Status bar shows wrong Python version for selected virtual environment

[ROT-at-OpenEP]

Type: Bug

Behaviour

• Status bar shows wrong Python version for active Python virtual environment "3.12.3 ('.venv')" (corresponding to syestem version) instead of the Python version actually configured in the virutal environment (3.11.9).

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open Visual Studio Code
2. Open workspace folder
3. workspace folder contains virtual Python environment under sub-folder .venv (with Python version 3.11.9)
4. status bar displays "3.12.3 ('.venv')"
5. Ctrl-Shift-P and selecting correct Python environment "Python 3.11.9 (.venv)" does not change status bar to the correct version.
6. Running python code

import sys
print(sys.exectuable)
print(sys.version)

prints the correct exectuble "/path/to/workspace/.venv/bin/python" and the correct version "Python 3.11.9".

7. as well the correct version is shown for the corresponding jupyter kernel whe notebook is opened.
8. VS code integrated Terminal is as well switching into correct virtual environment after launch. and command "python --version" returns "Python 3.11.9".
9. this problem is on a Linux Mint 22.1 but not on Windows 10 Enterprise, both using the same version of VS code (1.100.3). On Linux Mint its installed under "root" account, on Windows under "user" account.

Linux Mint 22.1

Version: 1.100.3
Commit: 258e40fedc6cb8edf399a463ce3a9d32e7e1f6f3
Date: 2025-06-02T13:30:54.273Z
Electron: 34.5.1
ElectronBuildId: 11369351
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.0
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Linux x64 6.8.0-60-generic

Windows 10 Enterprise

Version: 1.100.3 (user setup)
Commit: 258e40fedc6cb8edf399a463ce3a9d32e7e1f6f3
Date: 2025-06-02T13:30:54.273Z
Electron: 34.5.1
ElectronBuildId: 11369351
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.0
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045

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: 2025.6.1
VS Code version: Code 1.100.3 (258e40fedc6cb8edf399a463ce3a9d32e7e1f6f3, 2025-06-02T13:30:54.273Z)
OS version: Linux x64 6.8.0-60-generic
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1165G7 @ 2.80GHz (4 x 0)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: unavailable_software canvas_oop_rasterization: disabled_off direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: disabled_software multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: disabled_off rasterization: disabled_software raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off video_decode: disabled_software video_encode: disabled_software vulkan: disabled_off webgl: unavailable_software webgl2: unavailable_software webgpu: disabled_off webnn: unavailable_software
Load (avg)	1, 1, 1
Memory (System)	7.74GB (2.75GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id 9e56530c-5daf-4b46-b174-d90bca8dce25
Screen Reader	no
VM	100%
DESKTOP_SESSION	cinnamon
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP	X-Cinnamon
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP	cinnamon
XDG_SESSION_TYPE	x11

A/B Experiments

vsliv368:30146709
vspor879:30202332
vspor708:30202333
vspor363:30204092
pythonvspyt551cf:31249601
vscod805cf:30301675
binariesv615:30325510
c4g48928:30535728
azure-dev_surveyone:30548225
962ge761:30959799
h48ei257:31000450
pythontbext0:30879054
cppperfnew:31000557
dwnewjupyter:31046869
pythonrstrctxt:31112756
nativeloc1:31192215
5fd0e150:31155592
dwcopilot:31170013
6074i472:31201624
dwoutputs:31242946
customenabled:31248079
9064b325:31222308
copilot_t_ci:31222730
e5gg6876:31282496
pythoneinst12:31285622
bgtreat:31268568
4gafe986:31271826
c7cif404:31314491
996jf627:31283433
pythonrdcb7:31303018
usemplatestapi:31297334
0aa6g176:31307128
7bj51361:31289155
747dc170:31275177
6518g693:31319473
pylancecolor:31314202
aj953862:31281341
generatesymbolt:31295002
convertfstringf:31295003
gendocf:31295004

[anthonykim1]

Are you using the Python environment extension? https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-python.vscode-python-envs

[ROT-at-OpenEP]

No, I don’t use the Python Environment extension. No need for this so far. On linux host, I am using pyenv to install a specific version of Python (e.g., 3.11.9). In the project workspace, I am using virtualenv and pipenv to manage set up virtual python environment and installing packages, respectively. The issue with the status bar is a recent regression, not observed before.

[ROT-at-OpenEP]

Status bar displays "wrong" Python version for activated virtual environment:

Jupyter notebook's kernel, based on activated Python virtual environment displays "correct" Python version:

Running python --version in integrated terminal with activated Python virtual environment (automatically activated by Visual Studio Code) returns correct Python version:

Selecting Python Interpreter via Ctrl-Shift-P shows "correct" Python virtual environment as "recommended" environment. Selecting it (even by switching to some other envrionment temporarily) does not fix the issue:

I hope this illustrates the bug report further.

[ROT-at-OpenEP]

Morning,

FYI. I set up a new equivalent (Virtualbox) VM with Linux Mint 22.1 and with equivalent Python, Pyenv, Virtualenv, Pipenv, VSCode (and extensions (via settings sync)) etc..

The initially reported issues are not materialising on this VM. All works as expected. I.e., the projecct's Python version displays correctly in code's status bar.

Best.

[eleanorjboyd]

Hi! We are moving to all environment items going through the environment extension so we are trying to move there and make updates there. If you give it a try with the envs ext and it doesn't work please comment and we can re-open!