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Prerequisites

Before installing the ElevenLabs Python SDK, ensure you have:
  • Python 3.8 or higher installed on your system
  • pip (Python package manager) installed
  • An ElevenLabs account and API key (sign up here)

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Installation Steps

1

Install the SDK

Install the ElevenLabs Python SDK using pip:
pip install elevenlabs
This will install the latest stable version of the SDK along with all required dependencies.
2

Verify Installation

Verify the installation by importing the package in Python:
from elevenlabs.client import ElevenLabs
print("ElevenLabs SDK installed successfully!")
If no errors appear, the installation was successful.
3

Install Optional Dependencies

For audio playback functionality, install the optional PyAudio dependency:
pip install elevenlabs[pyaudio]
PyAudio is required if you want to use the play() function to hear generated audio directly in your application.
4

Set Up Environment Variables (Recommended)

Create a .env file in your project root to store your API key securely:
ELEVENLABS_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
Install python-dotenv to load environment variables:
pip install python-dotenv

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Installation Options

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Using pip

The standard installation method: 
pip install elevenlabs

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Using pip with specific version

Install a specific version of the SDK: 
pip install elevenlabs==2.37.0

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Using pip with PyAudio

Install with audio playback support: 
pip install elevenlabs[pyaudio]

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Dependencies

The ElevenLabs Python SDK includes the following core dependencies:
  • httpx (>= 0.21.2) - HTTP client for API requests
  • pydantic (>= 1.9.2) - Data validation
  • pydantic-core (>= 2.18.2) - Pydantic core functionality
  • requests (>= 2.20) - HTTP library
  • typing_extensions (>= 4.0.0) - Type hints support
  • websockets (>= 11.0) - WebSocket support for real-time features

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Optional Dependencies

  • pyaudio (>= 0.2.14) - Audio playback functionality
All core dependencies are automatically installed when you install the SDK. You only need to manually install optional dependencies if you need their functionality.

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Platform Support

The ElevenLabs Python SDK is compatible with:
  • Linux (all distributions)
  • macOS
  • Windows
  • POSIX-compliant systems

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Upgrading the SDK

To upgrade to the latest version: 
pip install --upgrade elevenlabs

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Troubleshooting

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PyAudio Installation Issues

If you encounter issues installing PyAudio:
Install PortAudio first using Homebrew:
brew install portaudio
pip install elevenlabs[pyaudio]

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Permission Errors

If you get permission errors, try installing with the --user flag: 
pip install --user elevenlabs
For a clean installation, use a virtual environment: 
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install elevenlabs

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Next Steps

Now that you’ve installed the SDK, learn how to:

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