Detecting if Python is running as a 64-bit application

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How to check if Python version is 32-bit or 64-bit.

Pyhton version

We all know how to check the Python version. Just input python –version at the command line and, depending on your OS, you’ll see an output like this:

C:\Users\M>python --version

Python 3.7.7

C:\Users\M>

But the version keyword does not show the 32-bit or 64-bit version of your python. On stackoverflow they suggest using platform.architecture, but it does not work on my windows machine. So you can use two different approaches.

Python 32-bit or 64-bit

The first approach is using struct.calcsize(). Use it from the idle, as follows:

# It returns "32" for 32-bit and "64" for 64-bit
>>> import struct
>>> print(struct.calcsize("P")*8)
32

With the second approach (works for win10 systems) you don’t even need to run the idle. Just type python in the win10 app-search box and you’ll see python versions installed on your machine, straight in the results menu:

Be sure to use the “struct” approach when using virtual environments like venv or virtualenvs.