Save a Matplotlib plot as a PNG with fig.savefig("plot.png"). The filename extension selects PNG automatically; set format="png" when you want to specify the format explicitly. Save the figure before closing it.
Save a plotted figure as a PNG
Use the Figure object returned by plt.subplots(). This short example creates a plot and saves it as plot.png in the current working directory:
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
fig, ax = plt.subplots()
ax.plot([1, 2, 3], [1, 4, 9])
ax.set(title="Example", xlabel="x", ylabel="y")
fig.savefig("plot.png", dpi=300, bbox_inches="tight")
The essential call is fig.savefig("plot.png"). The optional arguments in the example set raster resolution and trim the saved bounds; whether to use them depends on where the image will be displayed or printed.
Choose between fig.savefig and plt.savefig
fig.savefig(path) saves the specific figure referenced by fig. This is the clearest choice in scripts, especially when you create more than one figure. plt.savefig(path) saves the current active figure, which can be convenient in interactive use but may save a different figure than intended if several are open. Matplotlib’s figure lifecycle guide demonstrates saving through Figure.savefig.
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Call save before closing the figure. For example, after saving, you can close it with plt.close(fig) in a script that no longer needs it.
Set the PNG format and output path
Matplotlib normally infers the file format from the filename extension, so fig.savefig("plot.png") produces PNG. To make the format explicit, use:
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fig.savefig("plot", format="png")
When you provide format, Matplotlib uses that format rather than selecting one from the filename extension. If the filename has no extension and you omit format, the configured savefig.format setting supplies the default; Matplotlib documents that default as PNG. See the savefig API reference for supported options.
The path may be a filename or a file-like object. If you cannot find the result, check the path relative to the Python process’s current working directory, or provide an absolute path.
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Control PNG resolution and dimensions
DPI and figure size
The dpi argument controls raster resolution when saving a figure. If omitted, Matplotlib uses rcParams["savefig.dpi"], whose documented default is "figure". Choose a DPI that fits the destination; a larger number is not automatically better.
Figure width and height are measured in inches. Before cropping, the approximate pixel dimensions are the figure dimensions in inches multiplied by the save DPI on each axis. For example, a 6-by-4-inch figure saved at 100 DPI is nominally about 600 by 400 pixels. The exact dimensions can differ if you request a tight crop.
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Tight cropping and padding
bbox_inches="tight" trims the output to the figure’s tight bounding box, which can remove unwanted whitespace or include labels that extend beyond the ordinary canvas. The pad_inches argument controls padding around that cropped area; its documented default is 0.1 inch. Because tight cropping can change the final pixel dimensions, inspect the saved image if a fixed width or height is required.
Matplotlib also notes that Jupyter’s inline backend may apply a tight crop, making the displayed image’s actual size unpredictable. Its figure-size example explains the relationship between figure dimensions and output size.
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Transparent backgrounds
Set transparent=True to request transparent figure and axes patches where supported by the output format. The default is False. Transparency is useful when placing a plot over a colored background; check the result in the software where it will be used.
Use imsave for image arrays, not plotted figures
fig.savefig exports a Matplotlib figure containing a chart. plt.imsave(path, array) is for saving image-array data. For a single-channel array, it applies a colormap and normalization; Matplotlib advises using an image I/O library directly when you need to save a single-channel array as grayscale. With imsave, dpi stores DPI metadata and does not change the array’s pixel resolution. See the imsave API reference.
When PNG is the right export format
PNG is a raster image: it has a fixed pixel grid, so enlarging it substantially can make lines and text look less sharp. For workflows that need scalable line art, consider a vector format such as PDF or SVG instead; Matplotlib’s figure guide covers saving figures in different formats. For a PNG, select the resolution for its intended display or print size and check the final dimensions after any crop.
Quick Recap
Troubleshoot a missing, blank, or unexpected PNG
- Wrong format or filename: Use a
.pngextension, or passformat="png"explicitly. - Blank or wrong plot: Save the intended object with
fig.savefig(...)rather than relying on whichever figure is currently active. - Unexpected pixel size: Check the figure dimensions and save DPI, and account for any tight crop or inline Jupyter cropping.
- The image contains different content from your chart: Confirm that you are saving a plotted figure with
savefig, not passing chart data toimsaveas though it were a figure. - The file is not where you expected: Check the output path and the Python process’s current working directory.
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