Where did the zoom icon and other tools go in Release 2025b?

I just installed version 2025b. I noticed that the zoom icon along with other graphics tools seem to have disappeared on figures. Is there any way to get those back?

[Catalytic]

No, they haven't disappeared. Where are you used to seeing them? Screenshots?

[Clay Fulcher]

Now that I've removed the older version I was using, I don't have a way to screenshot it. In the version I had installed previously, there was a "zoom" button shaped like a small magnifying glass in a toolbar along with "datatips" and other graphics tools in a toolbar placed at the top left-hand corner of the figure. I see a few similar buttons on each subplot when I hover over it, and I think those were there previously also. But in the 2025b installation I have now, I don't see that helpful little graphics toolbar up at the top of the figure. I don't see anything in settings that would relate to it either.

[Catalytic]

You removed the old version before testing the new version, to check that it worked well for you??? Brave. Especially with R2025. There have been lots of changes.

Answer 1

[Matt J]

In the version I had installed previously, there was a "zoom" button shaped like a small magnifying glass in a toolbar along with "datatips" and other graphics tools in a toolbar placed at the top left-hand corner of the figure.

It sounds like you're upgrading from a very old version. The top-left toolbar hasn't been there since R2018a.

To restore it, though, you can do,

set(groot,'defaultFigureCreateFcn',@(fig, ~)addFigButtons(fig));

function addFigButtons(fig)

  if ~matlab.ui.internal.isUIFigure(fig)
     addToolbarExplorationButtons(fig)
  end

end

This can be added to your startup.m file so that it comes into effect at the start of any Matlab session.

[Clay Fulcher]

Thank you Matt J. I greatly appreciate it!

[Clay Fulcher]

Actually, Matt,

I just created the function addFigButtons and executed the set(groot...) command. When I enter "figure" in Matlab, I still don't see the old toolbar. Should I modify anything in the function or the set command?

I was able to add the toolbar to a new figure by running this:

addToolbarExplorationButtons(gcf)

But I cannot find anything in "help" about "defaultFigureCreateFcn".

[Matt J]

It looks like there have been some changes, and you can just do this now,

set(groot,'defaultFigureCreateFcn',@(fig, ~)addToolbarExplorationButtons(fig));

For older versions of Matlab (pre-R2025), you should use my originally posted answer, or it will break appdesigner.

[Clay Fulcher]

Fabulous! This works and thank you very much.