[Windows] Error: Failed to run import aqt

Anki Fails to Launch

Win 11 v25H2
Anki v25.09
New laptop, new installation

Behavior: Anki originally installed and launched successfully. A few days later, run anki from desktop icon, does not launch. In task manager, can see anki process start then stop. No errors in event viewer. Run anki.exe in command prompt, see the following error:

Error: Failed to run (1): C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\AnkiProgramFiles.venv\Scripts/pythonw.exe -c import aqt, sys; sys.argv[0] = ‘Anki’; aqt.run()

Troubleshooting: Uninstalled Anki. Confirmed C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Programs\Anki deleted. Reinstalled, appears successful but does not launch. No antivirus or VPN found. Confirmed pythonw.exe is present in Scripts folder. Ran installers and launcher as administrator. Windows fully up to date.

Thanks for any help!

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I indeed have the same error!

Haven’t found a solution yet, hopefully it will get fixed soon!

A workaround that works for me, is to use the latest version without the new launcher (e.g. 25.02.07). Perhaps it will work for you, too, until the error is fixed in the latest version.

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Thanks for the reply! The workaround to use the 25.02.07 launcher also worked for me.

Might be worth it to note that I first tried using the current launcher to install 25.02.7, and that installation failed with an error “An Application Control policy has blocked this file. (os error 4551)”

I tried adding an exclusion for the anki appdata folders to Windows Virus & Threat Protection, but no change. Windows personal lenovo distribution, no group policy or corporate config. Could be a clue, or could be unrelated to the problem with current version.

Anki 25.02.7 Launcher: Release 25.02.7 · ankitects/anki · GitHub

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