How to Remove the Legend in Matplotlib?

01 Feb, 2021
Matplotlib is one of the most popular data visualization libraries present in Python. Using this matplotlib library, if we want to visualize more than a single variable, we might want to explain what each variable represents. For this purpose, there is a function called legend() present in matplotlib library. This legend is a small area on the graph describing what each variable represents.
In order to remove the legend, there are four ways. They are : 
Using .remove()
Using .set_visible()
Fix legend_ attribute of the required Axes object = None
Using label=_nolegend_   
Method 1: Using .remove()
Example 1: By using ax.get_legend().remove() method, legend can be removed from figure in matplotlib.
Python3
import numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt x = np.linspace(-3, 3, 100)y1 = np.power(x, 2)y2 = np.power(x, 3) fig, ax = plt.subplots() ax.plot(x, y1, c = 'r',label = 'x^2')ax.plot(x, y2, c = 'g',label = 'x^3') leg = plt.legend() ax.get_legend().remove() plt.show()
  Output : 
We can see that there is no legend in the above figure.
Example 2: More than one subplots : 
In the case of more than one subplot, we can mention the required subplot object for which we want to remove the legend. Here, we have written axs[1].get_legend().remove() which means we are removing legend for second subplot specifically. 
Python3
import numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt x = np.linspace(-3, 3, 100)y1 = np.power(x, 2)y2 = np.power(x, 3) fig, axs = plt.subplots(2, 1) axs[0].plot(x, y1, c = 'r',label = 'x^2')axs[1].plot(x, y2, c = 'g',label = 'x^3') axs[0].legend(loc = 'upper left')axs[1].legend(loc = 'upper left') axs[1].get_legend().remove()  plt.show()
  
Output : 
 
In the above figure, we removed the legend for the second subplot specifically. The first subplot will still have a legend.
 
Method 2: Using set_visible() 
Example 1: By using ax.get_legend().set_visible(False) method, legend can be removed from figure in matplotlib.
Python3
import numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt x = np.linspace(-3, 3, 1000)y1 = np.sin(x)y2 = np.cos(x) fig, ax = plt.subplots() ax.plot(x, y1,c = 'r',label = 'Sine')ax.plot(x, y2,c = 'g',label = 'Cosine') leg = plt.legend() ax.get_legend().set_visible(False) plt.show()
  
Output :
 
 
We can see that there is no legend in the above figure.
Example-2. More than one subplots  :
In case of more than one subplot, we can mention the required subplot object for which we want to remove the legend. Here, we have written axs[1].get_legend().set_visible(False) which means we are removing legend for second subplot specifically.
Python3
import numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt x = np.linspace(-3,3,1000)y1 = np.sin(x)y2 = np.cos(x) fig, axs = plt.subplots(2,1) axs[0].plot(x,y1,c='r',label = 'Sine')axs[1].plot(x,y2,c='g',label = 'Cosine') axs[0].legend(loc='upper left')axs[1].legend(loc='upper left') axs[1].get_legend().set_visible(False)  plt.show()
Output : 
In the above figure, we removed legend for the second subplot specifically. The first subplot will still have legend.
Method 3: Fix legend_ attribute of the required Axes object = None :
Example 1: By using ax.legend_ = None, legend can be removed from figure in matplotlib. 
Python3
import numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt x = np.linspace(-3, 3, 1000)y1 = np.sin(x)y2 = np.cos(x) fig, ax = plt.subplots() ax.plot(x, y1,c = 'r',label = 'Sine')ax.plot(x, y2,c = 'g',label = 'Cosine')leg = plt.legend()ax.legend_ = None plt.show()
Output:
We can see that there is no legend in the above figure.
Example 2: More than one subplot:
In the case of more than one subplot, we can mention the required subplot object for which we want to remove the legend. Here, we have written axs[0].legend_ = None which means we are removing legend for the first subplot specifically.the 
Python3
import numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt x = np.linspace(-3, 3, 1000)y1 = np.sin(x)y2 = np.cos(x) fig, axs = plt.subplots(2, 1) axs[0].plot(x, y1, c = 'r',label = 'Sine')axs[1].plot(x, y2,c = 'g',label = 'Cosine')axs[0].legend(loc = 'upper left')axs[1].legend(loc = 'upper left')axs[0].legend_ = None plt.show()
Output:
In the above figure, we removed legend for the first subplot specifically. The second subplot will still have legend.
Method 4: Using label = _legend_
Example 1: By sending label = ‘_nolegend_’ argument in ax.plot(), legend can be removed from figure in matplotlib.
Python3
import numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt x = np.linspace(-3, 3, 100)y1 = np.power(x, 2)y2 = np.power(x, 3) fig, ax = plt.subplots() ax.plot(x, y1, c = 'r',label = '_nolegend_')ax.plot(x, y2,c = 'g',label = '_nolegend_') leg = plt.legend() plt.show()
  
Output: 
 
Example-2. More than one subplots  :
In case of more than one subplot, we can mention the required subplot object for which we want to remove the legend. Here, we have written axs[0].plot(x,y1,c=’r’,label = ‘_nolegend_’) which means we are removing legend for first subplot specifically.
Python3
import numpy as npimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt x = np.linspace(-3,3,100)y1 = np.power(x,2)y2 = np.power(x,3) fig, axs = plt.subplots(2,1) axs[0].plot(x,y1,c='r',label = '_nolegend_')axs[1].plot(x,y2,c='g',label = 'x^3') axs[0].legend(loc='upper left')axs[1].legend(loc='upper left')  plt.show()
Output : 
 In the above figure, we removed legend for the first subplot specifically. The second subplot will still have legend.
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