Matplotlib format axis labels. matplotlib. Conclusion In this article, we have discussed how to label the x and y axes in Matplotlib using the xlabel() and ylabel() functions. numerix as nx import datetime For a function, a FuncFormatter is used. Axis. In this example, date2num() is used to convert the datetime objects before plotting, while DateFormatter() specifies the date format on the x-axis, and autofmt_xdate() adjusts the labels. xlabel() in Matplotlib to create professional x-axis labels for your plots. Includes styling options, positioning, and practical examples. Jul 11, 2015 · This is a few months late, but I have created PR#6251 with matplotlib to add a new PercentFormatter class. This comprehensive guide will explore various techniques and best practices for formatting axis tick labels, ranging from simple numeric representations to more complex formats like thousands and millions. For instance, the following numbers: 2, 15, 120 The code below will give you a simplified x-axis which is percentage based, it assumes that each of your values are spaces equally between 0% and 100%. Below is an image illustrating the different parts of a figure which contains the graph. ticker import EngFormatter # Fixing random state for reproducibility prng = np. Jun 1, 2024 · Matplotlib Axis Label Introduction Matplotlib is a widely used Python library for creating static, animated, and interactive visualizations in Python. plot(kind='bar') ax. Unfortunately this uses the Apr 20, 2024 · For example, in matplotlib's pyplot library, there are two functions: matplotlib. Learn about the `ticklabel_format()` function, `ScalarFormatter`, and `FuncFormatter` to enhance your data visualizations. dates module, you can customize your plots to display date information in a way that best suits your data and audience. FormatStrFormatter('%0. If None, the previous value is left as is. pyplot as plt import numpy as np x = np. The Axes Class contains most of the figure elements: Axis, Tick, Line2D, Text, Polygon, etc. text. ticker as mtick ax = df['myvar']. Examples using matplotlib. In this article, we will discuss how to add axes labels in Matplotlib plots with detailed examples. yticks # matplotlib. FancyBboxPatch matplotlib. yaxis. Polygon matplotlib. Below I have given an example for labeling axis ticks for multiplots Jun 29, 2021 · Some examples on how to properly format axis labels, add thousands separator, format axis labels to make them easier to read, etc. It creates a perc array which holds evenly-spaced percentages that can be used to plot with. Nov 23, 2017 · how to label x-axis using python matplotlib Asked 7 years, 11 months ago Modified 7 years, 11 months ago Viewed 37k times The acceptance radius for containment tests. With this class you just need one line to reformat your axis (two if you count the import of matplotlib. Labels for x- and y-axis # Specifying the labels for the x- and y-axis is straightforward, via the set_xlabel and set_ylabel methods. In this article, we will go over different ways to label the axes in Matplotlib plots. pyplot. 0) Spacing in points from the Axes bounding box including ticks and tick labels. dates as shown in this example the date format can be applied to the axis label and ticks for plot. Generally, you will use numpy arrays. Patch matplotlib. Sep 11, 2020 · Luckily, matplotlib provides functionality to change the format of a date on a plot axis using the DateFormatter module, so that you can customize the look of your labels without having to rotate them. ylabel('ylabel', fontsize=16) fig. Learn how to use the versatile axis() function to fine-tune your plots and effectively convey data insights. ScalarFormatter class which matplotlib uses by default to format the labels. set_label () function in axis module of matplotlib library is used to set the label that will be displayed in the legend Jul 23, 2025 · Matplotlib has the ability to customize ticks and tick labels on axes, which enhances the readability and interpretability of graphs. You can use matplotlib. FuncFormatter(func) # make formatter x = np. 234004 = 234,004 1237689 = 1,237,689 etc thanks, - dharhas matplotlib. plot # Axis objects # class matplotlib. minor Ticker Determines the minor tick positions and their label format. I disabled the offset from the y_axis: ax1. set_ylabel matplotlib. # Actually plot the exponential values . Jul 18, 2019 · I want my y axis to be formatted in scientific notation. xaxis. Its methods are the main interface for manipulating the plot. The code is copied from matplotlib source but only __call__ function is copied and modified in it. Passing an empty list removes all yticks. accept parameters same as matplotlib. g. e. Matplotlib provides a straightforward way to format tick labels using the FuncFormatter from the matplotlib. Feb 28, 2013 · If you want to do this in a general case you can use FuncFormatter (see : matplotlib axis label format, imshow: labels as any arbitrary function of the image indices. Then use date2num to convert the dates to matplotlib format. I'd like to display the y-axis tick labels in the 'comma' notation i. Jun 6, 2024 · Adding Axis Labels To add axis labels to a plot in Matplotlib, we can use the xlabel () and ylabel () functions. callbacks CallbackRegistry label Text matplotlib. Oct 21, 2010 · What this does is it runs all your text through TeX, writing various files on the way. ConciseDateFormatter is meant to improve the strings chosen for the ticklabels, and to minimize the strings used in those tick labels as much as possible. set_major_formatter () with the argument for formatting string. FancyArrow matplotlib. dates module provides the converter functions date2num and num2date that convert datetime. You need to pass a string for the label text to the function. patches. We will assume that 1. Pass no arguments to return the current values without modifying them. You use ticker. Master data visualization with Matplotlib! Note that if we try to plot a float on the x-axis, it will be plotted in units of days since the "epoch" for the converter, in this case 1970-01-01 (see Matplotlib date format). Later occurrences reuse the rendered image from the cache and are thus faster. isdigit(): groups. Formatting datetime xlabels in matplotlib (pandas df. subplots_adjust matplotlib. For example, in the plot linked below, I'd like the y-axis to display using scientific notation, and I'd like to control the precision level. funcformatter import numpy as np import matplotlib. Subplot Layout Matplotlib allows us to create multiple subplots If the color is the only part of the format string, you can additionally use any matplotlib. , and sets the coordinate system. Unfortunately, I do not have any idea how to solve this task. set_major_formatter(mtick. Date tick labels # Matplotlib date plotting is done by converting date instances into days since an epoch (by default 1970-01-01T00:00:00). It contains the plotted data, axis ticks, labels, title, legend, etc. Jan 20, 2014 · Learn how to add superscripts in Python plots using matplotlib with this comprehensive guide on Stack Overflow. Is there an easy way to change all of these labe May 24, 2021 · Barplot with Matplotlib Add Dollar Sign to Axis Ticks in Matplotlib We can add dollar symbol to the salary values on x-axis using set_major_formatter () function in Matplotlib on the axis of interest. I'm creating a plot (in a colab worksheet) and want the y tick labels to not use scientific notation. Learn styling, rotation, positioning and best practices with clear examples. Mar 7, 2024 · The output shows a plot with the y-axis labeled in plain numbers rather than exponential form. Parameters: xlabelstr The label text. It provides Dec 13, 2024 · Master the ylabel() function in Matplotlib to customize y-axis labels in Python plots. random. colors spec, e. axis_date before plot. Elevate your data visualization skills by mastering the art of titles and labels in matplotlib. Functions dealing with text like label, title, etc. annotate Download Jupyter notebook: text_commands. Shadow matplotlib. Attributes: isDefault_labelbool axes Axes The Axes instance the artist resides in, or None. text matplotlib. legend(*args, **kwargs) [source] # Place a legend on the Axes. Basic Axis Labeling The simplest way to label matplotlib. It is possible to customize the ticks and tick labels with either high-level methods like set_xticks or set the locators and formatters directly on the axis. In Matplotlib, labels are an essential part of making plots clear and informative. Ticker [source] # A container for the objects defining tick position and format. plot(data) fig. See also Axis. Matplotlib provides with a number of functions to help overcome this. Parameters: ylabelstr The label text. Table of Contents The Axes class Attributes Plotting Basic Spans Spectral Statistics Binned Contours 2D arrays Unstructured triangles Text and annotations Vector fields Clearing Appearance Mar 7, 2024 · The output is a plot with converted date numbers on the x-axis, formatted to ‘Year-Month-Day’. com The x and y Axis on each Axes have default tick "locators" and "formatters" that depend on the scale being used (see Axis scales). In this article, we will explore how to customize subplot layout and axis labels using Matplotlib in Python 3. Notebook Below you can find a simple example which will demonstrate how to edit the: date format label angle So default behaviour of the Matplotlib and bar plot depends on the data that you have. Formatter subclass Determines the format of the tick Feb 18, 2023 · In this article, we will explore how to prevent overlapping x-axis tick labels. Learn how to customize the colors, symbols, and labels on your plots using matplotlib. labelsarray-like, optional The labels Jul 23, 2025 · Prerequisites: Python Matplotlib In this article, we will discuss adding labels to the plot using Matplotlib in Python. May 22, 2024 · To change the date formatting of the x-axis tick labels, we need to use the set_major_locator and set_major_formatter methods of the x-axis object. Dec 5, 2024 · Explore various methods to format the Y-axis in Matplotlib plots as percentages without altering the primary plot code. but with the power sh Format date ticks using ConciseDateFormatter # Finding good tick values and formatting the ticks for an axis that has date data is often a challenge. A Common Tick Formatters in Matplotlib Matplotlib allows users to customize tick properties, including locations and labels, through the matplotlib. The y axis labels are still Jun 21, 2024 · Matplotlib Axis Labels In this article, we will explore how to add axis labels to plots created using Matplotlib. figure() plt. labelsarray-like, optional The labels Matplotlib caches processed TeX expressions, so that only the first occurrence of an expression triggers a TeX compilation. Jul 23, 2024 · TheFuncFormatterclass in Matplotlib allows you to define custom formatting functions for axis tick labels. Sep 1, 2022 · I am writing a function to format the tick labels on the y axis. class matplotlib. RegularPolygon matplotlib. Enhance your data visualization in Python with matplotlib. Old, outdated answer: You must first convert your timestamps to Python datetime objects (use datetime. ticklabel_format(*, axis='both', style='', scilimits=None, useOffset=None, useLocale=None, useMathText=None) [source] ¶ Change the ScalarFormatter used by default for linear axes. Axes labels include the x-axis label, y-axis label, and title. The ticklabel_format doesn't make any difference to the final graph. Nov 11, 2020 · In this tutorial we will learn how to format axes in matplotlib, How to set limits to axis, set label to axis and adding major/minor ticks in matplotlib graph. Is this intentional? Can I change Jan 12, 2025 · Python is a powerful programming language that offers a wide range of libraries and tools for data visualization. This article will explore setting ticks and tick labels, providing a clear example to illustrate the core concepts. One such library is Matplotlib, which provides a flexible and comprehensive set of plotting functions. It then adjusts the formatting for the x-axis so it includes a percentage sign using matplotlib. labelpad"] (default: 4. loc{'left Jun 6, 2024 · Applying the Formatting to Axis Labels in Data Visualization When working with data visualization libraries like Matplotlib or Seaborn, we often need to format the axis labels to display large numbers in a more readable format. PercentFormatter()) PercentFormatter() accepts three arguments matplotlib. Customize axes, tick marks, labels, scales, and gridlines to tailor your plots to your needs. FancyArrowPatch matplotlib. What I'm doing at the moment is to > first convert my time to seconds and plot y as function > of yime in seconds. FormatStrFormatter. It provides a range of generic tick locators and formatters, as well as domain-specific custom ones. axis. Call signatures:. Method 2: ScalarFormatter The ScalarFormatter from the Matplotlib ticker module can prevent scientific notation in tick labels. Labels include the title of the plot, labels for the x-axis and y-axis, and other annotations that describe different elements of the plot. Understand their role in enhancing clarity and context, enabling viewers to grasp complex data narratives effectively. bbox Oct 24, 2024 · How to Master Formatting Axes in Matplotlib Formatting axes in Matplotlib is a crucial skill for creating effective and visually appealing data visualizations. PathPatch matplotlib. formatter matplotlib. StepPatch matplotlib. plot # Feb 20, 2014 · With matplotlib when a log scale is specified for an axis, the default method of labeling that axis is with numbers that are 10 to a power eg. See Axis. Transform your plots into compelling stories with impactful labeling. To prevent using scientific notation on the Sep 18, 2022 · From the package matplotlib. Passing an empty list removes all xticks. ipynb Download Python source code: text Jul 15, 2025 · Matplotlib is a library in Python and it is numerical – mathematical extension for NumPy library. xticks # matplotlib. Jul 29, 2024 · Adjusting the datetime tick label frequency in Matplotlib is a crucial step in creating clear and informative visualizations. One important aspect of creating visualizations is labeling the axes properly. This example illustrates the usage and effect of the most common formatters. yticks(ticks=None, labels=None, *, minor=False, **kwargs) [source] # Get or set the current tick locations and labels of the y-axis. axes. axis_date. loc{'bottom Learn how to effectively add and customize axis labels in Matplotlib, a crucial skill for creating clear and informative data visualizations. Rectangle matplotlib. Explore label rotation, font size, alignment, and advanced formatting with practical examples. Matplotlib has its own TeX-like engine that is faster - just put dollar signs around the formula. The axis function in the example above takes a list of [xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax] and specifies the viewport of the Axes. In order to customize the design, you can pass additional parameters to the xlabel() and ylabel() calls. join(reversed(groups)) y_format = tkr. MonthLocator() to show tick labels at the start of each month. In this example, we set the major locator to mdates. , financial time series, one often wants to leave out days on which there is no data, for instance weekends, so that the data are plotted at regular intervals without extra spaces for the days with no data. The function must take two inputs (a tick value x and a position pos), and return a string containing the corresponding tick label. Learn how to use Matplotlib to format the y-axis labels of a plot to display dollar signs, perfect for working with financial data. # Rewrite the y labels . loc{'left', 'center If the color is the only part of the format string, you can additionally use any matplotlib. Perfect for beginners and experienced users alike, this guide provides clear examples and explanations to help you create professional-looking graphs. set_xlabel matplotlib. 10^6. But surely there must be a better way. 00 maps to 100%. xlabel # matplotlib. ticklabel_format(*, axis='both', style=None, scilimits=None, useOffset=None, useLocale=None, useMathText=None) [source] # Configure the ScalarFormatter used by default for linear Axes. See the FuncFormatter documentation for more information. Jun 4, 2015 · Can I directly set the axis properties to behave that way? I rather ugly hack would be: import numpy as np. Nov 23, 2023 · So there is definitely a bug here in that the offset should move with the spine, just like the tick labels and the Axis label, which looks to be Offset text positions not implemented · Issue #4476 · matplotlib/matplotlib · GitHub. contains. labelpadfloat, default: rcParams["axes. Jun 18, 2024 · This will change the position and style of the legend on the plot. The tick format is configured via the function set_major_formatter or set_minor_formatter. I have tried the matplotlib documentation, but it ignores my command. pypot. 0e'). Custom tick formatter for time series # When plotting daily data, e. If matplotlib were limited to working with lists, it would be fairly useless for numeric processing. full names ('green') or hex strings ('#008000'). Jul 12, 2025 · Matplotlib is a library in Python and it is numerical – mathematical extension for NumPy library. plot () method) Asked 11 years, 6 months ago Modified 7 months ago Viewed 19k times You can customize the title of your matplotlib chart with the xlabel() and ylabel() functions. ticker. The matplotlib. Method 3: Using pandas plot function pandas provides a convenient wrapper around Matplotlib’s plotting Format ticks using engineering notation # Use of the engineering Formatter. But first, understand what are labels in a plot. ticker): import import matplotlib. ticklabel_format(style = 'sci', useOffset=False) and tried to put it a scientific for Explore Matplotlib's comprehensive guide on text, labels, and annotations for creating informative and visually appealing plots. Jan 5, 2020 · matplotlib. The good news is the automatic positioning is only on the other (y) direction. Axis(axes, *, pickradius=15, clear=True) [source] # Base class for XAxis and YAxis. set_label () Function The Axis. Limits of axes set the highest plots to be covered in the graph. What we have done here is we created a derivative class of matplotlib. This method is straightforward and directly tells the Matplotlib axis how to format the tick labels, switching off scientific notation where it’s not wanted. Learn how to customize x-axis labels in Matplotlib bar plots. If you need to plot plain numeric data as Matplotlib date format or need to set a timezone, call ax. set_xlabel # Axes. datetime and numpy. This module contains classes for configuring both tick locating and formatting. The example shows how to use an 'index formatter' to achieve the desired plot. set_xlabel(xlabel, fontdict=None, labelpad=None, *, loc=None, **kwargs) [source] # Set the label for the x-axis. When plotting data in a graph, the labels of the x and y axes may sometimes overlap. for the y-axis label in this example. linspace(0 Tick formatters # Tick formatters define how the numeric value associated with a tick on an axis is formatted as a string. And the instances of Axes supports callbacks through a callbacks attribute. xlabel('xlabel', fontsize=18) plt. Aug 18, 2024 · Formatting axis tick labels: from numbers to thousands and millions is an essential skill for data visualization using Matplotlib. savefig('test. Let’s consider an example where we have a bar chart that represents the sales of different products. pyplot as plt import matplotlib. datetime64 objects to and from Matplotlib's internal representation. suptitle('test title', fontsize=20) plt. Basic usage of axis labels import matplo Oct 20, 2006 · Hi, I have time data stored in the format hh:mm:ss and > would like to plot it, having about 4 to 6 ticks labeled > in this format. Assume your data are collected on Oct 10th, 2006 import matplotlib. set_major_formatter # Dec 6, 2024 · Deep Dive into Editing X-Axis Date Formatting in Matplotlib Are you looking to enhance your data visualization skills by improving the presentation of date labels on the x-axis in Matplotlib? Do you find the default date formats cluttered and confusing? This post offers detailed insights and practical examples to help you edit and optimize date formatting on your graphs effectively. suptitle matplotlib. When the data is large to plot, the ticks squishes themselves to fit the figure. In Linux by default that number is shown with 3 significant digits to the right of the decimal point, and in Windows by default that number is shown with 10 digits. Sep 16, 2020 · Matplotlib is the most commonly used plotting library in Python. ylabel(ylabel, fontdict=None, labelpad=None, *, loc=None, **kwargs) [source] # Set the label for the y-axis. Text. Feb 8, 2013 · I am having an issue with the format of the tick labels of an axis. Oct 24, 2024 · We’ll cover everything from basic axis formatting to advanced customization options, ensuring you have a thorough understanding of how to format axes in Matplotlib. xlabel(xlabel, fontdict=None, labelpad=None, *, loc=None, **kwargs) [source] # Set the label for the x-axis. import matplotlib. set_title matplotlib. Unicode input is supported, e. Jul 15, 2025 · The Axes contains two or three-axis (in case of 3D) objects which take care of the data limits. You don't like the default look of the axis labels? No problem, you can change them to your liking. These functions take a string as an argument which specifies the label for the x-axis and y-axis respectively. a function, implicitly Dollar ticks # Use a format string to prepend dollar signs on y-axis labels. Sep 26, 2022 · When matplotlib displays an auto-scaled graph with data that has a very small range around a larger offset, it shows that Y-axis offset at the top left-corner of the plot in exponential notation. 6 days ago · Learn how to control Matplotlib's axis tick labels, differentiating between offsets and scientific notation, with practical Python code examples. axis_date / ax. major Ticker Determines the major tick positions and their label format. It uses a Jun 6, 2024 · Adding Axes Labels in Matplotlib In Matplotlib, axes labels are used to provide additional information about the data being displayed on a plot. 1. ticker module. Matplotlib. axes # The Axes class represents one (sub-)plot in a figure. Jul 15, 2025 · Learn how to customize Matplotlib x-axis labels in Python with examples on size, color, rotation, and formatting for clear and effective data visualization. randi Create Labels for a Plot With Pyplot, you can use the xlabel() and ylabel() functions to set a label for the x- and y-axis. Parameters: formatter Formatter, str, or function Examples using matplotlib. 1) format the label with a "," for a thousands separator, so as an example, 5,000 or 17,500, and (as in How do I format axis number format to thousands with a comma in matplotlib?) Aug 12, 2019 · Line Plot without Labels (Yay!) Customize Label Design As always, matplotlib also provides a variety of customization options. Figure. In the example below, the following text properties are provided to the function in order to customize the label text: fontweight, color, fontsize, and horizontalalignment. It is an amazing visualization library in Python for 2D plots of arrays and used for working with the broader SciPy stack. The heading or sub-heading written at the vertical axis (say Y-axis) and the horizontal axis (say X-axis) improves the quality of understanding of plotted stats. This often improves readability and enhances the overall impact of your charts. Matplotlib Axis Formatting is a crucial skill for creating clear, professional plots. By using the tools provided by the matplotlib. We’ll explore how to refine your visualizations by tackling a common issue: removing those pesky leading zeros from your x-axis labels. Jan 30, 2022 · This post shows how to easily plot this dataset with an y axis formatted as percent. Which in most cases works but it does not look good visually. xticks(ticks=None, labels=None, *, minor=False, **kwargs) [source] # Get or set the current tick locations and labels of the x-axis. Oct 19, 2010 · Hi All, I'm assuming this is possible and common but I'm not finding the correct combination of search terms to find any examples on the mailing list or online on how to do this. Parameters: ticksarray-like, optional The list of ytick locations. Jun 18, 2024 · Label Data Points in Matplotlib When creating visualizations using Matplotlib, it can be useful to label certain data points to provide additional context or information. Axes. Oct 18, 2007 · Hello, I'm having some trouble figuring out how to format the numerical labels on the tick marks of an axes. You first need to convert them to matplotlib dates. figure. See full list on tutorialspoint. Method 1: Using annotate() The annotate() function in Matplotlib allows us to create annotations with See the plot documentation for a complete list of line styles and format strings. strptime). pyplot as plt import numpy as np from matplotlib. Attributes: locator matplotlib. Oct 28, 2021 · In this post you can find how to change the date formatting of x-axis labels in Matplotlib and Python. plot() and call set_major_formatter() after that! Dec 13, 2024 · Learn how to use plt. This post is based on our previous work on Matplotlib custom SI-prefix unit tick formatter: Note that for pandas, you need to first call df. In this example, since we want to add dollar sign to x-axis ticks, we use xaxis. jpg') For globally setting title and label sizes, mpl Formatting Axes in Python-matplotlib- Limits of x, y-axis which in this case is, (10,0) and (0,40) respectively. ylabel () are used to add axis labels in matplotlib which take at least one parameter (string) as a label to the axis. It accepts: a format string, which implicitly creates a StrMethodFormatter. legend # matplotlib. ylabel # matplotlib. xlabel () and matplotlib. In this article, we will explore different methods to label data points in Matplotlib plots. Mar 14, 2025 · This article teaches you how to set tick labels in scientific notation using Matplotlib in Python. The scale is logarithmic, so the unformatted axes looks like this: I want the labels to be 10^-1, 10^-2, etc. Wedge matplotlib. Locator subclass Determines the positions of the ticks. For the font size you can use size/fontsize: from matplotlib import pyplot as plt fig = plt. RandomState(19680801) # Create artificial data to plot. append(s[-3:]) s = s[:-3] return s + ','. ticker as tkr def func(x, pos): # formatter function takes tick label and tick position s = '%d' % x groups = [] while s and s[-1]. add_subplot matplotlib. We have also explored various ways to customize and format the axis labels, add units and titles to the axes, and adjust axis limits. Feb 1, 2021 · I am wondering if there is any way in matplotlib to control the axes ticks with significant digits, instead of controling by the number of decimals. Parameters: ticksarray-like, optional The list of xtick locations. I am trying to set the format to two decimal numbers in a matplotlib subplot environment. v8z ks2p0et 4d 4xi dook6s vpi 31 znuy iv odt2