title: How to install CPU version of tensorflow using conda
body: <p>If I run <code>conda install tensorflow</code> conda wants to install the GPU version, together with CUDA etc. I do not have an Nvidia GPU so I want to install the CPU-only version.</p>
  
  <pre><code>$ conda install tensorflow
  Solving environment: done
  
  ## Package Plan ##
  
    environment location: /home/cjk/.conda/envs/athion-forecaster
  
    added / updated specs: 
      - tensorflow
  
  
  The following packages will be downloaded:
  
      package                    |            build
      ---------------------------|-----------------
      tensorflow-base-1.12.0     |gpu_py36had579c0_0       216.9 MB
      tensorflow-1.12.0          |gpu_py36he74679b_0           3 KB
      _tflow_select-2.1.0        |              gpu           2 KB
      tensorboard-1.12.0         |   py36hf484d3e_0         3.1 MB
      ------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Total:       220.1 MB
  
  The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED:
  
      _tflow_select:       2.1.0-gpu                
      cudatoolkit:         9.2-0                    
      cudnn:               7.2.1-cuda9.2_0          
      cupti:               9.2.148-0                
      keras-applications:  1.0.6-py36_0             
      keras-preprocessing: 1.0.5-py36_0             
      tensorboard:         1.12.0-py36hf484d3e_0    
      tensorflow:          1.12.0-gpu_py36he74679b_0
      tensorflow-base:     1.12.0-gpu_py36had579c0_0
  
  Proceed ([y]/n)?
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Running <code>conda search tensorflow</code> shows that CPU packages (actually two types, <code>eigen</code> and <code>mkl</code> of the latest tensorflow do exist:</p>
  
  <pre><code>conda search tensorflow
  ...
  tensorflow               1.12.0 eigen_py27hfe19c55_0  pkgs/main           
  tensorflow               1.12.0 eigen_py36hbd5f568_0  pkgs/main           
  tensorflow               1.12.0 gpu_py27h2a0f108_0  pkgs/main           
  tensorflow               1.12.0 gpu_py27h956c076_0  pkgs/main           
  tensorflow               1.12.0 gpu_py36he68c306_0  pkgs/main           
  tensorflow               1.12.0 gpu_py36he74679b_0  pkgs/main           
  tensorflow               1.12.0 mkl_py27hc55d17a_0  pkgs/main           
  tensorflow               1.12.0 mkl_py36h69b6ba0_0  pkgs/main
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>How do I tell conda to install the MKL version?</p>
  
  <p>I tried <code>conda install tensorflow[mkl]</code> but that gives the same results as without the <code>[mkl]</code>. <code>conda install tensorflow=mkl</code> fails with <code>PackagesNotFoundError</code>.</p>