How to get Spyder to open python scripts (.py files) directly from Windows Explorer

(Spyder maintainer here) This functionality is available as part of our Windows installer. In other words, if you install Spyder with it, then you’ll see a new entry in the Open with menu of the Windows Explorer that allows you to open Python files directly on Spyder.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible for us to do the same for other installation methods (i.e. when using Anaconda or pip). That’s why it’s necessary to resort to different hacks, as the ones mentioned in other answers here, to have this functionality for them.

I have had a similar problem with another piece of software that I use.

My work around for this problem is to set the file association for .py files to C:AnacondaScriptsspider-script.py via the Open with dialog. If you now try to open your File.py by double clicking you’ll receive an error like

~file.py is not a valid Win32 application.

This can be resolved by editing the spyder-script.py registry key:

HKEY_USERSS-1-5-21-3559708500-1520960832-86631148-1002SoftwareClassesApplicationsspyder-script.pyshellopencommand

and replacing the default value "C:AnacondaScriptsspyder-script.py" %1 with "C:Anacondapython.exe" "C:AnacondaScriptsspyder-script.py" %1. Use the search function for this key if the path isn’t the same for your machine, and of course use the appropriate path for your python installation. spyder-script.py should now execute in a python shell.

From the docstring of ftype,

…Within an open command string, %0 or %1 are substituted with the file name being launched through the association.

What is working very well for me in Windows (10), is associating the *.py files with a batch file (let’s say “SpyderBATCH.bat”) containing this line :

[ANACONDA_FOLDER_PATH]pythonw.exe" "[ANACONDA_FOLDER_PATH]cwp.py" "[ANACONDA_FOLDER_PATH]" "[ANACONDA_FOLDER_PATH]/pythonw.exe" "[ANACONDA_FOLDER_PATH]/Scripts/spyder-script.py" %1  

Where [ANACONDA_FOLDER_PATH] has to be replaced with the full path to the Anaconda folder (usually under “Program Files”).

What Windows does, when double-clicking on a python script (let’s say “file.py”), is pass to SpyderBATCH, as parameter number %1, the full path to “file.py”.

Then Spyder is launched and displays the script “file.py” in the editor view.

I was unable to find a spyder.exe on my installation of conda. However in my users/.anaconda/navigator/scripts I found a spyder.bat file. Using this to open the file opens an anaconda prompt and shortly after spyder will open the file. The file icon is broken but it works for me. Hope this might help.

I figured I would post my solution for this as well.

I have Spyder installed in multiple different environments. You can’t simply call the spyder-script.py script without errors, because the environment must be activated.

@echo off
call [YOUR_CONDA_PATH]Scriptsactivate.bat [YOUR_CONDA_PATH]
call conda activate [YOUR ENVIRONMENT]
call start [YOUR_CONDA_PATH]envs[YOUR ENVIRONMENT]pythonw.exe "[YOUR_CONDA_PATH]envs[YOUR ENVIRONMENT]Scriptsspyder-script.py" %1

You can remove the second line and remove the environment extension from the third line if you have Spyder installed in your base environment.

Hopefully for anyone experiencing any weirdness with the other solution, this one will do the trick by activating the environment correctly.

The solution from JoeB152 worked perfectly for me!

If you are interested in adding the spyder icon (or any other) to the .py-files and if you would like to avoid the cmd-pop-up, I found out the following workaround which is feasible without admin rights:

1. Download the portable version of Bat To Exe Converter (I used v3.0.10).
2. Open your custom .bat-file in the Bat to Exe Converter.
3. In the options settings, activate “Icon” and give the path to the respective icon (for me it’s in: .../AppData/Local/Continuum/anaconda3/Scripts/spyder.ico).
4. Set Exe-Format to Invisible (no empty cmd window would pop up anymore)
5. Convert your .bat-file to an .exe-file.
6. As usual, set to open .py-files with the newly created .exe.

Enjoy!

Environment:
Windows 10,
Conda 4.8.2,
Spyder 4.0.1,
Python 3.7

This problem is related to anaconda installation defaults – it does not register itself in PATH by default an dicourages users to do so. After proprly registering all directories in path, spyder.exe works as expected.

How to know, what to register?
locate and activate.bat an run it in cmd, then run echo %PATH% and manually register all directories mentioning anaconda.

Alternatively, reinstall anaconda with PATH registratin enabled.
Then you can associate .py files wit spyder.exe and association will work.

System: Windows 11, Python 3.9.7 (Installed through Anaconda3)

This solution will allow you to double click .py files and have them open in the Spyder in the environment of your choice, but does NOT associate .py files with the icon for Spyder.

I’m answering because it took me over an hour to understand & piecemeal together all the (great) solutions that are provided in this thread to get something that works (thanks Martin Sorgel, JoeB152 and Max-K).

NOTE: Some commentors above say to use a Bat-to-Exe converter & that will let you get the icon too.. but, DON’T! All of the ones you’re finding via google have got some bad malware in them and my computer ended up deleting the .exe’s I was making using that method because they had a Trojan in them.

Full Solution:

STEP 1: Make a .bat file that will launch Spyder in a specific environment.

1.1 Open a plain text editor (e.g. Notepad, etc.) and copy/paste the text below into it.

@echo off
call [YOUR_CONDA_PATH]Scriptsactivate.bat [YOUR_CONDA_PATH]
call conda activate [YOUR ENVIRONMENT]
call start [YOUR_CONDA_PATH]envs[YOUR ENVIRONMENT]pythonw.exe "[YOUR_CONDA_PATH]envs[YOUR ENVIRONMENT]Scriptsspyder-script.py" %1

Update [YOUR_CONDA_PATH] in the text above with the path to Anaconda3 on your computer. Mine was C:UsersmyusernameAnaconda3 & yours is likely similar.

1.2 Save this new file as spyderlaunch.bat and place it on your computer somewhere that you’ll NEVER move it (otherwise you’ll have to do STEP 2 each time you move this file. I save mine in a python_env_settings folder where I keep info on what packages I installed manually in my different environments).

NOTE: JoeB152 says you can remove the second line and remove the environment extension from the third line of the text above if you have Spyder installed in your base environment. I’m not sure if this works…

1.3 Make sure your new .bat files works! It works if when you double click on spyderlaunch.bat, that it launches and opens Spyder in the environment you want it to! (Spyder will show the environment it opens in on the bottom right hand side: ).

STEP 2: Tell your computer to associate (i.e. open) all .py files with the spyderlaunch.bat file you just created.

2.1 Open an Anaconda Terminal with "run as an administrator" (by right clicking on the application) and run the following 2, separate commands. Update[PATH_TO_YOUR.batfile] to wherever you saved spyderlaunch.bat in 1.2.

assoc .py=Python 
ftype Python="[PATH_TO_YOUR.batfile]" "%1" %*

Errors?

If you don’t run the Anaconda Terminal application as an administrator you will be denied access to associate .py=Python. If that’s not your issue, then check that the spaces and quotation marks are exactly where they appear above. In particular, you may want to make sure there is a space in between the quotation marks around [PATH_TO_YOUR.batfile] and those around %1.

(Comment in relation to the responses by JoeB152 and Jessica Haskins – I am new, so I cannot leave comments)

I found that their suggested .bat file works once you copy-paste the following file from A to B:

A) C:UsersUSERNAMEAnaconda3Scriptsspyder-script.py

B) C:UsersUSERNAMEAnaconda3envsENVRIONMENT_NAMEScripts

…where ENVIRONMENT_NAME is the name of your environment, such as main or test.

The .bat file contains:

@echo off
call C:UsersbloggsjAnaconda3Scriptsactivate.bat C:UsersbloggsjAnaconda3
call conda activate C:UsersbloggsjAnaconda3
call start C:UsersbloggsjAnaconda3envsmainpythonw.exe "C:UsersbloggsjAnaconda3envsmainScriptsspyder-script.py" %1

Then associate .py files with that .bat file (e.g., via the ‘Open with…’ dialogue).

Alternatively, you could try using in the last line of the .bat file the file path: "C:UsersbloggsjAnaconda3Scriptsspyder-script.py"

1. Get Spyder by itself:
   https://docs.spyder-ide.org/current/installation.html

2. Set your default file opener to your newly installed spyder

To be able to add packages:

1. Make sure Anaconda is installed.
2. Go to Spyder preferences
3. Go to Python interpreter
4. Select: "Use the following Python interpreter"
5. Select file path with Anaconda and hit apply

Now you should be able to open files directed using Spyder and update your environment using Anaconda.

I made a batch utility spy.bat for this (not in the Anaconda directory)

spy.bat

call E:Anaconda3Scriptsactivate.bat E:Anaconda3

e:Anaconda3python.exe e:Anaconda3Scriptsspyder-script.py %1

Then, I associated the .py file type in Windows with this batch file as:

• Right click any .py
• Choose ‘Open With’ -> ‘More Apps’ -> ‘Search on your PC’ ->’select spy.bat’

In the spy.bat:

• E:Anaconda3 is my Anaconda installation directory.
• First line starts the environment (Anaconda prompt).
• Second line starts the spyder-script. %1 is to open the pyscript you want to open.