PyQt6 + PyInstaller: packaging tips and common hook issues
Checklist for PyQt6 packaging: Qt plugins, missing DLLs, hiddenimports, and practical fixes that reduce build failures.
Why PyQt6 packaging fails more often
Qt apps include plugins (platform, imageformats, styles) and extra runtime dependencies. When these are missing or not discovered, you may see a blank window, missing DLL errors, or crashes at startup.
Checklist (Windows)
- Confirm your environment contains only one Qt binding (avoid mixing PyQt5/PyQt6/PySide in the same build environment).
- Ensure Qt platform plugins are included (especially the Windows platform plugin).
- If a module is missed, add it to hidden imports and re-build.
Reduce support tickets
Most issues come from environment drift. The cleanest approach is: create a dedicated virtual environment for the project, keep dependencies stable, and use a consistent build configuration. That’s exactly where a GUI workflow helps: you can re-run builds with the same settings without re-typing everything.
Next steps
If you want a smoother packaging workflow, download PyInstaller GUI and keep your build settings consistent.