How to install a specific package version with Conda

Dependency handoffs break when a Conda environment takes a newer package than the project was tested against. A version-constrained install tells Conda which package release must satisfy the solve before it changes the target environment.

conda install accepts package specs such as requests=2.32.5 and applies them to either the active environment or a named environment selected with --name. Searching first confirms that the requested version exists in the configured channels before the solver starts a transaction that cannot succeed.

The install constraint affects the current transaction. Future update commands can still move the package unless the environment also has a pin, so record exact versions in the project environment file or package pin policy when reproducibility matters after installation.

Steps to install a specific Conda package version:

Open a terminal where Conda is available.
Accept a blocked Anaconda channel Terms of Service only after review.
```
$ conda tos accept --override-channels --channel https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main
accepted Terms of Service for https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main
```
Run this only for channels your organization allows. If Conda lists more than one blocked channel, repeat the command for each listed URL or remove the channel instead.
List the environments and choose the target environment.
```
$ conda env list

# conda environments:
#
# * -> active
# + -> frozen
base                     /opt/conda
analytics                /opt/conda/envs/analytics
```
Use an existing environment for the install. Create the environment first if the target name is missing.
Related: How to list Anaconda environments
Related: How to create a Conda environment

Search for available versions of the package.

$ conda search --full-name requests
Loading channels: done
# Name                       Version           Build  Channel
requests                      2.24.0            py_0  pkgs/main
requests                      2.25.0    pyhd3eb1b0_0  pkgs/main
##### snipped #####
requests                      2.32.4 py313hd43f75c_0  pkgs/main
requests                      2.32.5 py313hd43f75c_0  pkgs/main
requests                      2.32.5 py313hd43f75c_1  pkgs/main
requests                      2.33.1 py313hd43f75c_0  pkgs/main
requests                      2.34.2 py313hd43f75c_0  pkgs/main

Replace requests with the package name. Use the same channel settings or --channel option that the target environment should use.
Related: How to search for Conda package versions

Install the requested package version into the target environment.

$ conda install --name analytics "requests=2.32.5" --yes
Channels:
 - defaults
Platform: linux-aarch64
Collecting package metadata (repodata.json): done
Solving environment: done

## Package Plan ##

  environment location: /opt/conda/envs/analytics

  added / updated specs:
    - requests=2.32.5

The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED:

  brotlicffi         pkgs/main/linux-aarch64::brotlicffi-1.2.0.0-py313h5b11e9f_0
  certifi            pkgs/main/linux-aarch64::certifi-2026.5.20-py313hd43f75c_0
##### snipped #####
  requests           pkgs/main/linux-aarch64::requests-2.32.5-py313hd43f75c_1
  urllib3            pkgs/main/linux-aarch64::urllib3-2.7.0-py313hd43f75c_0

Preparing transaction: done
Verifying transaction: done
Executing transaction: done

Leave off --yes when the package plan should be reviewed before the transaction runs. Use an exact version such as requests=2.32.5 when the project needs that release, or a narrow series such as requests=2.32.* only when patch-level movement is allowed.

Confirm the installed version in the environment package list.
```
$ conda list --name analytics requests
# packages in environment at /opt/conda/envs/analytics:
#
# Name                     Version          Build            Channel
requests                   2.32.5           py313hd43f75c_1
```
The Version column should match the requested version. If the package name appears more than once, review channel priority and build constraints before using the environment.
Related: How to list packages in an Anaconda environment
Run a package-specific smoke test from the same environment.
```
$ conda run --name analytics python -c "import requests; print(requests.__version__)"
2.32.5
```
Replace the sample Python import with the command, notebook import, or executable that proves the installed package works for the project.