Change the Chart Type in Excel – Instructions

Change the Chart Type in Excel: Overview

            After creating a chart, you can change the chart type in Excel. Alternatively, you can also choose a different sub-type of the same general chart type you first selected. Either way, note that if you change the chart type, you may lose custom formatting you have applied to it. You may also need to reposition custom elements you have added to the chart area.

            To change the chart type in Excel, select a chart or one of the chart’s elements. Then click the “Design” tab of the “Chart Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Change Chart Type” button in the “Type” button group.

            In the “Change Chart Type” dialog box that appears, click to select the type of chart to use. The chart types appear in the pane at the left side of the dialog box. At that point, the different sub-types of the selected chart type appear in the list at the right side of the dialog box. At that point, click the specific chart sub-type to apply. Then click the “OK” button at the bottom of this dialog box to change the selected chart type.

Change the Chart Type in Excel – Instructions: A picture of a user changing the chart type of a selected chart in Excel.

Change the Chart Type in Excel: Instructions

1. To change the chart type in Excel, select a chart or one of the chart’s elements.
2. Then click the “Design” tab of the “Chart Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon.
3. Then click the “Change Chart Type” button in the “Type” button group.
4. In the “Change Chart Type” dialog box, select the new chart type at the left side of the dialog box.
5. The different sub-types of the selected chart type then appear in the list at the right side of the dialog box.
6. Then click the specific chart sub-type to apply.
7. Then click the “OK” button at the bottom of this dialog box.

Change the Chart Type in Excel: Video Lesson

            The following video lesson, titled “Changing the Chart Type,” shows you how to change the chart type in Excel. This video lesson is from our complete Excel tutorial, titled “Mastering Excel Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”