Fix: npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated

# npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated

The error "npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated. Use --location=global instead" occurs because the --global option was deprecated in an older version of npm.

To solve the error, update your npm version to the latest or edit the npm config files.

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npm WARN config global `--global`, `--local` are deprecated. Use `--location=global` instead.

The changes were reverted in npm version 8.12.1 and --global and --local are no longer deprecated.

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npm install -g npm@latest

# 👇️ If you get a permissions error on macOS/Linux
sudo npm install -g npm@latest

If you get a permissions error when updating npm on macOS or Linux, prefix the command with sudo.

If you get a permissions error on Windows, start CMD as an administrator and rerun the command.

To open CMD as an administrator:

1. Click on the Search bar and type CMD.

2. Right-click on the Command Prompt application and click "Run as administrator".

3. Rerun the npm version update command.

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npm install -g npm@latest

# 👇️ try installing a global package and see if you get the warning
npm install -g create-react-app

If the error persists and you are on Windows, try to use the npm-windows-upgrade package to upgrade your npm version.

First, you have to open PowerShell as an administrator.

To run PowerShell as an administrator:

1. Click on the Search bar and type "PowerShell".
2. Right-click on the "PowerShell" application and click "Run as administrator".

Issue the following commands in PowerShell.

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# 👇️ make sure you can execute scripts
Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser -Force

# 👇️ install npm-windows-upgrade package globally
npm install --global --production npm-windows-upgrade

# 👇️ upgrade npm to the latest version
npm-windows-upgrade --npm-version latest

# 👇️ revert your execution policy to RemoteSigned
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser -Force

Try to issue an npm command with the --global option after having upgraded npm.

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npm install -g create-react-app

# Updating your npm configuration files

If the error persists, you have to make slight changes to 4 files:

• npm
• npm.cmd
• npx
• npx.cmd

These files are most likely located under C:\Program Files\nodejs if you are on Windows.

To update your npm configuration files:

1. Open the C:\Program Files\nodejs folder and locate the npm, npm.cmd, npx, npx.cmd files.
2. Open the folder in Visual Studio Code or your preferred IDE.
3. Replace prefix -g with prefix --location=global in all 4 files.
4. Save the files as an administrator.

You can use CTRL + F to look for prefix -g once you open the 4 aforementioned files and make sure to replace prefix -g with prefix --location=global in all 4 files.

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# ⛔️ old
FOR /F "delims=" %%F IN ('CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix -g') DO (


# ✅ new
FOR /F "delims=" %%F IN ('CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix --location=global') DO (

The line in your updated npm file will look something like the following.

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NPM_PREFIX=`"$NODE_EXE" "$NPM_CLI_JS" prefix --location=global`

The updated line in your npx.cmd file will look something like the following.

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FOR /F "delims=" %%F in ('CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix --location=global') DO (

The updated line in your npx file will look something like the following.

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NPM_PREFIX=`"$NODE_EXE" "$NPM_CLI_JS" prefix --location=global`

Note that you likely have to edit these files as an administrator. You can open your code editor as an administrator by right-clicking on it and selecting "Run as administrator".

Once you replace prefix -g with prefix --location=global, save the changes as an administrator, restart your shell and IDE (e.g. Visual Studio Code) and try running an npm command with the --global option.

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npm install -g create-react-app

If none of the suggestions worked, you can use the --location=global option instead of using the --global option.

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npm install --location=global create-react-app