How to Make a Chart in Excel

"Chart" and "graph" mean the same thing in Excel. Here's how to turn a range of numbers into one — picking the type that actually fits your data, and adding the titles and labels that make it readable.

By the Quiriz Team · Published July 24, 2026 · 4 min read

The quick answer: select your data including the headers, go to Insert → Recommended Charts, and pick one. Excel does the rest. If you want to choose the type yourself and make it readable, here's the full version.

1. Select the data (headers included)

Highlight the range you want to plot, and include the row/column labels — that's what gives the chart its axis names and legend. For a two-column table (month and revenue, say), select both columns and both headers.

2. Insert the chart

On the Insert tab, click Recommended Charts to see Excel's best-fit previews, or pick a type straight from the ribbon. Click one and it drops onto the sheet, linked to your data — change a number and the chart updates.

3. Pick the type that fits

Column / bar — compare values across categories (revenue by region).
Line — show a trend over time (revenue by month).
Pie — parts of a single whole (share by product). Use sparingly; hard to read past a few slices.

4. Add titles and labels

Click the chart and press the + button at its corner. Tick Chart Title, Axis Titles, and Data Labels to make it stand on its own. Click any title to edit the text.

A chart shows data you've already shaped. If you're building charts just to eyeball an answer — "is this month up or down?" — asking the question directly is faster and gives you the actual number.

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Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a chart and a graph in Excel?

None, practically — Excel calls them all "charts," and people say "graph" for the same thing. A line "graph" and a line "chart" are identical in Excel.

Which chart type should I use?

Use a column or bar chart to compare values across categories, a line chart to show a trend over time, and a pie chart for parts of a single whole. When unsure, Insert > Recommended Charts previews the best fits for your selected data.

How do I make a chart from two columns?

Select both columns including their headers, then Insert > Recommended Charts. Excel usually plots one column as categories and the other as values. A column or line chart works for most two-column data.

How do I add a title to an Excel chart?

Click the chart, press the plus (+) button that appears at its corner, tick Chart Title, then click the title text to edit it. The same menu adds axis titles and data labels.