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pypiwin32

pypiwin32 v223 1.4M downloads/30d#3,970 on PyPI
License unclear Abandoned released

What it is and what it does

pypiwin32 is a thin wrapper package that installs pywin32 as its sole runtime dependency. It provides Python developers with access to Windows API functions, COM automation, and other Windows-specific system interfaces. The package itself has been abandoned since 2018, though it continues to pull down pywin32 when installed.

This package is primarily useful for legacy projects or as a convenience installation method. Most new Windows-Python development should consider using pywin32 directly instead. The package carries no known security vulnerabilities, but its age and lack of maintenance mean it receives no updates or support.

Use it for:

  • Automating Windows system tasks in legacy Python applications that depend on this package.
  • COM automation for controlling Windows applications from Python scripts.
  • Accessing Windows-specific APIs for system monitoring or hardware interaction.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Installs pywin32 as a dependency, providing access to Windows-specific system interfaces and APIs from Python.

No—this package is abandoned and serves only as an outdated convenience wrapper. Install pywin32 directly instead, which is actively maintained and will receive updates. Use pypiwin32 only if you have legacy code that explicitly depends on it; otherwise, migrate to the underlying dependency.

Install

pypiwin32 on PyPI

pip

pip install pypiwin32

uv

uv add pypiwin32

poetry

poetry add pypiwin32

Installing pypiwin32

Before you install

Low install friction, but the package is abandoned—last release was 2018-02-26, over 3091 days ago. It exists primarily as a convenience wrapper around pywin32; maintenance of the underlying dependency is the real concern.

License in practice

License treatment is unclear; no SPDX identifier or raw license text is available in the metadata. Verify licensing before use in proprietary or commercial contexts.

Quickstart

pip install pypiwin32
import pywin32

Windows-only; requires a Windows operating system to function.

Verify before relying

  • Whether pypiwin32 is still maintained or if direct use of pywin32 is now recommended.
  • Current license terms and compatibility with your project's licensing requirements.
  • Whether pywin32 (the underlying dependency) is actively maintained and secure.

Package facts

License not declared (unclear)
Python support not specified
Install friction low — pure-Python wheel
Runtime dependencies 1 — pywin32
Maintenance abandoned — 3,091 days since the last release
First released
Downloads 1,387,734/month — #3,970 on PyPI (30-day window, as of 2026-08-14)
Known vulnerabilities none known (OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14)

Evidence: pypiwin32-223-py3-none-any.whl

Tags

windows api pythonpywin32 installerwindows system callswin32 python bindingswindows automation
windows-onlyabandonedwrapper

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