figure won't come up after using plot

I am fairly new to MATLAB. In the past I've been able to plot with no trouble. A figure would automatically come up after I used "plot". Now when I plot, no figure appears. Here's a simple example:
>> x = 1:10;
>> y = 3*x;
>> plot(x,y)
>>
Nothing comes up after this - no error message, no figure. I'm hoping this involves something simple like changing a setting. It worked fine just a week or two ago.
I tried using the "plottools" command, but that just brings up a blank figure window. It also gives me the following message in the command window:
>> plottools
Warning: OpenGL appears to be installed incorrectly.
> In opengl at 150
In getplottool>createOrGetSelectionManager at 71
In getplottool at 58
In plottools at 148
>>
I should also mention that I have been remote accessing my office computer for the last week and I can't recall if this problem started before or after. Though I wouldn't think that would be the cause of the problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

5 comentarios

Andrew Newell
Andrew Newell el 15 de Mayo de 2011
This sounds like a problem for MATLAB Support.
Walter Roberson
Walter Roberson el 15 de Mayo de 2011
Some forms of remote access can cause this problem. How are you accessing?
Craig
Craig el 16 de Mayo de 2011
Walter, I am remote accessing my office computer through WebVPN. I am also using a laptop with a much smaller screen. I wish I could go to my office to see if I am having the problem there, but I am away from my office for the next week or so. However, I have had no other problems while remote accessing MATLAB.
Joao Melo
Joao Melo el 7 de Jul. de 2016
Hello, could you solve this problem? I am having the same issue and I also started remotelly acessing my computer. How did you solve this? Thank you
Frederika Sefaj
Frederika Sefaj el 13 de Abr. de 2020
just write figure(1), or howerver your figure was called

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 Respuesta aceptada

Craig
Craig el 21 de Mayo de 2011
OK, I think I figured this out. When I start up MATLAB, I get this message and I'm guessing this has to due with the fact that I am remote accessing my office computer:
MATLAB only supports a screen depth of 16 or higher (Truecolor.)
MATLAB is running in headless mode. Figure windows will not be displayed.

2 comentarios

Carmel Auerbach
Carmel Auerbach el 31 de Jul. de 2021
So how is this solved? Im also accessing my computer remotely and cant see the content of the figures
Moch Yasin
Moch Yasin el 18 de Nov. de 2023
This work for me too. thank you very much.

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Más respuestas (3)

Joao Melo
Joao Melo el 7 de Jul. de 2016

35 votos

Ok, figured it out:
In one of the menus in the task bar there is one called plots (Home Plots Apps).
One the far rigth side, there are two options: Reuse figure or new figure.
1) Make sure it is in new figure 2) Restart Matlab 3) Your plot should open

11 comentarios

John Ondov
John Ondov el 13 de Jul. de 2018
Editada: John Ondov el 13 de Jul. de 2018
Joao's solution worked for me! I shall be making use of the drawnow command also as posted by Raady. Thank you both!
Akila Wijeratne
Akila Wijeratne el 6 de Mzo. de 2020
Thank you, it worked!
Akshay Raju
Akshay Raju el 19 de Ag. de 2020
Awesome! Worked for me
Maymarie van den Heever
Maymarie van den Heever el 5 de Sept. de 2020
Same here, thx!
Jordan Willis
Jordan Willis el 10 de Dic. de 2020
Shout out to Joao. I almost punched a hole through my monitor trying to figure this out.
Arunima Sarkar
Arunima Sarkar el 18 de Abr. de 2021
Thank you JOAO..
michelle
michelle el 8 de Mayo de 2023
This worked for me, as well! Thank you!
Shivam
Shivam el 13 de Mayo de 2024
Worked for me as well just before i needed to submit my plot, you are a legend.
Thanks a lot
Mariami
Mariami el 25 de Sept. de 2025
Yay Worked!
I was getting ready to start crying :D
Mikolaj
Mikolaj el 18 de Oct. de 2025
Thank you so much
Vesa
Vesa el 15 de En. de 2026
This saved my day, thank you!

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Raady
Raady el 6 de En. de 2016
Editada: Adam Danz el 22 de Abr. de 2026 a las 13:11
this answer helps when body checking this thread again.
if you are using the figure to plot in a loop, you have to use command as below , then you can see the figure.
drawnow;

1 comentario

HABILA
HABILA el 23 de Feb. de 2018
I also had the issue on running my old code ploting figures on loop using hold on, earlier it was working fine in MATLAB2008 and MATLAB2011 but it wasn't showing plot while running the same code in MATLAB2015. Now adding the command drawline its working fine. don't know the exact reason why... still thank you !

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Sean de Wolski
Sean de Wolski el 16 de Mayo de 2011
Are you on Macintosh?
I have problems with MATLAB figures hiding behind things, a major shortcoming of MacOSX in general.
I wrote a script fgcf.m that is literally
figure(gcf)
So in the event that I plot something and it appears on a hidden figure that figure is surfaced.

3 comentarios

Craig
Craig el 16 de Mayo de 2011
I am running MATLAB on a PC. I tried the command you suggested and it didn't bring anything up.
Sean de Wolski
Sean de Wolski el 16 de Mayo de 2011
Call Tech Support and/or reinstall...
Terry
Terry el 18 de Sept. de 2025
This worked for me on MacOSX
No idea what this hidden figure thing is but dang it is annoying

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Preguntada:

el 15 de Mayo de 2011

Editada:

el 22 de Abr. de 2026 a las 13:11

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