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Should I use Python 32bit or Python 64bit

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Should I use 32-bit or 64-bit programs?

Do I Need 64-Bit Windows? For most people, 64-bit Windows is today's standard and you should use it to take advantage of security features, better performance, and increased RAM capability. The only rare reasons you'd want to stick with 32-bit Windows are: Your computer has a 32-bit processor.

Is 32bit or 64bit faster?

When it comes to computers, the difference between 32-bit and a 64-bit is all about processing power. Computers with 32-bit processors are older, slower, and less secure, while a 64-bit processor is newer, faster, and more secure.

Can I have both 32 and 64-bit Python?

if you want to have the choice as to what python script to execute in an editor like sublime text, you can create a custom build script and switch between 64bit and 32bit python on-demand.


64 bit version will allow a single process to use more RAM than 32 bit, however you may find that the memory footprint doubles depending on what you are storing in RAM (Integers in particular).

For example if your app requires > 2GB of RAM, so you switch from 32bit to 64bit you may find that your app is now requiring > 4GB of RAM.

Check whether all of your 3rd party modules are available in 64 bit, otherwise it may be easier to stick to 32bit in the meantime


In my experience, using the 32-bit version is more trouble-free. Unless you are working on applications that make heavy use of memory (mostly scientific computing, that uses more than 2GB memory), you're better off with 32-bit versions because:

  1. You generally use less memory.
  2. You have less problems using COM (since you are on Windows).
  3. If you have to load DLLs, they most probably are also 32-bit. Python 64-bit can't load 32-bit libraries without some heavy hacks running another Python, this time in 32-bit, and using IPC.
  4. If you have to load DLLs that you compile yourself, you'll have to compile them to 64-bit, which is usually harder to do (specially if using MinGW on Windows).
  5. If you ever use PyInstaller or py2exe, those tools will generate executables with the same bitness of your Python interpreter.

You do not need to use 64bit since windows will emulate 32bit programs using wow64. But using the native version (64bit) will give you more performance.


Use the 64 bit version only if you have to work with heavy amounts of data, in that scenario, the 64 bits performs better with the inconvenient that John La Rooy said; if not, stick with the 32 bits.