Python | AnchorLayout in Kivy using .kv file

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025

Kivy is a platform independent GUI tool in Python. As it can be run on Android, IOS, linux and Windows etc. It is basically used to develop the Android application, but it does not mean that it can not be used on Desktops applications.

👉🏽 Kivy Tutorial - Learn Kivy with Examples.

AnchorLayout:

The AnchorLayout aligns its children to a border (top, bottom, left, right) or center. The class given below is used to implement the anchor layout.

 kivy.uix.anchorlayout.AnchorLayout

AnchorLayout can be initialized with parameters:

anchor_x
Parameters can be passed: “left”, “right” and “center”.

anchor_y
Parameters can be passed:“top”,  “bottom” and “center”.

to select the place where the widgets are placed in the parent container.

There are 9 different layout regions where the Anchorlayout can be placed for effect: Top-left, top-center, top-right, center-left, center-center, center-right, bottom-left, bottom-center and bottom-right.

Basic Approach:

1) import kivy
2) import kivyApp
3) import gridlayout(not necessary according to requirement)
4) import Anchorlayout
5) Set minimum version(optional)
6) create Layout class
7) create App class
8) Set up .kv file
9) Return the instance of layout class
10) Run an instance of the Appclass

In the below example code, we have used a GridLayout as our root widget class. The GridLayout, will be the parent of 9 AnchorLayouts. The 9 AnchorLayouts will be anchored at the 9 different anchoring positions i.e we are using all the 9 Anchorlayout positions in a single program with the help of 9 Buttons. Implementation of the Approach: main.py file -

Python3

# Sample Python application demonstrating the
# working of AnchorLayout in Kivy using .kv file

###################################################

# base Class of your App inherits from the App class.  
# app:always refers to the instance of your application  
from kivy.app import App

# GridLayout arranges children in a matrix.
# It takes the available space and
# divides it into columns and rows, 
# then adds widgets to the resulting “cells”.
from kivy.uix.gridlayout import GridLayout

# to change the kivy default settings
# we use this module config
from kivy.config import Config
 
# 0 being off 1 being on as in true / false
# you can use 0 or 1 && True or False
Config.set('graphics', 'resizable', True)
 

# creating the root widget used in .kv file 
class Anchor_Layout(GridLayout):
    pass

# class in which name .kv file must be named Anchor_Layout.kv   
class Anchor_LayoutApp(App):
    def build(self):
        # returning the instance of root class
        return Anchor_Layout()

# run the app
if __name__=='__main__':
    Anchor_LayoutApp().run()

.kv file -

Python3

# Implementation of .kv file of Anchor layout

################################################


# creating the features of Button
<MyButton@Button>:
    size_hint: [None, None]
    size: [100, 100]

# creating the root of .kv
<Anchor_Layout>:

    # Assigning grids
    rows: 3

    # Anchor Layout 1
    AnchorLayout:
        
        # position of Anchor Layout 
        anchor_x: 'left'
        anchor_y: 'top'

        # creating Canvas 
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.5, .324, .384]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size

        # creating Button
        MyButton:
            text: 'B1'

    # Anchor Layout 2
    AnchorLayout:
        anchor_x: 'center'
        anchor_y: 'top'
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.5, .692, .498]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size
        MyButton:
            text: 'B2'

    # Anchor Layout 3
    AnchorLayout:
        anchor_x: 'right'
        anchor_y: 'top'
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.5, .692, 1]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size
        MyButton:
            text: 'B3'

    # Anchor Layout 4
    AnchorLayout:
        anchor_x: 'left'
        anchor_y: 'center'
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.789, .5, .699]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size
        MyButton:
            text: 'B4'

    # Anchor Layout 5
    AnchorLayout:
        anchor_x: 'center'
        anchor_y: 'center'
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.333, .5, .673]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size
        MyButton:
            text: 'B5'
            
    # Anchor Layout 6
    AnchorLayout:
        anchor_x: 'right'
        anchor_y: 'center'
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.180, .5, .310]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size
        MyButton:
            text: 'B6'

    # Anchor Layout 7
    AnchorLayout:
        anchor_x: 'left'
        anchor_y: 'bottom'
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.180, .398, .5]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size
        MyButton:
            text: 'B7'

    # Anchor Layout 8
    AnchorLayout:
        anchor_x: 'center'
        anchor_y: 'bottom'
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.438, .329, .5]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size
        MyButton:
            text: 'B8'

    # Anchor Layout 9
    AnchorLayout:
        anchor_x: 'right'
        anchor_y: 'bottom'
        canvas:
            Color:
                rgb: [.611, .021, .5]
            Rectangle:
                pos: self.pos
                size: self.size
        MyButton:
            text: 'B9'