BarLegend [cf]
generates a legend that identifies colors from the color function cf with an automatic range of values.
BarLegend [{cf,{min,max}}]
generates a legend that identifies colors from the color function cf with the range of values between min and max.
BarLegend [cf,contours]
generates a legend that identifies color ranges from the color function cf based on the set of contours contours.
BarLegend
BarLegend [cf]
generates a legend that identifies colors from the color function cf with an automatic range of values.
BarLegend [{cf,{min,max}}]
generates a legend that identifies colors from the color function cf with the range of values between min and max.
BarLegend [cf,contours]
generates a legend that identifies color ranges from the color function cf based on the set of contours contours.
Details and Options
- BarLegend uses a list of colors associated with color function cf to identify the contours between min and max in the visualization or other legended item.
- BarLegend is used automatically in functions such as ContourPlot and ListContourPlot .
- Within visualization functions, Automatic in BarLegend [Automatic ,…] is automatically replaced by the actual color function, data range, and contours specification needed to determine the contour values and colors in between.
- In BarLegend , contours can take the following forms:
-
n contours at n equally spaced levelsAutomatic contours chosen automaticallyAll all contoursNone no contours{f1,f2,…} contours at levels fi{{f1,gr1},…} contours drawn with graphics directives grifunc a function to be applied to zmin, zmax to get the list of contours
- BarLegend [cf,contours] may use a list of colors or a continuous spectrum depending on the density of contour values.
- Legended [expr,BarLegend[…]] can be used to apply a legend to an arbitrary expression expr.
- The following options can be given:
-
- BarLegend is displayed in StandardForm as a graphics object. In InputForm , it is displayed as an explicit list of color function, data range, and contour values.
- In BarLegend , LegendLayout can have the following forms:
-
Automatic automatically determine layout"Row" display legend in a horizontal row"Column" display legend in a vertical column
- In LineLegend , LegendLayout can have the following forms:
-
Automatic automatically determine layout"Row" display legend in a horizontal row"Column" display legend in a vertical column"ReversedRow" display reversed legend in a horizontal row"ReversedColumn" display reversed legend in a vertical column
- LegendFunction is applied to the legend, including any overall label and margins.
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (7)
Scope (22)
Color Function (4)
Use named color schemes:
Specify a range for the color function:
Use a list of colors and a matching number of contours:
Color lists are blended to match contours:
Use a function:
Contours (10)
Automatic select contours:
Select five equally spaced contours:
Specify an explicit set of contours:
Select at most 10 contours automatically:
BarLegend uses a continuous gradient when contour lines are dense:
Specify the data range:
Use a function to determine contours:
BarLegend selectively labels contours:
Use All to label all the contours:
Use None to draw a continuous gradient:
Plot Legends (8)
Density and contour plots use BarLegend :
Change the legend position with Placed :
BarLegend automatically changes position and size depending on the aspect ratio:
BarLegend automatically picks up values of ColorFunction and ColorFunctionScaling :
BarLegend automatically picks up contour values:
BarLegend includes specified contour styles:
BarLegend matches shaded styles between contours:
Use BarLegend to specify a label and frame for the automatically computed legend:
Options (20)
LabelStyle (3)
All labels have the same default style:
Specify styles to labels:
LabelStyle applies to LegendLabel :
LegendFunction (5)
Use frame:
Use a panel:
Use an arbitrary function:
Use a styled frame:
Use a shadow box:
LegendLayout (1)
Draw the legend as a row or column:
LegendLabel (6)
LegendMargins (3)
No margins between content and boundaries:
Specify the same margin to all boundaries:
Specify different margins to boundaries:
LegendMarkerSize (2)
Automatic size:
Specify LegendMarkerSize :
Related Guides
History
Text
Wolfram Research (2012), BarLegend, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BarLegend.html.
CMS
Wolfram Language. 2012. "BarLegend." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BarLegend.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (2012). BarLegend. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BarLegend.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_barlegend, author="Wolfram Research", title="{BarLegend}", year="2012", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BarLegend.html}", note=[Accessed: 04-January-2026]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_barlegend, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={BarLegend}, year={2012}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BarLegend.html}, note=[Accessed: 04-January-2026]}