Boost Python Package Install Speed: How to Add Domestic Pip Mirrors

When developing with Python, using pip to install third‑party libraries can be slow in China due to the official PyPI source; manually adding a domestic mirror can significantly improve download speed.

1. Temporary pip mirror (command line)

Install a package with a specific mirror by adding -i or --index-url followed by the mirror URL, e.g.:

pip install package-name -i https://pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/simple

Common domestic mirrors:

清华源 : https://pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/simple 阿里云 : https://mirrors.aliyun.com/pypi/simple/ 腾讯云 : https://mirrors.cloud.tencent.com/pypi/simple 华为云 : https://repo.huaweicloud.com/repository/pypi/simple 豆瓣源 : https://pypi.doubanio.com/simple/ 中科大源 : https://pypi.mirrors.ustc.edu.cn/simple/ Example using Aliyun to install requests:

pip install requests -i https://mirrors.aliyun.com/pypi/simple/

2. Permanent pip mirror configuration (recommended)

Windows

Create or edit pip.ini in C:\Users\YourUserName\pip.

Insert the following (using Tsinghua as an example):

[global]
index-url = https://pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/simple
trusted-host = pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn  # add this line if the source uses HTTP

After saving, all future pip install commands will use the configured mirror.

macOS / Linux

Create or edit ~/.pip/pip.conf (create ~/.pip/ if it does not exist).

Insert the following (using Aliyun as an example):

[global]
index-url = https://mirrors.aliyun.com/pypi/simple/
trusted-host = mirrors.aliyun.com  # add this line if the source uses HTTP

Save the file; subsequent pip install commands will use the mirror.

Verify the configuration with: pip config list If the output shows index-url pointing to your mirror, the setup is successful.

3. PyCharm graphical mirror configuration

Open PyCharm → File → Settings (Windows/Linux) or PyCharm → Preferences (macOS).

Navigate to Project: [YourProject] → Python Interpreter .

Click the gear icon → Manage Repositories... .

In the dialog, add a new repository with the mirror URL (e.g., https://pypi.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/simple), optionally remove the default https://pypi.org/simple source.

Confirm with OK .

Now installing packages via PyCharm will use the configured mirror, speeding up downloads.

4. Important notes

Most mirrors support HTTPS (recommended). If a mirror only provides HTTP, add a trusted-host entry in the configuration file.

To revert to the default PyPI source, delete the custom pip.ini / pip.conf file or remove the mirror entry in PyCharm.

5. Summary of methods

pip temporary mirror : Use pip install package -i <mirror-url> for a single installation.

pip permanent mirror : Edit pip.ini (Windows) or pip.conf (macOS/Linux) to set the mirror globally.

PyCharm graphical configuration : Add the mirror in Settings → Python Interpreter → Manage Repositories.

By manually adding mirrors, you can greatly improve Python package download speeds, especially in domestic network environments.