axis

Set axis limits and aspect ratios

Syntax

axis(limits)

axis style

axis mode

axis ydirection

axis visibility

lim = axis

___ = axis(ax,___)

Description

axis(limits) specifies the limits for the current axes. Specify the limits as vector of four, six, or eight elements.

axis style uses a predefined style to set the limits and scaling. For example, specify the style as equal to use equal data unit lengths along each axis.

axis mode sets whether MATLAB^® automatically chooses the limits or not. Specify the mode as manual, auto, or one of the semiautomatic options, such as 'auto x'.

axis ydirection, where ydirection is ij, places the origin at the upper left corner of the axes. The y values increase from top to bottom. The default for ydirection is xy, which places the origin at the lower left corner. The y values increase from bottom to top.

axis visibility, where visibility is off, turns off the display of the axes background. Plots in the axes still display. The default for visibility is on, which displays the axes background.

lim = axis returns the x-axis and y-axis limits for the current axes. For 3-D axes, it also returns the z-axis limits. For polar axes, it returns the theta-axis and r-axis limits.

___ = axis(ax,___) uses the axes or polar axes specified by ax instead of the current axes. Specify ax as the first input argument for any of the previous syntaxes. Use single quotes around input arguments that are character vectors, such as axis(ax,'equal').

Examples

Set Axis Limits

Plot the sine function.

x = linspace(0,2*pi);
y = sin(x);
plot(x,y,'-o')

Change the axis limits so that the x-axis ranges from $$0$$ to $$2\pi$$ and the y-axis ranges from -1.5 to 1.5.

axis([0 2*pi -1.5 1.5])

Add Padding Around Stairstep Plot

Create a stairstep plot, and use the axis padded command to add a margin of padding between the plot and the plot box.

x = 0:12;
y = sin(x);
stairs(x,y)
axis padded

Use Semiautomatic Axis Limits

Create a plot. Set the limits for the x-axis and set the minimum y-axis limit. Use an automatically calculated value for the maximum y-axis limit.

x = linspace(-10,10,200);
y = sin(4*x)./exp(.1*x);
plot(x,y)
axis([-10 10 0 inf])

Set Axis Limits for Multiple Axes

Call the tiledlayout function to create a 2-by-1 tiled chart layout. Call the nexttile function to create the axes objects ax1 and ax2. Plot data in each axes. Then set the axis limits for both axes to the same values.

tiledlayout(2,1)
x1 = linspace(0,10,100);
y1 = sin(x1);
ax1 = nexttile;
plot(ax1,x1,y1)

x2 = linspace(0,5,100);
y2 = sin(x2);
ax2 = nexttile;
plot(ax2,x2,y2)

axis([ax1 ax2],[0 10 -1 1])

Display Plot Without Axes Background

Plot a surface without displaying the axes lines and background.

surf(peaks)
axis off

Use Tight Axis Limits and Return Values

Plot a surface. Set the axis limits to equal the range of the data so that the plot extends to the edges of the axes.

surf(peaks)
axis tight

Return the values of the current axis limits.

l = axis

l = 1×6

    1.0000   49.0000    1.0000   49.0000   -6.5466    8.0752

Change Direction of Coordinate System

Create a checkerboard plot and change the direction of the coordinate system.

First, create the plot using the summer colormap. By default, the x values increase from left to right and the y values increase from bottom to top.

C = eye(10);
pcolor(C)
colormap summer

Reverse the coordinate system so that the y values increase from top to bottom.

axis ij

Retain Current Axis Limits When Adding New Plots

Plot a sine wave.

x = linspace(0,10);
y = sin(x);
plot(x,y)

Add another sine wave to the axes using hold on. Keep the current axis limits by setting the limits mode to manual.

y2 = 2*sin(x);
hold on
axis manual
plot(x,y2)
hold off

If you want the axes to choose the appropriate limits, set the limits mode back to automatic.

axis auto

Input Arguments

limits — Axis limits

four-element vector | six-element vector | eight-element vector

Axis limits, specified as a vector of four, six, or eight elements.

For Cartesian axes, specify the limits in one of these forms:

• [xmin xmax ymin ymax] — Set the x-axis limits to range from xmin to xmax. Set the y-axis limits to range from ymin to ymax.

• [xmin xmax ymin ymax zmin zmax] — Also set the z-axis limits to range from zmin to zmax.

• [xmin xmax ymin ymax zmin zmax cmin cmax] — Also set the color limits. cmin is the data value that corresponds to the first color in the colormap. cmax is the data value that corresponds to the last color in the colormap.

The XLim, YLim, ZLim, and CLim properties for the Axes object store the limit values.

For polar axes, specify the limits in this form:

• [thetamin thetamax rmin rmax] — Set the theta-axis limits to range from thetamin to thetamax. Set the r-axis limits to range from rmin to rmax.

The ThetaLim and RLim properties for the PolarAxes object store the limit values.

For partially automatic limits, use inf or -inf for the limits you want the axes to choose automatically. For example, axis([-inf 10 0 inf]) lets the axes choose the appropriate minimum x-axis limit and maximum y-axis limit. It uses the specified values for the maximum x-axis limit and minimum y-axis limit.

Note

If the x-axis, y-axis, or z-axis displays categorical, datetime, or duration values, then use the xlim, ylim, and zlim functions to set the limits instead.

Example: axis([0 1 0 1])

Example: axis([0 1 0 1 0 1])

Example: axis([0 inf 0 inf])

mode — Manual, automatic, or semiautomatic selection of axis limits

manual | auto | 'auto x' | 'auto y' | 'auto z' | 'auto xy' | 'auto xz' | 'auto yz'

Manual, automatic, or semiautomatic selection of axis limits, specified as one of the values in this table. All of the auto mode values use the tickaligned style to calculate the limits for the particular axis or set of axes you specify.

Value	Description	Axes Properties That Change
manual	Freeze all axis limits at their current values.	Sets XLimMode, YLimMode, and ZLimMode to 'manual'. If you are working with polar axes, then this option sets ThetaLimMode and RLimMode to 'manual'.
auto	Automatically choose all axis limits.	Sets XLimMode, YLimMode, and ZLimMode to 'auto'. If you are working with polar axes, then this option sets ThetaLimMode and RLimMode to 'auto'.
'auto x'	Automatically choose the x-axis limits.	Sets XLimMode to 'auto'.
'auto y'	Automatically choose the y-axis limits.	Sets YLimMode to 'auto'.
'auto z'	Automatically choose the z-axis limits.	Sets ZLimMode to 'auto'.
'auto xy'	Automatically choose the x-axis and y-axis limits.	Sets XLimMode and YLimMode to 'auto'.
'auto xz'	Automatically choose the x-axis and z-axis limits.	Sets XLimMode and ZLimMode to 'auto'.
'auto yz'	Automatically choose the y-axis and z-axis limits.	Sets YLimMode and ZLimMode to 'auto'.

Note

You cannot use these options with polar axes.

style — Axis limits and scaling

tight | padded | fill | equal | image | square | vis3d | normal

Axis limits and scaling, specified as one of these values.

Value	Description	Axes Properties That Change
tickaligned	In general, align the edges of the axes box with the tick marks that are closest to your data without excluding any data. The appearance might vary depending on the type of data you plot and the type of chart you create.	XLimMode, YLimMode, and ZLimMode change to 'auto'. XLimitMethod, YLimitMethod, and ZLimitMethod change to 'tickaligned'. XLim, YLim, and ZLim automatically update to incorporate new data added to the axes. To keep the limits from changing when using hold on, use axis tickaligned manual.
tight	Fit the axes box tightly around the data by setting the axis limits equal to the range of the data.	XLimMode, YLimMode, and ZLimMode change to 'auto'. If you are working with polar axes, then ThetaLimMode and RLimMode change. XLimitMethod, YLimitMethod, and ZLimitMethod change to 'tight'. XLim, YLim, and ZLim automatically update to incorporate new data added to the axes. To keep the limits from changing when using hold on, use axis tight manual.
padded	Fit the axes box around the data with a thin margin of padding on all sides. The width of the margin is approximately 7% of your data range.	XLimMode, YLimMode, and ZLimMode change to 'auto'. XLimitMethod, YLimitMethod, and ZLimitMethod change to 'padded'. XLim, YLim, and ZLim automatically update to incorporate new data added to the axes. To keep the limits from changing when using hold on, use axis padded manual.
equal	Use the same length for the data units along each axis.	Sets DataAspectRatio to [1 1 1] and sets DataAspectRatioMode and PlotBoxAspectRatioMode to 'manual'. For 2-D views, it also sets the XLimMode and YLimMode appropriately so that the axes fills its allotted space within the parent figure or other container. For 3-D Views, XLimMode, YLimMode, and ZLimMode are set to 'auto' and XLimitMethod, YlimitMethod, and ZLimitMethod are set to 'tight'. This style disables the default “stretch-to-fill” behavior.
image	Use the same length for the data units along each axis and fit the axes box tightly around the data.	Sets DataAspectRatio to [1 1 1], DataAspectRatioMode to 'manual', and PlotBoxAspectRatioMode to 'auto'. It also sets XLimMode, YLimMode, and ZLimMode to 'auto' and XLimitMethod, YlimitMethod, and ZLimitMethod to 'tight'. This style disables the default “stretch-to-fill” behavior.
square	Use axis lines with equal lengths. Adjust the increments between data units accordingly.	Sets PlotBoxAspectRatio to [1 1 1] and sets the associated mode property to manual. This style disables the default “stretch-to-fill” behavior.
fill	Enable the “stretch-to-fill” behavior (the default). The lengths of each axis line fill the position rectangle defined in the Position property of the axes.	Sets DataAspectRatioMode and PlotBoxAspectRatioMode to 'auto'.
vis3d	Freeze the aspect ratio properties.	Sets DataAspectRatioMode, PlotBoxAspectRatioMode, and CameraViewAngleMode to 'manual'.
normal	Restore the default behavior.	Sets DataAspectRatioMode and PlotBoxAspectRatioMode to 'auto'.

For more information on the plot box aspect ratio and the data aspect ratio, see the PlotBoxAspectRatio and DataAspectRatio properties.

Note

You cannot use these options with polar axes, except for the axis tight and axis normal commands.

ydirection — y-axis direction

xy (default) | ij

y-axis direction, specified as one of these values:

• xy — Default direction. For axes in a 2-D view, the y-axis is vertical with values increasing from bottom to top.

• ij — Reverse direction. For axes in a 2-D view, the y-axis is vertical with values increasing from top to bottom.

Note

You cannot use these options with polar axes.

visibility — Axes lines and background visibility

"on" | "off" | true or 1 | false or 0 | OnOffSwitchState value

Axes lines and background visibility, specified as any of these values:

• "on" or "off" — A value of "on" displays the axes lines and background, and "off" hides them. You can also specify the character vectors 'on' or 'off'.

• Numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false) — A value of 1 or true displays the axes lines and background, and 0 or false hides them. (since R2024a)

• A matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState value — A value of matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.on displays the axes lines and background, and matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.off hides them. (since R2024a)

Note

Use parentheses to specify 1, 0, true, false, or an OnOffSwitchState value. For example, axis(0) and axis(false) hide the axes.

Parentheses are optional for the values "on" and "off". For example, axis off hides the axes.

Specifying the visibility sets the Visible property of the Axes object or PolarAxes object to the specified value.

ax — Target axes

one or more axes

Target axes, specified as one or more axes. You can specify Axes objects or PolarAxes objects. If you do not specify the axes, then axis sets the limits for the current axes (gca).

When you specify the axes, use single quotes around other input arguments that are character vectors.

Example: axis(ax,'tight')

Example: axis(ax,limits)

Example: axis(ax,'manual')

Output Arguments

lim — Current limit values

four-element vector | six-element vector

Current limit values, returned as a four-element or six-element vector.

• For Cartesian axes in a 2-D view, lim is of the form [xmin xmax ymin ymax]. For axes in a 3-D view, lim is of the form [xmin xmax ymin ymax zmin zmax]. The XLim, YLim, and ZLim properties for the Axes object store the limit values.

• For polar axes, lim is of the form [thetamin thetamax rmin rmax]. The ThetaLim and RLim properties for the PolarAxes object store the limit values.

Tips

• You can combine multiple input arguments together, for example, axis image ij. The options are evaluated from left to right. Subsequent options can overwrite properties set by prior ones.

• If axes do not exist, the axis function creates them.

• Use hold on to keep plotting functions from overriding preset axis limits.

Version History

Introduced before R2006a

R2024b: Querying limit selection mode, visibility, and y-axis direction is not supported

This syntax, which returns the axis limit selection mode (m), visibility (v), and y-axis direction (d) is no longer supported and returns an error.

[m,v,d] = axis('state')

You can get the same information by querying these Axes properties.

• Axis limit selection mode — XLimMode, YLimMode, and ZLimMode properties

• Visibility — Visible property

• x- and y-axis direction — XDir and YDir properties

This change was announced in R2015a.

R2024a: Display or hide axes by specifying logical or OnOffSwitchState value

Display or hide the axes by specifying the visibility input argument as a logical value or as a matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState value. The values 1 and true are equivalent to "on", and 0 and false are equivalent to "off".

The values "on" and "off" are still supported.