Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on October 02, 2018

The x-axis and y-axis titles are just as easy to format and customize as the other chart elements.

How to add axis titles to a chart

  1. Select the chart.
  2. Go to tab "Design" on the ribbon.
  3. Click "Add Chart Element" button to display the menu.
  4. Click on "Axis Titles".
  5. Click on "Primary Horizontal" or "Primary Vertical".

You can also click the "plus" sign next to the chart to see available chart elements.

Click "checkbox" "Axis Titles" to display them on the chart.

Axis title font properties

To change the font, font size, font color etc, simply select the axis title you want to change.

  1. Select an axis title.
  2. Go to tab "Home" on the ribbon.
  3. Click on "Font text" to change the font.
  4. Click on "Font size" to change the font size.
  5. Click on letter A to choose a font color.

Axis title settings

There are more things you can use to build a better-looking chart.

Simply right-click on the axis title.

Click on "Format Axis Title...". The Format Axis settings show up probably on the right side of your screen.

Here you have three tabs, Fill and Line, Effects, Size & Properties. The picture above displays the Size & Properties tab, here you change the text alignment and direction/angle.

The Fill & line tab lets you change the background to a color, picture or gradient. It also allows you to apply a border around the title.

The Effects tab contains settings that allow you to apply a border, glow, soft edges or a 3d-effect to the selected axis title.

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