Set 3D plot bounds on the axes object with ax.set_xlim(), ax.set_ylim(), and ax.set_zlim(). These methods control the displayed data range; they do not change the proportions of the 3D box.
Set x, y, and z limits on a 3D axes
Create an axes with the 3D projection, then call its limit setters. You can set limits either before or after plotting data.
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
fig = plt.figure()
ax = fig.add_subplot(projection="3d")
ax.set_xlim(-2, 2)
ax.set_ylim(-1, 5)
ax.set_zlim(0, 10)
plt.show()The values are bounds in data coordinates. Matplotlib’s current stable Axes3D API reference documents these setters as 3D view limits.
Choose separate setters or the combined form
Use individual setters when you need to change or explain one axis at a time. For a compact setup, the axes object’s set() method accepts all three limits:
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ax.set(xlim=(-2, 2), ylim=(-1, 5), zlim=(0, 10))Both forms set view bounds on the same 3D axes. The individual methods are set_xlim, set_ylim, and set_zlim.
Change only one endpoint or reverse an axis
Pass None for an endpoint you want to leave unchanged. For example, to set the lower z bound without specifying a new upper bound:
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ax.set_zlim(bottom=0)The setters return the resulting pair of limits. Their auto argument controls autoscaling for that axis: False turns it off, True turns it on, and None leaves the current autoscaling setting unchanged. Consult the Axes3D API reference for the installed Matplotlib version’s parameter details.
To reverse an axis direction, give the bounds in descending order. For example, ax.set_zlim(10, 0) makes larger z values appear toward the bottom. The API also provides explicit axis inversion methods.
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Distinguish view limits from 3D box proportions
Limits select which data range is shown; they do not determine the physical proportions of the displayed 3D box. If a plot looks stretched after changing limits, adjust the box aspect separately with set_box_aspect().
ax.set_box_aspect((4, 6, 10))Those values correspond to the shown x, y, and z data ranges of 4, 6, and 10 units. Matching the box aspect values to the data ranges simulates equal aspect in data space. The stable API documents a default box aspect of 4:4:3; see the Axes3D reference and the version-specific set_box_aspect reference. Aspect options and behavior can vary by Matplotlib release; the set_aspect reference describes equal-axis options and adjustable behavior.
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Use the 3D axes object, not pyplot limit calls
For 3D limits, call methods on the explicit axes object returned by fig.add_subplot(projection="3d"). The Matplotlib project’s mplot3d toolkit overview explains that pyplot functions have strictly 2D signatures and cannot handle the additional information required to add content to 3D plots.
When limits should hide geometry outside the view
Setting limits defines the view range, but hiding 3D artists beyond those bounds is a separate concern. Check whether the plotting function you use supports axlim_clip. In the official 3D axis-limit clipping example, enabling clipping hides an entire line segment when one vertex lies outside the view limits; the example describes similar behavior for 3D patches. Availability and behavior depend on the plotting function and Matplotlib version.
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