# Setting Up a Virtual Environment

Installing Mito in a virtual environment reduces dependency issues and ensures that Mito will not impact any of your other Python projects. 

Setting up a virtual environment is dependent on your Python installation method/package manager. Below are several of the most common methods.  

### Default Python Virtual Environments 

Create a new environment:

```
python -m venv mitoenv
```

Activate the environment: 

* **On Windows** in command prompt:

```
mitoenv\Scripts\activate.bat
```

* **On Mac**:

```
source mitoenv/bin/activate
```

### Anaconda Navigator

To install Mito within an Anaconda Navigator virtual environment:

1. Select `Environments` in the left navigation
2. Select the `Create` button to create a new environment
3. Give your new environment a descriptive name like `Mito`
4. Make sure it is configured to use Python >3.8
5. Click `create`
6. After the environment is created, switch to `Home`, and select the `Mito` environment you just created.
7. Select the "▶" icon next to your new environment. Then select "Open terminal".
8. In the terminal, install the Mito Jupyter Lab extensions by running the command:

```
python -m pip install mitosheet mito-ai
```

**Use Mito**

1. Click on the `Home` button 
2. Find the `Juptyer Lab` tile, make sure it is running JupyterLab ≥ 4.1 and press `Launch`
3. Then, follow these instructions to [create a mitosheet](/how-to/creating-a-mitosheet.md) and [use AI](/mito-ai/chat.md).

### Conda 

#### Installing Mito in a Conda virtual environment <a href="#installing-mito-in-a-conda-virtual-environment" id="installing-mito-in-a-conda-virtual-environment"></a>

Create a new conda environment:

<pre><code><strong>conda create -n mitoenv python=3.10
</strong></code></pre>

Activate your new environment:

```
conda activate mitoenv
```


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