Error while running venv creation script: CREATE_VENV.PIP_FAILED_INSTALL_REQUIREMENTS

[normanlorrain]

Python.log

Type: Bug

Behaviour

When creating a new virtual environment, I get the following error in the extention output:
Error while running venv creation script: CREATE_VENV.PIP_FAILED_INSTALL_REQUIREMENTS

Steps to reproduce:

1. run the command to create the virtual environment.
2. select the python interpreter
3. check the "requirements.txt" checkbox

Diagnostic data

Output for Python in the Output panel (View→Output, change the drop-down the upper-right of the Output panel to Python)

XXX

Extension version: 2025.4.0
VS Code version: Code 1.99.3 (17baf841131aa23349f217ca7c570c76ee87b957, 2025-04-15T23:18:46.076Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045
Modes:

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.13.1
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Global
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Default

User Settings

languageServer: "Pylance"

terminal
• executeInFileDir: "<placeholder>"

experiments
• optOutFrom: ["pythonTerminalEnvVarActivation"]

Installed Extensions

Extension Name	Extension Id	Version
autopep8	ms-	2025.2.0
black-py	mik	1.0.3
codeium	Cod	1.46.1
copilot	Git	1.314.0
copilot-chat	Git	0.26.7
debugpy	ms-	2025.6.0
even-better-toml	tam	0.21.2
js-debug	ms-	1.97.1
js-debug-companion	ms-	1.1.3
LiveServer	rit	5.7.9
markdown-mermaid	bie	1.28.0
pdf	tom	1.2.2
powershell	ms-	2025.0.0
python	ms-	2025.4.0
rainbow-csv	mec	3.19.0
remote-explorer	ms-	0.4.3
sqlite-viewer	qwt	0.10.6
tinymist	myr	0.13.12
vscode-github-actions	git	0.27.1
vscode-js-profile-table	ms-	1.0.10
vscode-markdown-paste-image	tel	1.4.3
vscode-pylance	ms-	2025.4.1
vscode-xml	red	0.28.1

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4690 CPU @ 3.50GHz (4 x 3492)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: enabled_on direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	15.91GB (4.16GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id 245b55e5-2480-46f1-9c72-293f57038fa6
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

A/B Experiments

vsliv368cf:30146710
vspor879:30202332
vspor708:30202333
vspor363:30204092
vswsl492:30256859
pythonvspyt551cf:31249601
vscod805:30301674
binariesv615:30325510
c4g48928:30535728
azure-dev_surveyone:30548225
2i9eh265:30646982
962ge761:30959799
h48ei257:31000450
pythontbext0:30879054
cppperfnew:31000557
dwnewjupyter:31046869
pythonrstrctxt:31112756
nativeloc2:31192216
5fd0e150:31155592
dwcopilot:31170013
6074i472:31201624
dwoutputs:31242946
customenabled:31248079
9064b325:31222308
copilot_t_ci:31222730
e5gg6876:31282496
pythoneinst12:31285622
bgtreat:31268568
4gafe986:31271826
31787653:31262186
3e8i5726:31271747
996jf627:31283433
pythonrdcb7cf:31296842
usemplatestapi:31297334
7bj51361:31289155
747dc170:31275177
aj496949:31278748
aj953862:31281341
generatesymbolt:31295002
convertfstringf:31295003
gendocf:31295004

[normanlorrain]

This is nothing to do with the extension. The problem is with one of my entries in requirements.txt. Investigating further....

[normanlorrain]

OK, problem is with an extension that was required Visual Studio to install. Did not have it, so the pip install failed.