How do I upgrade to Python 3.6 with conda?

Creating a new environment will install python 3.6:

$ conda create --name 3point6 python=3.6
Fetching package metadata .......
Solving package specifications: ..........

Package plan for installation in environment /Users/dstansby/miniconda3/envs/3point6:

The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED:

    openssl:    1.0.2j-0     
    pip:        9.0.1-py36_1 
    python:     3.6.0-0      
    readline:   6.2-2        
    setuptools: 27.2.0-py36_0
    sqlite:     3.13.0-0     
    tk:         8.5.18-0     
    wheel:      0.29.0-py36_0
    xz:         5.2.2-1      
    zlib:       1.2.8-3 

I found this page with detailed instructions to upgrade Anaconda to a major newer version of Python (from Anaconda 4.0+). First,

conda update conda
conda remove argcomplete conda-manager

I also had to conda remove some packages not on the official list:

• backports_abc
• beautiful-soup
• blaze-core

Depending on packages installed on your system, you may get additional UnsatisfiableError errors - simply add those packages to the remove list. Next, install the version of Python,

conda install python==3.6

which takes a while, after which a message indicated to conda install anaconda-client, so I did

conda install anaconda-client

which said it's already there. Finally, following the directions,

conda update anaconda

I did this in the Windows 10 command prompt, but things should be similar in Mac OS X.

Anaconda has not updated python internally to 3.6.

a) Method 1

1. If you wanted to update you will type conda update python

2. To update anaconda type conda update conda

3. If you want to upgrade between major python version like 3.5 to 3.6, you'll have to do

    conda install python=$pythonversion$
   

b) Method 2 - Create a new environment (Better Method)

conda create --name py36 python=3.6

c) To get the absolute latest python(3.6.5 at time of writing)

conda create --name py365 python=3.6.5 --channel conda-forge

You can see all this from here

Also, refer to this for force upgrading

EDIT: Anaconda now has a Python 3.6 version here