How Can I Position a Legend Outside the Matplotlib Plot Area?

Placing a Legend Outside the Plot Area

For a series of individual plots in a single figure, you may prefer the legend to be positioned outside the plot area. Here's how you can achieve this:

1. Using bbox_to_anchor Keyword Argument:

By using the bbox_to_anchor keyword argument when calling the legend() method, you can specify the position of the legend relative to the axes. For instance, using bbox_to_anchor=(1.1, 1.05) positions the legend slightly outside the right boundary of the axes.

2. Reducing Font Size of Legend Text:

To minimize the legend's size without compromising readability, consider decreasing the font size of its text. However, before resorting to this option, experiment with alternative legend placements using bbox_to_anchor.

3. Shrinking Plot Size:

Another approach is to reduce the dimensions of the current plot and place the legend entirely outside the axes. For example, setting ax.set_position to reduce the plot's width or height allows you to position the legend to the right or bottom of the plot, respectively.

4. Using plt.figlegend():

Additionally, you can utilize the plt.figlegend() method to place the legend outside the plot area. This function allows you to specify the legend's location and size more precisely.

5. Additional Considerations:

• Reference the Matplotlib legend guide for further options and customizations.
• plt.tight_layout() may interfere with the legend's placement outside the axes, so it should be used cautiously.

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