Pip error: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 is required

If you already have Visual Studio Build Tools installed but you're still getting that error, then you may need to "Modify" your installation to include the Visual C++ build tools.

To do that:

1. Open up the Visual Studio Installer (you can search for it in the Start Menu if needed).

2. Find Visual Studio Build Tools and click "Modify":

3. Add a checkmark to Visual C++ build tools and then click "Modify" in the bottom right to install them:

After the C++ tools finish installing, run the pip command again and it should work.

You need to install Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 to install pycrypto:

error: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 is required. Get it with "Microsoft Visual
C++ Build Tools": http://landinghub.visualstudio.com/visual-cpp-build-tools

In the comments you ask which link to use. Use the link to Visual C++ 2015 Build Tools. That will install Visual C++ 14.0 without installing Visual Studio.

Alternate link: https://wiki.python.org/moin/WindowsCompilers#Microsoft_Visual_C.2B-.2B-_14.2_standalone:_Build_Tools_for_Visual_Studio_2019_.28x86.2C_x64.2C_ARM.2C_ARM64.29

In the comments you ask about methods of installing pycrypto that do not require installing a compiler. The binaries in the links appear to be for earlier versions of Python than you are using. One link is to a binary in a DropBox account.

I do not recommend downloading binary versions of cryptography libraries provided by third parties. The only way to guarantee that you are getting a version of pycrypto that is compatible with your version of Python and has not been built with any backdoors is to build it from the source.

After you have installed Visual C++, just re-run the original command:

pip install -U steem

To find out what the various install options mean, run this command:

pip help install

The help for the -U option says

-U, --upgrade        Upgrade all specified packages to the newest available
                     version. The handling of dependencies depends on the
                     upgrade-strategy used.

If you do not already have the steem library installed, you can run the command without the -U option.