This repository documents the process to extract Python bytecode (.pyc files) from executables created with PyInstaller and recover the original Python source code (.py). This method uses the script pyinstxtractor.py to extract the compiled files and the online tool pylingual to decompile them.

1. Copy the PyInstaller executable (example.exe) and the script decompile.py into the same folder.

2. Open a Command Prompt in that folder:

   • In Windows, right-click in the folder’s empty space while holding Shift.
   • Select “Open PowerShell window here” or “Open Terminal here”.
   • Alternatively, click on the folder's address bar, type cmd, and press Enter.

3. In the terminal window, execute the extraction script using the following command: Replace example.exe with the actual name of your executable file

4. Run this command: python decompile.py example.exe

5. After execution, a new folder named example.exe_extracted will be created automatically in the same directory.

6. Inside the extracted folder, locate the .pyc file(s). These files are compiled Python bytecode.

7. To recover the original Python source code:

• Open your browser and go to pylingual.
• Upload the extracted .pyc file.
• The website will decompile the file and display the recovered Python code.
• Copy or download the resulting .py file as needed.

• It is recommended to use the same Python version that was used to compile the executable when running pyinstxtractor.py to avoid possible extraction errors.
• The script pyinstxtractor.py only extracts .pyc files; it does not perform decompilation.
• If preferred, local decompilers like uncompyle6 or decompyle3 can be used instead of pylingual.io to decompile .pyc files.

This process is intended exclusively for educational purposes, recovery of your own applications, or analysis in legal contexts. Do not attempt to decompile proprietary or unauthorized software. Always respect software licenses and intellectual property rights.

• pyinstxtractor.py : https://github.com/extremecoders-re/pyinstxtractor
• pylingual.io : https://pylingual.io/