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How to make a graph in Excel

If you use Excel regularly for work or studying that requires a spreadsheet to be filled with data-driven information, then you know it can be quite difficult and time-consuming to decipher, even more so for those who are not familiar with analytical-based data.

Whether a spreadsheet is complicated or not, the fact remains: Graphs help break down your data into an easily digestible format, enhancing the general readability of your Excel spreadsheet.

Here’s how to make a graph in Microsoft Excel.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Microsoft Excel

  • PC

Inserting a graph in Excel

Step 1: You’ll need to add your data into the Excel spreadsheet, with each column having its own dedicated title. In the first image below, we have entered a sample for demonstration purposes.

Step 2: Next, you’ll need to select the cells that contain all the data you wish to populate your graph with.

Step 3: Microsoft Excel provides a convenient feature that allows you to select from a number of templates for the graph. Click the Insert tab and then select Recommended charts.

Click a graph template of your choice and click OK.

The Recommended Charts window in Excel for selecting a graph style.

Step 4: You can now customize the graph by changing its title (double-click Chart title), adjusting its size, etc.

The customization options for a graph in Microsoft Excel.

Step 5: For a complete list of all the graph types you can apply, click the All charts tab. For example, you can select the Bar or Line charts, with each offering its own set of designs (3D, Clustered, Stacked, etc.).

The All Charts window in Microsoft Excel.

Step 6: If you wish to change the graph type after choosing one, simply select the Change chart type button.

The Change Chart Type button in Microsoft Excel.

Step 7: You can also select a graph type from all the options within the section adjacent to Recommended charts. Clicking the drop-down arrow next to each icon and hovering over a thumbnail contained within that window will show you a preview of how it looks like with that specific design.

The drop-down menu for a specific graph type in Microsoft Excel.

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