How to Save Seaborn Plot to a File in Python?

Seaborn provides a way to store the final output in different desired file formats like .png, .pdf, .tiff, .eps, etc. Let us see how to save the output graph to a specific file format.

Stepwise Implementation

Step 1:

Import the inbuilt penguins dataset from seaborn package using the inbuilt function load_dataset.

Syntax:

seaborn.load_dataset(name, cache=True, data_home=None, **kws)

Example:

Python3

# code
# Install seaborn using pip install seaborn
# Import the seaborn package
import seaborn as sns

# load the inbuilt "penguins" dataset using
# seaborn inbuilt function load_dataset
data = sns.load_dataset("penguins")

# print the first 6 data
data.head()

Output:

Step 2:

For this example, let us use the scatterplot to check whether is there any relation between bill_length_mm and bill_depth_mm of Male and Female penguins.

Syntax:

seaborn.scatterplot(x, y, hue, style, size, data, palette,
hue_order, legend)

Step 3:

This is the prime step to note for saving the plot to the desired file type. Use the Seaborn get_figure function to get the figure plotted in Step 2.

Syntax:

figure_name.get_figure()

The get_figure function stores the output graph to a variable. Store the plot temporarily in a variable as shown below

3a:  Saving the plot as .png:

Finally, use savefig function and give the desired name and file type to store the plot. The below example stores the plot as a .png file in the current working directory. 

Python3

# Install seaborn using pip install seaborn
# Import the seaborn package
import seaborn as sns

# load the inbuilt "penguins" dataset using
# seaborn inbuilt function load_dataset
data = sns.load_dataset("penguins")

scatter_plot = sns.scatterplot(
    x=data['bill_length_mm'], y=data['bill_depth_mm'], hue=data['sex'])

# use get_figure function and store the plot i
# n a variable (scatter_fig)
scatter_fig = scatter_plot.get_figure()

# use savefig function to save the plot and give
# a desired name to the plot.
scatter_fig.savefig('scatterplot.png')

# this will store the plot in current working directory

Output:

3b: Saving the Seaborn graph as .jpg

Python3

# code
# Install seaborn using pip install seaborn
# Import the seaborn package
import seaborn as sns

# load the inbuilt "penguins" dataset using
# seaborn inbuilt function load_dataset
data = sns.load_dataset("penguins")


scatter_plot = sns.scatterplot(
    x=data['bill_length_mm'], y=data['bill_depth_mm'], hue=data['sex'])

# use get_figure function and store the plot
# in a variable (scatter_fig)
scatter_fig = scatter_plot.get_figure()

# use savefig function to save the plot and give
# a desired name to the plot.
scatter_fig.savefig('scatterplot.jpg')

# this will store the plot in current working directory

Output:

3c:  Saving the Seaborn graph as .tiff

Python3

# code
# Install seaborn using pip install seaborn
# Import the seaborn package
import seaborn as sns

# load the inbuilt "penguins" dataset using
# seaborn inbuilt function load_dataset
data = sns.load_dataset("penguins")


scatter_plot = sns.scatterplot(
    x=data['bill_length_mm'], y=data['bill_depth_mm'], hue=data['sex'])

# use get_figure function and store the plot
# in a variable (scatter_fig)
scatter_fig = scatter_plot.get_figure()

# use savefig function to save the plot and give
# a desired name to the plot.
scatter_fig.savefig('scatterplot.tiff')

# this will store the plot in current working directory

Output:

Step 4:

If you wish to save the seaborn plot to a specific folder, then follow the steps mentioned below

Python3

# Install seaborn using pip install seaborn
# Import the seaborn package
import seaborn as sns

# load the inbuilt "penguins" dataset using
# seaborn inbuilt function load_dataset
data = sns.load_dataset("penguins")


scatter_plot = sns.scatterplot(
    x=data['bill_length_mm'], y=data['bill_depth_mm'], hue=data['sex'])

# use get_figure function and store the plot
# in a variable (scatter_fig)
scatter_fig = scatter_plot.get_figure()

# use savefig function to save the plot and give
# a desired name to the plot.
scatter_fig.savefig(r'C:\Users\Documents\test\Plots\scatterplot.png')

# this will store the plot in specified directory

Output: