Convert Tkinter App to EXE – Package Python GUI with PyInstaller

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🐍 Python UI Programming Series — Part 8: Packaging Your Tkinter App into a Standalone Executable (.exe)

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📘 Overview

You’ve built a full-featured GUI application with Tkinter. Now it’s time to share your app with the world — without requiring users to install Python.

In this part, you’ll learn how to:

• Turn your .py Tkinter script into a .exe file

• Use pyinstaller to package apps

• Add icons, hide the terminal, and manage dependencies

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🔧 Tool Required: PyInstaller

✅ What is PyInstaller?

• A tool to convert Python scripts into standalone executables

• Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux

• Bundles all required files into one folder or single .exe

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✅ Step 1: Install PyInstaller

Open your terminal or command prompt and run:

pip install pyinstaller

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✅ Step 2: Basic Packaging Command

Navigate to the folder containing your script (app.py, for example) and run:

pyinstaller app.py

This generates:

• A dist/ folder with your .exe file inside

• A build/ folder with intermediate files

• A .spec file (you can edit this for advanced control)

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🧰 Step 3: Common PyInstaller Options

Option	Purpose
--onefile	Bundle into a single .exe file
--noconsole	Hide the terminal window (useful for GUI apps)
--icon=icon.ico	Add a custom app icon

Example:

pyinstaller --onefile --noconsole --icon=myicon.ico app.py

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📁 Step 4: Distribute Your App

After packaging:

• Go to the dist/ folder

• Your app.exe is ready to run on any Windows machine 🎉

You can now share it:

• On email, cloud drives, GitHub releases, or USB

• With instructions like: “Just double-click to open”

🛑 Note: Antivirus software may flag new .exe files — this is common and not usually dangerous if you made the file.

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🧩 Optional: Add Data Files (images, DB, etc.)

If your app uses images or a database file, update your .spec file or run:

pyinstaller --add-data "data.db;." --onefile app.py

Use ; on Windows and : on macOS/Linux to separate file paths.

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💡 Recap

In this part, you’ve learned:

• How to convert your Tkinter GUI app to a Windows .exe

• How to use PyInstaller for packaging

• Tips for hiding the terminal and adding icons

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🎉 Congratulations!

You’ve now completed a full journey:

• GUI creation and layout

• Widget styling and form validation

• Database integration

• Advanced widgets

• Packaging for distribution

👏 You’ve essentially built a real desktop application from scratch!

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