How to maximize a plt.show() window using Python?

To maximize a matplotlib plot window, you can use the figure manager's built-in methods. The most common approach is using plt.get_current_fig_manager() along with full_screen_toggle() or window.state() methods.

Method 1: Using full_screen_toggle()

This method toggles the window to full screen mode ?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.subplot(1, 1, 1)
plt.pie([1, 2, 3], labels=['A', 'B', 'C'])
plt.title('Sample Pie Chart')

mng = plt.get_current_fig_manager()
mng.full_screen_toggle()
plt.show()

Method 2: Using window.state() (Tkinter backend)

For Tkinter backend, you can maximize the window using the state method ?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.subplot(1, 1, 1)
plt.pie([1, 2, 3], labels=['A', 'B', 'C'])
plt.title('Sample Pie Chart')

mng = plt.get_current_fig_manager()
mng.window.state('zoomed')  # Windows
# mng.window.state('normal')  # To restore
plt.show()

Method 3: Using figsize for Large Windows

You can also create a large figure using figsize parameter ?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.figure(figsize=(12, 8))
plt.pie([1, 2, 3], labels=['A', 'B', 'C'])
plt.title('Large Pie Chart')
plt.show()

Backend-Specific Methods

Different backends support different maximization methods:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

plt.pie([1, 2, 3], labels=['A', 'B', 'C'])
mng = plt.get_current_fig_manager()

# For Qt backend
# mng.window.showMaximized()

# For Tkinter backend  
# mng.window.state('zoomed')  # Windows
# mng.window.attributes('-zoomed', True)  # Linux

# For generic full screen
mng.full_screen_toggle()
plt.show()

Comparison

Conclusion

Use full_screen_toggle() for universal full-screen mode across most backends. For backend-specific maximization, use window.showMaximized() (Qt) or window.state('zoomed') (Tkinter). The figsize parameter provides consistent large windows across all platforms.