UnsatisfiableError in conda SAT solver when resolving conflicting package versions

Short answer

Yes for the conda CLI, no for Anaconda Navigator, and no for per-environment thresholds. Set log_level to error to suppress INFO channel-metadata refresh messages while keeping UnsatisfiableError visible. Navigator has no log-level notification filter, and .condarc applies log settings globally, not per environment.

Explanation and confirmed facts

Conda's log level is global across environments. When set to error, informational messages such as channel metadata refreshes are suppressed, while solver failures including UnsatisfiableError are still printed. auto_update and channel_priority control when the solver runs, not how verbose its output is.

Navigator aggregates CLI and GUI notifications. It offers no configuration option to filter by log level, so channel-refresh messages can still appear in the UI even when the CLI is quiet. The libmamba solver respects the same log_level setting and usually produces more detailed unsatisfiable diagnostics, though its message format may differ from the classic solver.

Steps for this case

1. Set the global log level to error:

conda config --set log_level error

1. Verify the value:

conda config --show log_level

1. Optionally switch to libmamba for richer unsatisfiable reports:

conda config --set solver libmamba

For a one-off command without changing configuration:

CONDA_LOG_LEVEL=error conda create --name testenv python=3.10

Verification

1. Confirm conda config --show log_level returns error.
2. Trigger a known unsatisfiable environment creation or update; confirm UnsatisfiableError prints and INFO channel-refresh lines are absent.
3. If using libmamba, repeat the failing resolution and note the changed diagnostic format.
4. In Anaconda Navigator, perform an environment update and confirm channel-refresh notifications still appear.

Assumptions and uncertainty

This assumes conda 23.0 or later, where log_level accepts string values such as error. Older conda releases use an integer verbosity flag instead. Navigator behavior is based on current documented aggregation behavior and could change in future releases. Setting log_level to error may also hide non-error warnings such as deprecation notices.

Missing diagnostic detail

What version of conda are you running? If it is older than 23.0, the recommendation changes from log_level error to the integer verbosity flag, so this detail determines which command applies.