invalid python Interpreter for conda virtual environment

[yjobic]

Behaviour

I've got the following message when selecting a python interpreter inside a conda env.

An Invalid Python interpreter is selected, please try changing it to enable features such as IntelliSense, linting, and debugging. See output for more details regarding why the interpreter is invalid.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Select Interpreter
2. Choose the python interpreter inside a conda env

Diagnostic data

Version VSC windows, conda installer on WSL.

• VSC 1.107.0 :

Version: 1.107.0 (user setup) Commit: 618725e67565b290ba4da6fe2d29f8fa1d4e3622 Date: 2025-12-10T07:43:47.883Z Electron: 39.2.3 ElectronBuildId: 12895514 Chromium: 142.0.7444.175 Node.js: 22.21.1 V8: 14.2.231.21-electron.0 OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200

• Python extension

Identifier ms-python.python Version 2025.20.0

• settings.json :
  {
"python.experiments.enabled": false,
"python.terminal.activateEnvironment": true,
"python.useEnvironmentsExtension ": false,
"python.terminal.activateEnvInCurrentTerminal": true,
"python.terminal.shellIntegration.enabled": false
}

In the VSC terminal :

(base) yann@DESKTOP-GBCFM9K:~/ChangmtPhaseWindows/methode_diff_finie$ conda info

     active environment : base
    active env location : /home/yann/miniconda3
            shell level : 3
       user config file : /home/yann/.condarc
 populated config files : /home/yann/miniconda3/.condarc
                          /home/yann/miniconda3/condarc.d/anaconda-auth.yml
                          /home/yann/.condarc
          conda version : 25.11.0
    conda-build version : not installed
         python version : 3.13.11.final.0
                 solver : libmamba (default)
       virtual packages : __archspec=1=skylake
                          __conda=25.11.0=0
                          __cuda=12.8=0
                          __glibc=2.39=0
                          __linux=6.6.87.2=0
                          __unix=0=0
       base environment : /home/yann/miniconda3  (writable)
      conda av data dir : /home/yann/miniconda3/etc/conda
  conda av metadata url : None
           channel URLs : https://conda.anaconda.org/conda-forge/linux-64
                          https://conda.anaconda.org/conda-forge/noarch
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main/linux-64
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main/noarch
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r/linux-64
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r/noarch
          package cache : /home/yann/miniconda3/pkgs
                          /home/yann/.conda/pkgs
       envs directories : /home/yann/miniconda3/envs
                          /home/yann/.conda/envs
               platform : linux-64
             user-agent : conda/25.11.0 requests/2.32.5 CPython/3.13.11 Linux/6.6.87.2-microsoft-standard-WSL2 ubuntu/24.04.3 glibc/2.39 solver/libmamba conda-libmamba-solver/25.11.0 libmambapy/2.4.0 aau/0.7.5 c/. s/. e/.
                UID:GID : 1000:1000
             netrc file : None
           offline mode : False

I can change the conda env in the terminal :

(base) yann@DESKTOP-GBCFM9K:~/ChangmtPhaseWindows/methode_diff_finie$ conda activate phasechange
(phasechange) yann@DESKTOP-GBCFM9K:~/ChangmtPhaseWindows/methode_diff_finie$ 

I can use the python Interpreter:

(phasechange) yann@DESKTOP-GBCFM9K:~/ChangmtPhaseWindows/methode_diff_finie$ ~/miniconda3/envs/phasechange/bin/python -V
Python 3.14.2

The conda info are:

(phasechange) yann@DESKTOP-GBCFM9K:~/ChangmtPhaseWindows/methode_diff_finie$ ~/miniconda3/bin/conda info --json
{'platform': 'linux-64', 'conda_version': '25.11.0', 'conda_env_version': '25.11.0', 'conda_build_version': 'not installed', 'root_prefix': '/home/yann/miniconda3', 'conda_prefix': '/home/yann/miniconda3', 'av_data_dir': '/home/yann/miniconda3/etc/conda', 'av_metadata_url_base': None, 'root_writable': True, 'pkgs_dirs': ('/home/yann/miniconda3/pkgs', '/home/yann/.conda/pkgs'), 'envs_dirs': ('/home/yann/miniconda3/envs', '/home/yann/.conda/envs'), 'default_prefix': '/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/phasechange', 'active_prefix': '/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/phasechange', 'active_prefix_name': 'phasechange', 'conda_shlvl': 4, 'channels': ['https://conda.anaconda.org/conda-forge/linux-64', 'https://conda.anaconda.org/conda-forge/noarch', 'https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main/linux-64', 'https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main/noarch', 'https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r/linux-64', 'https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r/noarch'], 'user_rc_path': '/home/yann/.condarc', 'rc_path': '/home/yann/.condarc', 'sys_rc_path': '/home/yann/miniconda3/.condarc', 'offline': False, 'envs': ['/home/yann/miniconda3', '/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/fenicsx-env', '/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/phasechange'], 'python_version': '3.13.11.final.0', 'requests_version': '2.32.5', 'user_agent': 'conda/25.11.0 requests/2.32.5 CPython/3.13.11 Linux/6.6.87.2-microsoft-standard-WSL2 ubuntu/24.04.3 glibc/2.39 solver/libmamba conda-libmamba-solver/25.11.0 libmambapy/2.4.0 aau/0.7.5 c/_-bbeq4clMbwnt7rR0FWwD s/lOdYzI807_ecs8G6qPM0XZ e/rihRGyZ540k-mRDymkQTfi', 'conda_location': '/home/yann/miniconda3/lib/python3.13/site-packages/conda', 'config_files': (PosixPath('/home/yann/miniconda3/.condarc'), PosixPath('/home/yann/miniconda3/condarc.d/anaconda-auth.yml'), PosixPath('/home/yann/.condarc')), 'netrc_file': None, 'virtual_pkgs': [['__archspec', '1', 'skylake'], ['__conda', '25.11.0', '0'], ['__cuda', '12.8', '0'], ['__glibc', '2.39', '0'], ['__linux', '6.6.87.2', '0'], ['__unix', '0', '0']], 'solver': {'name': 'libmamba', 'user_agent': 'solver/libmamba conda-libmamba-solver/25.11.0 libmambapy/2.4.0', 'default': True}, 'UID': 1000, 'GID': 1000, 'sys.version': '3.13.11 | packaged by conda-forge | (main, Dec  6 2025, 11:24:03) [GCC 14.3.0]', 'sys.prefix': '/home/yann/miniconda3', 'sys.executable': '/home/yann/miniconda3/bin/python', 'site_dirs': [], 'env_vars': {'PATH': '/home/yann/.vscode-server/bin/618725e67565b290ba4da6fe2d29f8fa1d4e3622/bin/remote-cli:/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/phasechange/bin:/home/yann/miniconda3/condabin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/usr/lib/wsl/lib:/mnt/c/Program Files/WindowsApps/MicrosoftCorporationII.WindowsSubsystemForLinux_2.6.1.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe:/mnt/c/Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Oracle/Java/javapath:/mnt/c/Program Files/Microsoft MPI/Bin:/mnt/c/Windows/system32:/mnt/c/Windows:/mnt/c/Windows/System32/Wbem:/mnt/c/Windows/System32/WindowsPowerShell/v1.0:/mnt/c/Windows/System32/OpenSSH:/mnt/c/Program Files (x86)/NVIDIA Corporation/PhysX/Common:/mnt/c/Program Files/PuTTY:/mnt/c/WINDOWS/system32:/mnt/c/WINDOWS:/mnt/c/WINDOWS/System32/Wbem:/mnt/c/WINDOWS/System32/WindowsPowerShell/v1.0:/mnt/c/WINDOWS/System32/OpenSSH:/mnt/c/Program Files/dotnet:/mnt/c/Program Files/Git/cmd:/mnt/d/MATLAB/R2023b/runtime/win64:/mnt/d/MATLAB/R2023b/bin:/mnt/c/Program Files/Wolfram Research/WolframScript:/mnt/c/Program Files (x86)/Windows Kits/10/Windows Performance Toolkit:/mnt/d/Softs/LLNL/VisIt3.4.0:/mnt/c/Users/yann/AppData/Local/Microsoft/WindowsApps:/mnt/d/MiKTeX/miktex/bin/x64:/mnt/d/Softs/Microsoft VS Code/bin:/mnt/d/Qt/Tools/mingw810_64/bin:/snap/bin:/home/yann/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.16.0/bundled/scripts/noConfigScripts', 'BUNDLED_DEBUGPY_PATH': '/home/yann/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-python.debugpy-2025.16.0/bundled/libs/debugpy', 'CIO_TEST': '<not set>', 'CONDA_PROMPT_MODIFIER': '(phasechange) ', 'CONDA_PREFIX': '/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/phasechange', 'CONDA_PREFIX_3': '/home/yann/miniconda3', 'LD_PRELOAD': '<not set>', 'CONDA_SHLVL': '4', 'SSL_CERT_FILE': '<not set>', 'CURL_CA_BUNDLE': '<not set>', 'REQUESTS_CA_BUNDLE': '<not set>', 'CONDA_EXE': '/home/yann/miniconda3/bin/conda', 'CONDA_DEFAULT_ENV': 'phasechange', 'CONDA_ROOT': '/home/yann/miniconda3', 'CONDA_PREFIX_2': '/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/phasechange', 'CONDA_PREFIX_1': '/home/yann/miniconda3', 'CONDA_PYTHON_EXE': '/home/yann/miniconda3/bin/python'}, 'envs_details': {'/home/yann/miniconda3': {'name': 'base', 'created': None, 'last_modified': '2025-12-11T08:15:46.447826+00:00', 'active': False, 'base': True, 'frozen': False, 'writable': True}, '/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/fenicsx-env': {'name': 'fenicsx-env', 'created': None, 'last_modified': '2025-11-20T08:29:12.222127+00:00', 'active': False, 'base': False, 'frozen': False, 'writable': True}, '/home/yann/miniconda3/envs/phasechange': {'name': 'phasechange', 'created': None, 'last_modified': '2025-12-11T08:15:03.656585+00:00', 'active': True, 'base': False, 'frozen': False, 'writable': True}}}(phasechange) 

Output for Python in the Output

panel 2025-12-11 10:50:49.029 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2025-12-11 10:50:49.029 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2025-12-11 10:50:49.029 [info] Skipping ActivatedEnv Detection: process.env.VSCODE_CLI !== '1'
2025-12-11 10:50:49.033 [info] > pyenv which python
2025-12-11 10:50:49.034 [info] cwd: .
2025-12-11 10:50:49.180 [info] Conda environment manager found at: /home/yann/miniconda3/bin/conda
2025-12-11 10:50:49.180 [info] Using conda: /home/yann/miniconda3/bin/conda
2025-12-11 10:50:49.188 [info] > ~/miniconda3/bin/conda info --json
2025-12-11 10:50:50.833 [info] Native locator: Refresh finished in 2414 ms
2025-12-11 10:50:52.552 [info] Starting Pylance language server.
2025-12-11 10:51:00.684 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2025-12-11 10:51:00.694 [info] Conda environment manager found at: /home/yann/miniconda3/bin/conda
2025-12-11 10:51:00.694 [info] Conda set to: /home/yann/miniconda3/bin/conda
2025-12-11 10:51:02.833 [info] Native locator: Refresh finished in 2149 ms
2025-12-11 10:52:47.133 [info] > ~/miniconda3/bin/conda info --json
2025-12-11 10:53:36.295 [info] Native locator: Refresh started
2025-12-11 10:53:36.301 [info] > ~/miniconda3/bin/conda info --json
2025-12-11 10:53:36.308 [info] Conda environment manager found at: /home/yann/miniconda3/bin/conda
2025-12-11 10:53:36.308 [info] Conda set to: /home/yann/miniconda3/bin/conda
2025-12-11 10:53:38.501 [info] Native locator: Refresh finished in 2205 ms
2025-12-11 10:55:06.381 [info] > ~/miniconda3/bin/conda info --json


[yjobic]

I can add the python locator output:
2025-12-11 11:15:02.840 [info] Discovered manager: (Conda) /home/yann/miniconda3/bin/conda
2025-12-11 11:15:02.841 [info] Discovered env: /home/yann/miniconda3/envs/phasechange/bin/python
2025-12-11 11:15:02.845 [info] Discovered env: /usr/bin/python3
2025-12-11 11:15:02.845 [info] Discovered env: /bin/python3
2025-12-11 11:15:04.973 [info] Discovered env: /home/yann/miniconda3/bin/python
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Discovered env: /home/yann/miniconda3/envs/fenicsx-env/bin/python
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator Conda took 2.140131732s
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator Homebrew took 48.543µs
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator LinuxGlobal took 6.679713ms
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator PipEnv took 47.423µs
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator Pixi took 15.977µs
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator Poetry took 39.633042ms
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator PyEnv took 36.032406ms
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator Venv took 21.575µs
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator VirtualEnv took 39.994µs
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator VirtualEnvWrapper took 44.982µs
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator GlobalVirtualEnvs took 562.57µs
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator Locators took 2.141370344s
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator Path took 320.681861ms
2025-12-11 11:15:04.974 [info] Locator Workspaces took 23.679258ms
2025-12-11 11:15:04.975 [info] Refresh completed in 2141ms
2025-12-11 11:15:17.880 [info] Resolved Python Environment /home/yann/miniconda3/envs/fenicsx-env/bin/python

[flaviosantoshidromod]

Hello friend, did you figure it out? I'm having the same issue, immediately after VSCode updated to 1.107. Not sure if it's an extension issue or VS issue

#25652

[yjobic]

Note yet. It was working fine last week. I'll test it at home this evening to see if i have this problem on my other computers.

[anthonykim1]

Is it any better when
Try install https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.vscode-python-envs

Can you update Python extension, Python environment extension to latest and see if you can still repro?
Also add "python.useEnvironmentsExtension": true, to your settings.json.

Please file issue on https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/issues if you see problem again,

[flaviosantoshidromod]

I rolled back the Python Environments extension to Pre-Release Version, and it seemed to have worked

[AcharyaS97]

I've been seeing the issue today trying to select my python 3.10.19 interpreter inside my conda environment. Tried rolling back python environments extension to prerelease and no luck