ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'cv2'

How to fix ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'cv2'

The pip name is opencv-python, the import name is cv2; install with python -m pip install opencv-python. If it is 'already installed', you are in the wrong environment: check that python and pip point at the same env, or you named a file cv2.py that is shadowing the real one.

The exact error

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'cv2'

Fix it

1. python -m pip install opencv-python Expected: Successfully installed

2. python -c "import cv2; print(cv2.__version__)" Expected: prints a version

3. Still failing? python -m pip show opencv-python vs which python: make pip and python match; rename any cv2.py in your project. Expected: consistent env, no shadowing

When this applies

import cv2 -> No module named 'cv2'

When this does NOT apply

cv2 imports but crashes on libGL (different error, different fix)

Versions

any

Why it happens

pip name vs import name mismatch, or interpreter/env mismatch.

Edge cases

Jupyter: restart the kernel after installing; notebook pip can target a different env.