Move a Chart in Excel- Instructions

Move a Chart in Excel: Overview

            You can easily move a chart in Excel. When you insert a new chart into a worksheet, it appears as an embedded chart object in the worksheet. When you embed a chart in a worksheet, you can move it and also resize it in the worksheet. Before you do this, however, you must ensure you have the “Chart Area” selected. To select the “Chart Area,” click into the blank area of the chart object to select the entire chart. Alternatively, click the “Format” tab of the “Chart Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon. Then select the “Chart Area” choice from the “Chart Elements” drop-down in the “Current Selection” button group.

            To move a chart in Excel within a worksheet, click and drag inside the “Chart Area” of the chart. The mouse pointer appears as a four-pointed arrow while moving the chart. When the chart is in the desired location, release the mouse button to drop it into its new worksheet location.

            To resize an embedded chart, place your mouse pointer over one of the white resizing circles at the four corners and four sides of a selected chart object’s border. When in the correct position, the mouse pointer then becomes a double-pointed arrow. At that point, click and drag to resize the chart area to the desired width and height.

Move a Chart in Excel- Instructions: A picture of the “Move Chart” dialog box in Excel.

            Another way to move a chart in Excel is to move it so it becomes the only object in its own worksheet. Alternatively, you may also want to move a chart in Excel to a different worksheet, but still have it remain as an embedded chart object in the worksheet. To accomplish either task, first select the chart area. Then click the “Design” tab of the “Chart Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Move Chart” button in the “Location” button group. Doing this then opens the “Move Chart” dialog box, which lets you decide where to place the chart.

            First, select either the option button for “New sheet:” or “Object in:,” as desired. If you choose “New sheet:,” type the name for the new worksheet into the field to the right of the option button. This option places the chart as the only object in its own worksheet. This maximizes the amount of space available for plotting charted data.

            Alternatively, if you select the “Object in:” option button, then use the drop-down to the right of that option button to select the name of the worksheet into which to embed the selected chart. After making your choice in this dialog box, click the “OK” button to move the chart.

Move a Chart in Excel: Instructions

1. Before moving or resizing a chart in Excel, select the “Chart Area” by clicking into the blank area of the chart.
2. Alternatively, click the “Format” tab of the “Chart Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon.
3. Then select the “Chart Area” choice from the “Chart Elements” drop-down in the “Current Selection” button group.
4. To move a chart in Excel within a worksheet, click and drag inside the “Chart Area” of the chart.
5. The mouse pointer appears as a four-pointed arrow while you click and drag to move the chart.
6. When the chart is in the desired location, release the mouse button to drop the chart into its new worksheet location.
7. To resize an embedded chart in a worksheet, place your mouse pointer over one of the white resizing circles at the four corners and the four sides of the selected chart object’s border.
8. When in the correct position, the mouse pointer becomes a double-pointed arrow.
9. At that point, click and drag to resize the chart area to the desired width and height.
10. To move a chart in Excel to make it the only object in its own worksheet or to move the chart to a different worksheet but still have it remain as an embedded chart, select the chart area.
11. Then click the “Design” tab of the “Chart Tools” contextual tab in the Ribbon.
12. Then click the “Move Chart” button in the “Location” button group.
13. In the “Move Chart” dialog box that appears, select either the option button for “New sheet:” or “Object in:.”
14. If you choose “New sheet:” option button, type the name for the new worksheet into the field to the right of the option button.
15. Alternatively, if you select the “Object in:” option button, use the drop-down to the right of that option button to select the name of the worksheet into which to embed the selected chart object.
16. To move a chart in Excel chart after making your choice in this dialog box, click the “OK” button.

Move a Chart in Excel: Video Lesson

            The following video lesson, titled “Moving and Resizing Charts,” shows you how to move a chart in Excel. This video lesson is from our complete Excel tutorial, titled “Mastering Excel Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”