Python setup for V2025a with M1 chip Apple MacBook Pro
Duncan Carlsmith
on 17 Jul 2025
Latest activity Reply by Duncan Carlsmith
on 28 Jul 2025
I am thrilled python interoperability now seems to work for me with my APPLE M1 MacBookPro and MATLAB V2025a. The available instructions are still, shall we say, cryptic. Here is a summary of my interaction with GPT 4o to get this to work.
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MATLAB R2025a + Python (Astropy) Integration on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3 Macs)
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Author: D. Carlsmith, documented with ChatGPT
Last updated: July 2025
This guide provides full instructions, gotchas, and workarounds to run Python 3.10 with MATLAB R2025a (Apple Silicon/macOS) using native ARM64 Python and calling modules like Astropy, Numpy, etc. from within MATLAB.
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Overview
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- MATLAB R2025a on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) runs as "maca64" (native ARM64).
- To call Python from MATLAB, the Python interpreter must match that architecture (ARM64).
- Using Intel Python (x86_64) with native MATLAB WILL NOT WORK.
- The cleanest solution: use Miniforge3 (Conda-forge's lightweight ARM64 distribution).
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1. Install Miniforge3 (ARM64-native Conda)
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In Terminal, run:
curl -LO https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/releases/latest/download/Miniforge3-MacOSX-arm64.sh
bash Miniforge3-MacOSX-arm64.sh
Follow prompts:
- Press ENTER to scroll through license.
- Type "yes" when asked to accept the license.
- Press ENTER to accept the default install location: ~/miniforge3
- When asked:
Do you wish to update your shell profile to automatically initialize conda? [yes|no]
Type: yes
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2. Restart Terminal and Create a Python Environment for MATLAB
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Run the following:
conda create -n matlab python=3.10 astropy numpy -y
conda activate matlab
Verify the Python path:
which python
Expected output:
/Users/YOURNAME/miniforge3/envs/matlab/bin/python
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3. Verify Python + Astropy From Terminal
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Run:
python -c "import astropy; print(astropy.__version__)"
Expected output:
6.x.x (or similar)
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4. Configure MATLAB to Use This Python
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In MATLAB R2025a (Apple Silicon):
clear classes
pyenv('Version', '/Users/YOURNAME/miniforge3/envs/matlab/bin/python')
py.sys.version
You should see the Python version printed (e.g. 3.10.18). No error means it's working.
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5. Gotchas and Their Solutions
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❌ Error: Python API functions are not available
→ Cause: Wrong architecture or broken .dylib
→ Fix: Use Miniforge ARM64 Python. DO NOT use Intel Anaconda.
❌ Error: Invalid text character (↑ points at __version__)
→ Cause: MATLAB can’t parse double underscores typed or pasted
→ Fix: Use: py.getattr(module, '__version__')
❌ Error: Unrecognized method 'separation' or 'sec'
→ Cause: MATLAB can't reflect dynamic Python methods
→ Fix: Use: py.getattr(obj, 'method')(args)
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6. Run Full Verification in MATLAB
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Paste this into MATLAB:
% Set environment
clear classes
pyenv('Version', '/Users/YOURNAME/miniforge3/envs/matlab/bin/python');
% Import modules
coords = py.importlib.import_module('astropy.coordinates');
time_mod = py.importlib.import_module('astropy.time');
table_mod = py.importlib.import_module('astropy.table');
% Astropy version
ver = char(py.getattr(py.importlib.import_module('astropy'), '__version__'));
disp(['Astropy version: ', ver]);
% SkyCoord angular separation
c1 = coords.SkyCoord('10h21m00s', '+41d12m00s', pyargs('frame', 'icrs'));
c2 = coords.SkyCoord('10h22m00s', '+41d15m00s', pyargs('frame', 'icrs'));
sep_fn = py.getattr(c1, 'separation');
sep = sep_fn(c2);
arcsec = double(sep.to('arcsec').value);
fprintf('Angular separation = %.3f arcsec\n', arcsec);
% Time difference in seconds
Time = time_mod.Time;
t1 = Time('2025-01-01T00:00:00', pyargs('format','isot','scale','utc'));
t2 = Time('2025-01-02T00:00:00', pyargs('format','isot','scale','utc'));
dt = py.getattr(t2, '__sub__')(t1);
seconds = double(py.getattr(dt, 'sec'));
fprintf('Time difference = %.0f seconds\n', seconds);
% Astropy table display
tbl = table_mod.Table(pyargs('names', {'a','b'}, 'dtype', {'int','float'}));
tbl.add_row({1, 2.5});
tbl.add_row({2, 3.7});
disp(tbl);
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7. Optional: Automatically Configure Python in startup.m
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To avoid calling pyenv() every time, edit your MATLAB startup:
edit startup.m
Add:
try
pyenv('Version', '/Users/YOURNAME/miniforge3/envs/matlab/bin/python');
catch
warning("Python already loaded.");
end
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8. Final Notes
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- This setup avoids all architecture mismatches.
- It uses a clean, minimal ARM64 Python that integrates seamlessly with MATLAB.
- Do not mix Anaconda (Intel) with Apple Silicon MATLAB.
- Use py.getattr for any Python attribute containing underscores or that MATLAB can't resolve.
You can now run NumPy, Astropy, Pandas, Astroquery, Matplotlib, and more directly from MATLAB.
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6 Comments
Time Descending
It is safe to assume that I know nothing about Python other than how to spell it.
Keeping that in mind, my question is: what does Python offer such that it's advantageous to be able to call it from Matlab? (Not including the case where one wants to access an existing, Python code base from Matlab).
In lieu of discussion here (maybe this should be its own discussion), I'd be happy to read any links anyone can provide on this topic. Not how to call Python from Matlab, but why one would prefer to do so.
See https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/181605-skyfield-night-sky-explorer?s_tid=srchtitle for an example I just put together integrating Python in to a MATLAB educational Live Script, building essentially a programmatic star-gazing app leveraging an extensive Python resource. At the end, find a list of tips regarding "gotcha's" I've run into in calling python directly from MATLAB.
In general, there are functionalities not currently available in MATLAB but implemented in Python. Instead of re-creating the wheels, you could leverage such Python libraries directly in MATLAB to create certain workflows. Here is a simple example which makes good usage of Python textwrap in MATLAB for text formating:
And here is a comprehensive example of using Tensorflow in MATLAB for image classification:
Great to see things worked out. In case it helps, here are few related articles in MATLAB Answers:
Thanks for sharing the summary, Duncan. I'm glad you found a solution by ChatGPT. What promopts did you use? Any suggestions on using ChatGPT?
I recommend going step by step with ChatGPT 4o as an assistant suggesting diagnostic shell and matlab commands while you feed back the results of each step. Recommended methods of installing and connecting MATLAB to python appeared to fail but the method outlined here starting fresh suceeded. Some of the gotcha's are indicated in the summary. I forget if one needs Coretto exactly or a more recent JAVA which I think I have. MathWorks information does not walk through these make-or-break OS-dependent installation steps. I believe the installation is too complex to use python with MATLAB in an educational context with students new to coding, folks who have never opened something called a "terminal." It would be great if MATLAB shipped with python built in and it just worked, MathWorks-style.
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