6. github-actions
    added
    triage-neededNeeds assignment to the proper sub-team
    on Nov 1, 2025
  7. github-actions
    unassigned
    Don Jayamanne (DonJayamanne)
    on Nov 1, 2025
  8. Karthik Nadig (karthiknadig)
    assigned
    Eleanor Boyd (eleanorjboyd)
    on Nov 2, 2025

  9. eleanorjboyd commented on Nov 6, 2025

    @eleanorjboyd
    Eleanor Boyd (eleanorjboyd)
    on Nov 6, 2025
    Member

    Not able to repro myself but Ill keep investigating: Image

    if you see this in the meantime and could run Python: Run Python Environment Tool (PET) in Terminal... and select find that would be useful to see what our locator binary is returning

    another item to try is if you put the following in your settings, does it work? python.useEnvironmentsExtension: false?

  10. github-actions
    added
    info-neededIssue requires more information from poster
    on Nov 6, 2025

  11. aaronjnewman commented on Nov 6, 2025

    @aaronjnewman
    Aaron Newman (aaronjnewman)
    on Nov 6, 2025
    Author

    Thanks for looking into this. To test, I did the following:

    • updated Python extension to current version 2025.17.2025110501
    • open Jupyter notebook with existing Python code
    • click "Detecting kernels" (note that with current versions of the Python extension, this permanently sits in "detecting kernels" with a spinning wheel; it never settles to "select kernel" the way it normally does)
    • "Select another kernel" -> Python environments
    • only system Python environments show (/usr/bin/python, /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin/python3, and .venv/bin/python)
    • Following your screenshot, I tried creating a new environment using the same command you did (conda create -n test_env python=3.10), but after this was created it still doesn't show in the Python environments available, even after Devloper: Reload Window

    I tried adding python.useEnvironmentsExtension: false to settings.json but this had no effect on the issue.

    Output of /Users/aaron/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.vscode-python-envs-1.11.13081013-darwin-arm64/python-env-tools/bin/pet" find --verbose is

    ❯ "/Users/aaron/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.vscode-python-envs-1.11.13081013-darwin-arm64/python-env-tools/bin/pet" find --verbose
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_core::os_environment] Env PATH: ["/Users/aaron/.npm-global/bin", "/Users/aaron/.npm-global/bin", "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/bin", "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/condabin", "/usr/local/fsl/share/fsl/bin", "/usr/local/fsl/share/fsl/bin", "/usr/local/bin", "/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin", "/usr/bin", "/bin", "/usr/sbin", "/sbin", "/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/local/bin", "/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/bin", "/var/run/com.apple.security.cryptexd/codex.system/bootstrap/usr/appleinternal/bin", "/opt/X11/bin", "/Library/Apple/usr/bin", "/Library/TeX/texbin", "/usr/local/share/dotnet", "~/.dotnet/tools", "/Users/aaron/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.15.2025110501-darwin-arm64/bundled/scripts/noConfigScripts", "/Users/aaron/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/github.copilot-chat/debugCommand"]
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching for environments in workspace folders: ["/Users/aaron/3505/NESC_3505_textbook"]
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: Conda
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching for environments in global folders: ["/Users/aaron/.npm-global/bin", "/Users/aaron/.npm-global/bin", "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/bin", "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/condabin", "/usr/local/fsl/share/fsl/bin", "/usr/local/fsl/share/fsl/bin", "/usr/local/bin", "/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin", "/usr/bin", "/bin", "/usr/sbin", "/sbin", "/opt/X11/bin", "/Library/TeX/texbin", "/usr/local/share/dotnet", "/Users/aaron/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.15.2025110501-darwin-arm64/bundled/scripts/noConfigScripts", "/Users/aaron/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/github.copilot-chat/debugCommand", "/etc", "/usr/lib", "/usr/libexec", "/usr/local", "/usr/local/lib", "/usr/share", "/opt"]
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: Poetry
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: Pixi
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: PipEnv
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: Pixi in 7.375µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: PipEnv in 11µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: PyEnv
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Found environments.txt file "/Users/aaron/.conda/environments.txt"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Conda env in environments.txt file "/Users/aaron/miniforge3"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Conda env in environments.txt file "/usr/local/fsl"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Conda env in environments.txt file "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/ncil"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Conda env in environments.txt file "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/neural_data_science"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Conda env in environments.txt file "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/test_env"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: VirtualEnvWrapper
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_poetry::manager] Poetry exe not found
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_poetry] Poetry Manager None
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: VirtualEnvWrapper in 73.416µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: Venv
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: MacPythonOrg
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: Venv in 157.584µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: MacPythonOrg in 12.125µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: VirtualEnv
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: Homebrew
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: VirtualEnv in 92.416µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_pyenv] PyEnv Info PyEnvInfo { exe: None, versions: None, version: None }
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_pyenv] PyEnv versions directory not found
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: PyEnv in 317.292µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: MacXCode
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: MacXCode in 212.166µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_poetry::pyproject_toml] Finding poetry file in "/Users/aaron/3505/NESC_3505_textbook"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_poetry::pyproject_toml] Parsing poetry file: "/Users/aaron/3505/NESC_3505_textbook/pyproject.toml"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_poetry::config] Poetry cache (default): Some("/Users/aaron/Library/Caches/pypoetry")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching for environments in global venv folders: []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/miniforge3/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/miniconda3/mambarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_poetry::config] Poetry config file => None, virtualenv.path => "/Users/aaron/Library/Caches/pypoetry/virtualenvs", cache_dir => Some("/Users/aaron/Library/Caches/pypoetry"), virtualenvs_in_project => None
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/miniconda/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/conda/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/.conda/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/miniconda3/.mambarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/.config/conda/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Searching using locator: MacCommandLineTools
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Conda environments in known paths ["/Library/TeX/texbin", "/System/Cryptexes/App/usr/bin", "/Users/aaron/.npm-global/bin", "/Users/aaron/.vscode/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.15.2025110501-darwin-arm64/bundled/scripts/noConfigScripts", "/Users/aaron/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/github.copilot-chat/debugCommand", "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/bin", "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/condabin", "/bin", "/etc", "/opt", "/opt/X11/bin", "/sbin", "/usr/bin", "/usr/lib", "/usr/libexec", "/usr/local", "/usr/local/bin", "/usr/local/fsl/share/fsl/bin", "/usr/local/lib", "/usr/local/share/dotnet", "/usr/sbin", "/usr/share"]
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_poetry::environment_locations] pyproject.toml not found in any workspace directory
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: Poetry in 573.083µs
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/miniconda/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/conda/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::conda_rc] conda_rc: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.condarc" with env_dirs []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::conda_rc] conda_rc: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.condarc" with env_dirs []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::locators] Identifying Python environment using locators: "/Users/aaron/3505/NESC_3505_textbook/.venv/bin/python"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Conda environments in .condarc ["/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.condarc"] []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/miniconda/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/miniconda/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/conda/.mambarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/miniconda/mambarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/miniconda/.mambarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/.mambarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/conda/mambarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_pyenv] PyEnv Info PyEnvInfo { exe: None, versions: None, version: None }
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/miniconda/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/conda/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/miniconda3/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/miniconda3/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/.config/conda/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/conda/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/.conda/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/miniconda3/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/.config/conda/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/conda/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/miniconda3/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/miniconda/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/var/lib/miniconda3/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.mamabarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/Users/aaron/.conda/condarc.d")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/miniconda3/condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] .condarc not found ("/etc/conda/.condarc")
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::conda_rc] conda_rc: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.condarc" with env_dirs []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::conda_rc] conda_rc: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.condarc" with env_dirs []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Conda environments in .condarc ["/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.condarc"] []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::locators] Identifying Python environment using locators: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/bin/python"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::conda_rc] conda_rc: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/.condarc" with env_dirs []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::conda_rc] conda_rc: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3" with env_dirs []
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_python_utils::executable] Ignoring folder: "/Users/aaron/3505/NESC_3505_textbook/.github"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_python_utils::executable] Ignoring folder: "/Users/aaron/3505/NESC_3505_textbook/.ipynb_checkpoints"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_python_utils::executable] Ignoring folder: "/Users/aaron/3505/NESC_3505_textbook/.git"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_python_utils::executable] Ignoring folder: "/Users/aaron/3505/NESC_3505_textbook/.vscode"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::locators] Identifying Python environment using locators: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/bin/python3"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::locators] Identifying Python environment using locators: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/bin/python3.1"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::locators] Identifying Python environment using locators: "/Users/aaron/miniforge3/bin/python3.12"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_python_utils::env] Executing Python: /usr/bin/python3 -c import json, sys; print('093385e9-59f7-4a16-a604-14bf206256fe');print(json.dumps({'version': '.'.join(str(n) for n in sys.version_info), 'sys_prefix': sys.prefix, 'executable': sys.executable, 'is64_bit': sys.maxsize > 2**32}))
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environment_locations] Time taken to get conda environment paths: 6.94ms
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/ncil
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/test_env
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/neural_data_science
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder not found for /usr/local/fsl
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z ERROR pet_conda] Unable to find Conda Manager for the Conda env: CondaEnvironment { prefix: "/usr/local/fsl", executable: Some("/usr/local/fsl/bin/python"), version: Some("3.12.3"), conda_dir: None, arch: None }
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::locators] Identifying Python environment using locators: "/usr/bin/python3"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_pyenv] PyEnv Info PyEnvInfo { exe: None, versions: None, version: None }
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::locators] Failed to identify Python environment using locators, now trying to resolve: "/usr/bin/python3"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: Conda in 13.005125ms
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: Homebrew in 14.118458ms
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_python_utils::env] Executed Python "/usr/bin/python3" in Ok(26.626ms) & produced an output "093385e9-59f7-4a16-a604-14bf206256fe\n{\"version\": \"3.9.6.final.0\", \"sys_prefix\": \"/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/3.9\", \"executable\": \"/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/python3\", \"is64_bit\": true}"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_python_utils::cache] Caching interpreter info for "/usr/bin/python3"
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_pyenv] PyEnv Info PyEnvInfo { exe: None, versions: None, version: None }
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::find] Completed searching using locator: MacCommandLineTools in 32.352ms
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet::locators] Env ("/usr/bin/python3") in Path resolved as Some(MacXCode)

Breakdown by each locator:
--------------------------
Conda                : 13.015791ms
Homebrew             : 14.125083ms
MacCommandLineTools  : 32.3555ms
MacPythonOrg         : 16.208µs
MacXCode             : 219.791µs
PipEnv               : 17.458µs
Pixi                 : 23.417µs
Poetry               : 685.291µs
PyEnv                : 388.083µs
Venv                 : 172.75µs
VirtualEnv           : 98.625µs
VirtualEnvWrapper    : 128.25µs

Breakdown for finding Environments:
-----------------------------------
GlobalVirtualEnvs    : 513.708µs
Locators             : 32.635667ms
Path                 : 33.186958ms
Workspaces           : 3.367125ms

Managers:
---------
Conda                : 1

Environments (8):
------------------
Conda                : 5
MacCommandLineTools  : 1
MacXCode             : 1
Venv                 : 1

Completed in 58ms
  12. github-actions
    removed
    info-neededIssue requires more information from poster
    on Nov 6, 2025

  13. eleanorjboyd commented on Nov 6, 2025

    @eleanorjboyd
    Eleanor Boyd (eleanorjboyd)
    on Nov 6, 2025
    Member

    great info- I can see these paths which you want to use are located!

    [2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/ncil
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/test_env
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3/envs/neural_data_science
[2025-11-06T17:03:03Z TRACE pet_conda::environments] Conda install folder /Users/aaron/miniforge3, found, & will be used for the Conda Env: /Users/aaron/miniforge3

    The question now is why is the search to find the path not successful. I think your hypothesis is a great one and will investigate it on my end. For the range of versions which have this change, you said it worked on Python extension v2024.16.0 but not on v2025.17.x could you try maybe v2024.18.0 or other versions in between and see if that makes a difference?

    Meanwhile I will work on my end to find where that path is getting surfaced but am facing some difficulties since I can't reproduce the problem on my end.

  14. github-actions
    added
    info-neededIssue requires more information from poster
    on Nov 6, 2025

  15. aaronjnewman commented on Nov 6, 2025

    @aaronjnewman
    Aaron Newman (aaronjnewman)
    on Nov 6, 2025
    Author

    Version 2024.22.2 of the Python extension found my conda environments successfully. Version 2025.0.0 did not. So the issue seems to have arisen with 2025.0.0

    HOWEVER, it occurred to me that since you can't reproduce this, it may have stemmed form my miniforge/conda installation.

    ❯ conda update -n base -c conda-forge conda
==> WARNING: A newer version of conda exists. <==
    current version: 24.11.3
    latest version: 25.9.1

    So I downloaded and installed the latest version of miniforge and re-created my conda envs with that. Now the Python extension in VS Code finds my conda environments. So it appears that the issue was an incompatibility between older versions of miniforge/conda and newer versions of the extension.

    Sorry to bother you with this, but perhaps this issue will be helpful to anyone else who encounters this issue.

  16. github-actions
    removed
    info-neededIssue requires more information from poster
    on Nov 6, 2025

  17. aaronjnewman commented on Nov 17, 2025

    @aaronjnewman
    Aaron Newman (aaronjnewman)
    on Nov 17, 2025
    Author

    Actually, the issue has recurred. I didn't change anything in my conda configuration, other than adding a second conda environment. So perhaps the problem only occurs when there is more than one conda environment available.

    So, same issue as above - conda envs are not seen, in versions:

    • 2025.18.0
    • 2025.16.0

    But envs are detected properly in version 2024.22.2 and earlier

  18. kirillbobylev commented on Nov 28, 2025

    @kirillbobylev
    kirillbobylev
    on Nov 28, 2025

    same here, downgraded python to 2024.16.0 and fixed it. 2024.22.2 didnt worked

  19. dmnq-f commented on Dec 12, 2025

    @dmnq-f
    Dominique Fuchs (dmnq-f)
    on Dec 12, 2025

    Can confirm this on a Windows installation without conda (using uv, but also one official Python package present via Windows store). Completely broke Python debugging and invocation functionality (even with defaultInterpreterPath set manually).

    same here, downgraded python to 2024.16.0 and fixed it. 2024.22.2 didnt worked

    Yes, same here. 2024.16.0 is the last version that gets me a working Python extension.

    And no, python.useEnvironmentsExtension did not help.

  20. LeiZhang-116-4 commented on Dec 26, 2025

    @LeiZhang-116-4
    Lei Zzzzzz (LeiZhang-116-4)
    on Dec 26, 2025

    One downside of rolling back to Python extension v2024.16.0 is that the latest Pylance becomes incompatible as well. In practice, that forces a choice between (1) a working Python/Jupyter environment setup and (2) up-to-date IntelliSense/type hints. That’s not a viable long-term workaround.

    I hope there is either a fix for the regression, or provide a supported configuration/workaround for users in this situation? I’ve tried setting python.useEnvironmentsExtension: true, but it didn’t help.

  21. Anthony Kim (anthonykim1)
    removed
    triage-neededNeeds assignment to the proper sub-team
    on Mar 13, 2026

  22. hamogu commented on Jul 25, 2026

    @hamogu
    Hans Moritz Günther (hamogu)
    on Jul 25, 2026

    Same problem, currently with Python extension version 2026.5.2026070801
    As in the original issue, the problem appeared after an update. I haven't tried rolling back. My workaround is to give the full path to the interpreter for every notebook I'm using.
    Select a kernel -> select another kernel -> Python environments -> Create Python environments -> Enter Interpreter path.
    That's 5 mouse clicks to get there and then a few more to navigate the GUI to the python interpreter in the appropriate environment directory. Possible, but not comfortable. I'm using Jupiter notebooks mostly through Jupyter directly in by browser again instead of using VSCode.

  23. jtomfarrar commented on Jul 28, 2026

    @jtomfarrar
    Tom Farrar (jtomfarrar)
    on Jul 28, 2026

    I've been having the same issue for a couple of months. I rolled back to Python extension v2026.2.0 (from 5 months ago) and had the same problem. I rolled back to Python extension v2024.16.0 (a two-year old version!), and all environments are properly discovered. (I was previously giving the full path to the environment, but that is too cumbersome.)

  24. 0x10jalencas commented on Aug 3, 2026

    @0x10jalencas
    0x10jalencas
    on Aug 3, 2026

    I'm writing to confirm this on Windows w/ Miniconda (not Miniforge), different OS/env-manager combo than what's been reported so far, so may help narrow down whether this is conda-specific or broader.

    Versions: VS Code 1.101.2, Jupyter Extension 2025.7.0, Python Extension 2026.4.0, Python Environment Extension 1.2.0, Pylance 2025.10.2

    Logs (similar to OP):

    [warn] No interpreter with path ~\miniconda3\envs\DamageMapV2\python.exe found in Python API, will convert Uri path to string as Id ~\miniconda3\envs\DamageMapV2\python.exe
[warn] Kernel Spec for 'DamageMapV2 (rtt_analysis)' (...\kernel.json) hidden, as we cannot find a matching interpreter argv = '~\miniconda3\envs\DamageMapV2\python.exe'. To resolve this, please change '~\miniconda3\envs\DamageMapV2\python.exe' to point to the fully qualified Python executable.

    Confirmed the kernel.json (as to the OP) already contained the fully-qualified path (w/ no tilde). Editing it to be explicit had no effect, ruling out the config-side tilde.

    New workaround (that works for me): fully disabling the "Python Environment" extension (not just setting python.useEnvironmentsExtension: false, which per other comments here doesn't help) immediately surfaced the conda env in the kernel picker again, with no version rollback needed. Might be worth testing as an alternative to the 2024.16.0 downgrade, since it avoids losing current Pylance compatibility.

  25. ninjit commented on Sep 23, 2026

    @ninjit
    Jit (ninjit)
    on Sep 23, 2026

    Thank you 0x10jalencas!
    I can confirm that disabling the "Python Environment" extension fixed this issue for me too

  26. jtomfarrar commented on Sep 24, 2026

    @jtomfarrar
    Tom Farrar (jtomfarrar)
    on Sep 24, 2026

    I've been having the same issue for a couple of months. I rolled back to Python extension v2026.2.0 (from 5 months ago) and had the same problem. I rolled back to Python extension v2024.16.0 (a two-year old version!), and all environments are properly discovered. (I was previously giving the full path to the environment, but that is too cumbersome.)

    The workaround from 0x10jalencas (disable the "Python Environments" extension) seems much better, and I confirm it seems to resolve the issue for me too!

    (When I disabled the "Python Environments" extension, I noticed that it requires version 2024.23 or later of the Python extension, so I speculate that rolling back to v2024.16.0 of the Python extension only worked because it had the effect of disabling the Python Environments extension.)

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