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 Kommentare

Andrew Newell
Andrew Newell am 15 Mai 2011
This sounds like a problem for MATLAB Support.
Walter Roberson
Walter Roberson am 15 Mai 2011
Some forms of remote access can cause this problem. How are you accessing?
Craig
Craig am 16 Mai 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 am 7 Jul. 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 am 13 Apr. 2020
just write figure(1), or howerver your figure was called

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 Akzeptierte Antwort

Craig
Craig am 21 Mai 2011

0 Stimmen

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 Kommentare

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

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Weitere Antworten (3)

Joao Melo
Joao Melo am 7 Jul. 2016

35 Stimmen

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 Kommentare

John Ondov
John Ondov am 13 Jul. 2018
Bearbeitet: John Ondov am 13 Jul. 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 am 6 Mär. 2020
Thank you, it worked!
Akshay Raju
Akshay Raju am 19 Aug. 2020
Awesome! Worked for me
Same here, thx!
Jordan Willis
Jordan Willis am 10 Dez. 2020
Shout out to Joao. I almost punched a hole through my monitor trying to figure this out.
Arunima Sarkar
Arunima Sarkar am 18 Apr. 2021
Thank you JOAO..
michelle
michelle am 8 Mai 2023
This worked for me, as well! Thank you!
Shivam
Shivam am 13 Mai 2024
Worked for me as well just before i needed to submit my plot, you are a legend.
Thanks a lot
Mariami
Mariami am 25 Sep. 2025
Yay Worked!
I was getting ready to start crying :D
Mikolaj
Mikolaj am 18 Okt. 2025
Thank you so much
Vesa
Vesa am 15 Jan. 2026
This saved my day, thank you!

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Raady
Raady am 6 Jan. 2016
Bearbeitet: Adam Danz am 22 Apr. 2026 um 13:11

4 Stimmen

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 Kommentar

HABILA
HABILA am 23 Feb. 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 am 16 Mai 2011

0 Stimmen

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 Kommentare

Craig
Craig am 16 Mai 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 am 16 Mai 2011
Call Tech Support and/or reinstall...
Terry
Terry am 18 Sep. 2025
This worked for me on MacOSX
No idea what this hidden figure thing is but dang it is annoying

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am 15 Mai 2011

Bearbeitet:

am 22 Apr. 2026 um 13:11

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