---
id: change-wheel-version
version: "0.6.0"
license: unclear
license_treatment: unclear
maintenance: dormant
---

# change-wheel-version — Change the version of a wheel file

License: unclear · Maintenance: dormant · Downloads: 197.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

change_wheel_version is a command-line tool that rewrites the version string in a wheel file's metadata after the wheel has already been built. It works by modifying the version in the package metadata without requiring a rebuild of the package itself. This is useful when you have a pre-built wheel and need to tag it with a local version identifier or adjust its version for distribution purposes.

The tool depends on wheel, installer, and packaging to handle the low-level wheel format operations. It requires Python >=3.9. Because it only touches packaging metadata and not version strings embedded in source code, it is not a substitute for proper versioning during the build process, but rather a post-hoc adjustment mechanism for already-compiled artifacts.

Use it for:

- Add a local version suffix to a custom-built wheel for internal or CI/CD distribution without rebuilding.
- Adjust the version of a pre-built wheel to match a different release tag or deployment environment.
- Patch the version metadata in a wheel artifact when the original build process cannot be easily re-run.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Modifies the version metadata in an already-built wheel file without rebuilding, useful for adding local version suffixes or adjusting package versions post-build.

Yes, if you need to modify wheel metadata after build time. Low install friction and no known vulnerabilities make it safe to try. However, dormant maintenance status (701 days since last release) and small user base suggest limited real-world validation—test thoroughly on your wheel format before relying on it in production.

## Install

pip install change-wheel-version
uv add change-wheel-version
poetry add change-wheel-version

## Installing change-wheel-version

Before you install: Low install friction with three lightweight runtime dependencies. Maintenance is dormant—last release was 701 days ago—but the repository is not archived and targets current Python versions.

Quickstart:

pipx run change_wheel_version some.whl --local-version special.build.info

Requires Python >=3.9

Verify before relying:

- Whether modifying wheel metadata preserves digital signatures or integrity checks on the wheel file.
- Whether the tool handles all wheel formats and edge cases (e.g., namespace packages, entry points).
- Real-world adoption and whether dormant status reflects stability or abandonment.

## Package facts

- License: not declared (unclear)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: dormant
- Downloads: 197.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

modify wheel version, change wheel metadata, add local version to wheel, wheel version patching, post-build wheel versioning, wheel-packaging, version-management

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/change-wheel-version) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/change-wheel-version/)