How to autosize text in matplotlib Python?

To autosize text in matplotlib, you can use several approaches including tight_layout(), figure.autolayout, and adjusting text rotation. These methods help prevent text overlap and ensure proper spacing.

Method 1: Using figure.autolayout

The figure.autolayout parameter automatically adjusts subplot parameters to fit the figure area ?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.rcParams["figure.figsize"] = [7.00, 3.50]
plt.rcParams["figure.autolayout"] = True

plt.plot(range(10))

labels = [7 * str(i) for i in range(10)]
plt.xticks(range(10), labels, rotation=30)

plt.show()

Method 2: Using tight_layout()

The tight_layout() method automatically adjusts subplot parameters to prevent overlapping ?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(8, 4))

ax.plot(range(10))

labels = ['Long Label ' + str(i) * 3 for i in range(10)]
ax.set_xticks(range(10))
ax.set_xticklabels(labels, rotation=45)

plt.tight_layout()
plt.show()

Method 3: Using constrained_layout

The constrained_layout provides better automatic spacing than tight_layout() ?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(8, 4), constrained_layout=True)

data = [10, 25, 30, 55, 40, 65, 75, 85, 90, 95]
ax.bar(range(10), data)

labels = ['Category_' + str(i) + '_Extended' for i in range(10)]
ax.set_xticks(range(10))
ax.set_xticklabels(labels, rotation=45, ha='right')

plt.show()

Adjusting Font Size Automatically

You can also adjust font size based on the number of labels ?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(10, 5))

data = range(20)
ax.plot(data)

labels = ['Label_' + str(i) for i in data]
fontsize = max(6, 12 - len(labels) // 5)  # Reduce font size for more labels

ax.set_xticks(data)
ax.set_xticklabels(labels, rotation=45, fontsize=fontsize)

plt.tight_layout()
plt.show()

Comparison

Conclusion

Use tight_layout() for most cases as it provides good automatic spacing. For complex plots with multiple subplots, constrained_layout=True offers better results.