ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'azure.storage'

TL;DR: Same family as the azure.identity namespace issue: a legacy azure/init.py or a pip/python mismatch hides the namespace. Uninstall legacy azure packages, reinstall azure-storage-blob with python -m pip, and verify the interpreter.

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'azure.storage'

Fix it

1. Check alignment: python -m pip show azure-storage-blob and python -c "import sys; print(sys.executable)". Expected: same interpreter both sides.
2. Remove legacy shadowing packages: pip uninstall azure-storage azure-mgmt-storage azure-common. Expected: no more pkgresources-style azure/init_.py.
3. Reinstall: python -m pip install --force-reinstall azure-storage-blob. Expected: from azure.storage.blob import BlobServiceClient works.
4. Verify in a fresh shell, not just the current one, to rule out stale PYTHONPATH.

When this applies

• pip shows azure-storage-blob but azure.storage does not import.
• Old azure-* packages are also installed.

When it doesn't

• pip does not show azure-storage-blob: install it.
• The import works but auth fails: credential problem, not this.

Compatibility

• azure-storage-blob 12.x; Python 3.8+.

Why it happens

All Azure SDK packages share the azure. namespace. One legacy package with a real init.py breaks namespace resolution for every other azure. package.

Edge cases

• The old azure-storage meta-package (2.x track) is the most common culprit; it must go before v12 resolves.
• Editable installs of local azure packages can also shadow; check pip list for -e entries.

Reported in GitHub (gh:azure/azure-sdk-for-python#20981): azure.storage module import failure (azure/azure-sdk-for-python#20981). The verified fix: Asked on Stack Overflow by developers whose azure-storage-blob install did not provide azure.storage. The verified answer: a namespace-package clash with legacy azure packages or a mismatched interpreter, so clean-reinstall and align pip with the running Python. Source: the linked Stack Overflow thread. Source: https://github.com/azure/azure-sdk-for-python/issues/20981 Thread ref: gh:azure/azure-sdk-for-python#20981