> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://anaconda.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Managing environments
export const Danger = ({children}) => {
return ;
};
## Viewing environments
To view your environments, select **Environments** from the left-hand navigation.
You can collapse and expand the environments list by clicking on the or icon beside the environments list.
## Searching for an environment
Use the **Search Environments** box to locate an environment by name. Enter all (or part of) an environment's name to filter the list to display only environments that contain the search string.
## Managing environments
Anaconda Navigator provides a set of buttons at the bottom of the environments list to help you manage environments.
### Creating a new environment
1. Click **Create** at the bottom of the environments list.
2. In the Create new environment dialog, enter a descriptive name for the new environment.
The location where your new environment will be created displays below the New environment name box as it is being entered.
3. Select either **Python** or **R** as the language interpreter for your environment.
Conda packages are built for a specific language runtime. Choosing Python or R adds the matching interpreter to the environment so packages you install and code you write operate correctly.
4. Open the dropdown and select a version for your interpreter.
5. Click **Create**.
### Activating and using an environment
1. Click on an environment in the list to activate it.
2. Click the button beside the environment's name to open the activation options dropdown.
Some activation options require additional packages to be installed in the environment.
| Option | Description | Required packages |
| :--------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :---------------- |
| **Terminal** | Opens a shell session (`bash`, `cmd`, or PowerShell, depending on OS) with the environment activated. Use it for CLI tools or shell commands. | None |
| **Python interpreter** | Launches the standard `python` REPL inside the environment. Useful for quick checks or running scripts. | None |
| **IPython Console** | Starts an enhanced interactive Python shell. | `ipython` |
| **Jupyter Notebook** | Opens Jupyter Notebook in your default browser, letting you create and run notebook files. | `notebook` |
### Cloning an environment
Anaconda strongly recommends *against* cloning the `base` environment because the process can generate an incomplete clone of the environment, which could cause errors while using Navigator or conda. For these reasons, Anaconda Navigator does not allow you to clone your base environment.
1. Activate the environment you want to clone by selecting it from the environments list.
2. Click **Clone** at the bottom of the environments list.
3. Enter a descriptive name for the new environment.
4. Click **Clone**.
### Importing an environment
There are two situations in which you might want to import an environment:
* Someone has [exported their environment](/getting-started/working-with-conda/environments#exporting-the-environment-configuration-yml-file) to a `environment.yml` file and shared it with you, and you want to reproduce their environment on your machine.
* You have [backed up an environment](#backing-up-an-environment) (either locally or to Anaconda.com), and you want to restore it to the backed up state.
If someone has shared an `environment.yml` file with you, or you have backed up an environment locally:
1. Save it somewhere on your computer.
2. Click **Import** at the bottom of the environments list.
3. Select **Local drive**.
4. Click the folder beside **Local drive**.
5. Browse your local files and select the `.yml` file you want to import.
6. Enter a new name for the new environment (or use the existing name).
Environment names must be unique. To overwrite an existing environment with the same name, select the **Overwrite existing environment** checkbox.
7. Click **Import**.
1. At the bottom of the environments list, select **Import**.
2. If necessary, [sign in to Anaconda.com](https://auth.anaconda.com/ui/login?return_to=https://anaconda.com/app/).
3. Select **Anaconda Cloud**.
4. Click the folder in the **Anaconda Cloud** section.
5. Select the environment you want to import.
If you do not want to immediately create a new environment, click **Download environment file** and save the environment to your computer as a `.yml` file. Click **Cancel** twice to close the Import Environment dialogs when finished.
6. Click **Select**.
7. Enter a new name for the new environment, or use the existing name.
Each environment name must be unique. If you have an environment with the same name as the one you're importing and want to overwrite it, select the **Overwrite existing environment** checkbox.
8. Click **Import**.
### Backing up an environment
Backing up an environment to Anaconda.com protects it from machine malfunctions, such as hard-drive failure, while local backups are valuable for restoring your environment to a previous working state (in case you encounter a package-dependency issue).
Anaconda Navigator provides two ways to back up an environment:
1. Click on an environment in the list to activate it.
2. Click **Backup** at the bottom of the environments list.
1. Select **Local drive**.
2. Click **Save**.
3. Enter a descriptive name for your backup. By default, backups are named `_YYYYMMDD.yml`.
Environment names must be unique. To overwrite an existing environment with the same name, select the **Overwrite existing environment** checkbox.
4. Choose a location on your computer to save the environment backup file.
5. Click **Save**.
Backing up an environment to Anaconda.com requires an [Anaconda.com account](https://auth.anaconda.com/ui/registration?return_to=https://anaconda.com/app/).
1. Verify that you are signed in to [Anaconda.com](/tools/anaconda-navigator/tutorials/connecting-to-cloud#connecting-anaconda-com-to-navigator).
2. Click **Backup** at the bottom of the environments list.
1. Select **Anaconda Cloud**.
2. Enter a descriptive name for the backup. By default, backups are named `_YYYYMMDD.yml`.
Environment names must be unique. To overwrite an existing environment with the same name, select the **Overwrite existing environment** checkbox.
3. Click **Backup**.
### Removing an environment
You can use Navigator to remove environments that are stored locally on your computer. Environments that you have backed up to Anaconda.com must be removed from your Anaconda.com Account Settings.
1. Click on an environment in the list to activate it.
2. Click **Remove** at the bottom of the environments list.
3. Click **Remove**.
1. Navigate to your [Account Settings Environments](https://anaconda.com/app/profile/environments) tab.
2. Click **Delete** beside the environment you want to remove.
3. Click **Delete**.