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Excel Charts & Graphs

The sidebar (or click the hamburger icon if you are on mobile) shows a list of chart articles, I hope you will find them interesting and useful.

How do I create a chart/graph in Excel?
How do you show a legend in a chart?
How do you show a title in a chart?
How do I select all data points in a chart?
What is a data series?
How do I select a single data point in a chart?
How do I add data to all chart series?
How do I add data to a single chart series?
How do I add a data series to a chart?
How do I use a chart style?
How do I add chart elements?
How do I remove chart elements?
How do I combine charts?
How can I show two x-axis on a chart?
How do I show two y-axis on a chart?
How can I highlight a single data point in a chart?
How do I add data labels?
How do I add grid lines?
What are the latest charts?
How do I add a moving average?
How do I create an interactive chart?
How do I change chart font and font size?
How do I change line thickness?
How do I change column/bar thickness?
How do I change line/column/bar color?

How do I create a chart/graph in Excel?

Select the data you want to chart.
Go to tab "Insert" on the ribbon.
Click a chart button, there are 9 different categories to choose from.

They are:
- Column/Bar charts
- Line/Area charts
- Pie/Doughnut charts
- Hierarchy charts
- Statistic charts
- Scatter/Bubble charts
- Waterfall/Funnel/Stock/Surface/Radar charts
- Combo charts
- Map charts
Pick a chart in the chosen category.

How do you show a legend/series names in a chart?

Select the chart.
Click the plus sign next to the chart to see chart elements.
Click the "Legend" check box to enable it.

How do you show a title in a chart?

Select the chart.
Click the plus sign next to the chart to see chart elements.
Click the "Chart Title" check box to enable it.

How do I select all data points in a chart?

Click once on the line/column/bar, if all data points are highlighted you know you succeeded. You can only select one data series at a time.

What is a data series?

The chart above shows two data series. North and South. The legend to the right shows the name and color of each data series.

Below the chart is a dataset containing both data series in a column each.

How do I select a single data point in a chart?

Click twice on a data point to select it.

How do I add data to all chart series?

Click on chart to select it.
The cell range of the chart data source is now visible. Click and hold on the dot in the bottom right corner.
Drag down as far as needed to include new values.

How do I add data to a single chart series?

Click on data series to select it.
The cell range of the selected chart data source is now visible. Click and hold on the dot in the bottom right corner.
Drag down as far as needed to include new values.

How do I add a data series to a chart?

Copy data series.
Select chart.
Paste to chart.

How do I use a chart style?

Select chart.
Go to tab "Design".
Select a chart style.

How to add/remove chart elements

Did you know that you can add or remove most chart elements by clicking on the "plus" sign next to the chart, this lets you enable axes, axis titles, chart title, data labels, data table, error bars, gridlines, legend, trendlines and up/down bars for the selected chart.

To access more detailed settings simply double click the chart element to open the task pane that usually appears on the right side of the Excel window.

The next button below the "plus" sign lets you apply a chart style and color scheme.

Hover over a chart style to see what your chart would look like, see image above.

The next tab lets you pick a color scheme for your chart, use the scroll bar to see all available schemes.

The last button allows you to filter specific values, simply click a check box to show or hide a data series or a value in the chart.

How do I combine charts?

Select at least two data series.
Go to tab "Insert".
Click "Combo Charts" button.
Pick a combo chart...

In case you can't find the combo you are looking for then click "Create Custom Combo Chart..". The following dialog box appears.

It allows you to choose which chart types you want to combine.

How can I show two x-axis on a chart?

Create a chart with two data series.
Double-click on one of the data series. The Format pane appears.
Click radio button "Secondary Axis".
Click on the secondary vertical axis and delete it.
Right click on chart and click on "Select Data...".
Click "Edit" button and add the x-axis values for the secondary data series.
Click OK button.
Click OK button.

How do I show two y-axis on a chart?

Create a chart with two data series.
Double-click on one of the data series. The Format pane appears.
Click radio button "Secondary Axis".

How can I highlight a single data point in a chart?

The following category contains articles demonstrating how to highlight a data point: Highlight elements in charts

How do I add data labels?

Right click on a data series.
Click on "Add Data Labels..".

How do I add gridlines?

Right click on the vertical or horizontal axis values.
Click on "Add Major Gridlines".

What are the latest charts?

The following charts were introduced in Excel 2016.

How do I add a moving average?

This article explains how to add a moving average: Moving averages

How do I create an interactive chart?

Check this category out: Interactive charts category

How do I change chart font and font size?

The following article explains how to change the font and font size of a chart element: Change font and font size

How do I change line thickness?

Double click on a line to open the Format Pane.
Go to tab "Fill & Line".
Change line width using the scroll buttons or type a number that represents the thickness.