PyCharm and matplotlib: not responding

Which PyCharm version are you running? Also, share a quick example if possible. I just tried with the following example on 2024.3.5 with matplotlib  3.10.1

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
def test():    
  plt.figure()    
  plt.imshow(np.random.randint(0, 10, (100, 100)))
  plt.show()

test()

And it worked normally;

PyCharm 2024.3.5 (Professional Edition)
Build #PY-243.26053.29, built on March 17, 2025

Runtime version: 21.0.6+8-b631.39 amd64 (JCEF 122.1.9)
VM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o.
Toolkit: sun.awt.X11.XToolkit
Linux 5.15.0-134-generic
Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS; glibc: 2.31

I use matplotlib 3.10.0.

I provide you with 2 code examples:

### CODE 1
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import use

# use("Qt5Agg")

freq = 440
amplitudes = np.array([1, 0.263, 0.14, 0.099, 0.209, 0.02, 0.029, 0.077, 0.017, 0.01])

X = np.linspace(0, 5/freq, 1000)

freqs = freq * np.arange(1, len(amplitudes) + 1)
y = (np.sin(2 * np.pi * (freqs[:, None]) * X[None, :]) * amplitudes[:, None]).sum(axis=0)

plt.figure(figsize=(10, 5))
plt.plot(X, y, color='r')
plt.show()

### CODE 2
import numpy as np
import pyxu.operator as pxop
from scipy.signal import fftconvolve
from matplotlib import use
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
use("qt5agg")

L = 50*2
N = 10_000

ratio = N//L

# kernel is a triangle with half width of hw
hw = 0.1/2
height = 1 / hw

lambda_ = .001 * L

if __name__=="__main__":
    # measured signal: narrow gaussian + wide one centered on 0.5
    center_wide = 0.5
    sigma_wide = 0.15/2
    cener_narrow = 0.35
    sigma_narrow = 0.03/2

    X = np.linspace(0, 1, N)
    y_wide = np.exp(-((X - center_wide) ** 2) / (2 * sigma_wide ** 2)) / (sigma_wide * np.sqrt(2 * np.pi))
    y_narrow = 0.5 * np.exp(-((X - cener_narrow) ** 2) / (2 * sigma_narrow ** 2)) / (sigma_narrow * np.sqrt(2 * np.pi))
    y = y_wide + y_narrow

    plt.figure(figsize=(10, 5))
    plt.plot(X, y, color='r')
    plt.title("source signal")
    plt.ylim(-0.1, 1.05*y.max())
    plt.show()

What happens ?

• CODE 1:
  • The plot is not responding, as in the first screenshot below.

  • If I uncomment # use("Qt5Agg"), I get what I want, second screenshot.

     

• CODE 2:
  • Black window in both cases, independently of using “Qt5Agg” or not.

I hope it is clearer, let me know if I can provide more information! Thank you for your help.

I was unable to replicate the same behavior on both cases: 

Please try the 2025.1 EAP available via the Toolbox App; Make sure to create a brand new project with a new interpreter just in case; 

In case it persists, please create a new bug report on YouTrack and make sure to provide the IDE UI logs from Help | Collect Logs and Diagnostic Data

I have the same issue with Pycharm 2024.3.2 (Professional Edition) Build #PY-243.23654.177

Runtime version: 21.0.5+8-b631.30 amd64 (JCEF 122.1.9)
VM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o.

and matplotlib 3.9.2

As the user above usually setting to “Qt5Agg” will fix the issue but it no longer is for some reason. Note this is for interactive plots that do not use the scientific viewer.

Is pycharm just not supporting interactive plots anymore? Any other tips on consistently getting interactive plots to render in pycharm?

Edit: For others in a similar situation - I had to import matplotlib, set it to use tkagg, then set it to use qt5agg to get it working again. Using qt5agg as the default/ at the start did not work for me, and of course if you are facing this tkagg also does not work.

Hi Jangst, this issue requires thorough investigation, please create an issue on YouTrack and attach all relevant information for quicker resolution