Table of Contents
Matplotlib is a popular Python library used for creating high-quality visualizations and plots. One common question that arises while using Matplotlib is how to change the legend font size. The legend is a key element in a plot that explains the different elements present in the plot. By default, the legend font size in Matplotlib is set to a standard size. However, users may want to customize the font size according to their preference or for better visualization. To change the legend font size in Matplotlib, one can use the “fontsize” parameter while creating the legend. This parameter allows the user to specify the font size in points. Alternatively, one can also use the “prop” parameter and pass a dictionary with the desired font properties, such as font size, to change the legend font size. This simple adjustment can greatly improve the overall appearance of a plot and make it more visually appealing.
Change Legend Font Size in Matplotlib
You can easily add a plot to a Matplotlib plot by using the following code:
import matplotlib.pyplotas plt #add legend to plot plt.legend()
And you can easily change the font size of the text in the legend by using one of the following methods:
Method 1: Specify a Size in Numbers
You can specify font size by using a number:
plt.legend(fontsize=18)
Method 2: Specify a Size in Strings
You can also specify font size by using strings:
plt.legend(fontsize="small")
Options include:
- xx-small
- x-small
- small
- medium
- large
- x-large
- xx-large
The following examples show how to use each of these methods in practice:
Example 1: Specify Font Size Using a Number
The following example shows how to specify a legend font size using a number:
import matplotlib.pyplotas plt #create data plt.plot([2, 4, 6, 11], label="First Line") plt.plot([1, 4, 5, 9], label="Second Line") #add legend plt.legend(fontsize=18) #show plot plt.show()
Example 2: Specify Font Size Using a String
import matplotlib.pyplotas plt #create data plt.plot([2, 4, 6, 11], label="First Line") plt.plot([1, 4, 5, 9], label="Second Line") #add legend plt.legend(fontsize="small") #show plot plt.show()
Additional Resources
How to Change Font Sizes on a Matplotlib Plot
How to Add Text to Matplotlib Plots