Fix: Manim "LaTeX not found" Error | QuantumSketch
Manim's 'LaTeX not found' error means no TeX distribution is installed or on PATH. Install TeX Live or MiKTeX, restart your shell, and re-render.
Manim's "LaTeX not found" error means no TeX distribution is installed or it isn't on your PATH. Manim shells out to a real latex binary to render MathTex, so install TeX Live (Linux), MiKTeX (Windows), or MacTeX (macOS), restart your terminal, and re-render.
The fix
Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):
sudo apt install texlive texlive-latex-extra texlive-fonts-extra texlive-science tipa
macOS:
brew install --cask mactex-no-gui
Windows: install MiKTeX or TeX Live, then open a new terminal so the updated PATH is picked up.
Verify it worked:
latex --version
manim checkhealth
Why it happens
pip install manim installs only the Python package. To typeset equations, Manim calls an external latex/xelatex binary and converts the result via dvisvgm. No TeX on PATH → FileNotFoundError: 'latex'. See manim checkhealth to confirm what's missing.
Common gotchas
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Installed TeX, still fails | Old terminal session | Open a new shell |
| Works in terminal, not in VS Code | Editor uses wrong env | Point VS Code to your venv's Python |
| standalone.cls not found | Missing package | See that fix |
| error converting to dvi | Bad TeX in expression | See the DVI fix |
Minimal test
from manim import *
class Test(Scene):
def construct(self):
self.play(Write(MathTex(r"a^2 + b^2 = c^2")))
If this renders, LaTeX is wired correctly.
Skip LaTeX setup entirely
Don't want to manage a TeX distribution? QuantumSketch runs Manim, LaTeX, and FFmpeg in the cloud — you prompt, it renders. See Manim Without Code. Setting up locally instead? Read Install Manim on Windows or macOS.
Written by Shihab Shahriar Antor · Shahriar Labs
FAQ
Q.Why does Manim say LaTeX is not found even though Manim installed fine?
Manim and LaTeX are separate installations. Running pip install manim installs the Python package, but Manim shells out to a real LaTeX binary (latex or xelatex) to typeset MathTex and Tex objects. If no TeX distribution — TeX Live, MiKTeX, or MacTeX — is installed, or it isn't on your system PATH, Manim raises FileNotFoundError for 'latex'. The fix is to install a TeX distribution and ensure its bin directory is on PATH, then open a new terminal so the updated PATH takes effect.
Q.Can I use Manim without installing LaTeX at all?
Partly. Plain Text objects use Pango and don't need LaTeX, so animations with no equations can run without it. But MathTex and Tex — anything with mathematical notation — require a LaTeX install. Since most math animations use equations, you'll want LaTeX. The alternative is to skip local setup entirely and use a cloud tool like QuantumSketch, which has LaTeX, FFmpeg, and Manim preconfigured, so 'LaTeX not found' can never happen.