XL: How to Change the Default Chart Format

ID: Q141569

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

When you create charts in Microsoft Excel, the default chart format is a two-dimensional column chart. This article describes the steps you must follow to create a user-defined chart format and how to change the default chart format in Microsoft Excel to that custom format.


MORE INFORMATION

To Create a User-Defined Chart Format

  1. In a new worksheet, enter the following information, select the range A1:B5 and press F11:

    
       A1: NY     B1: 25
       A2: MD     B2: 15
       A3: PA     B3: 10
       A4: CO     B4: 30
       A5: VT     B5: 15
    A new chart sheet will be created with your current default chart type (by default in Microsoft Excel, this will be a two-dimensional column chart). The chart sheet should now be the active sheet in the workbook.


  2. On the Format menu, click Chart Type.


  3. In the Chart Type dialog box, click Line, and then click OK.

    Your chart should now be a line chart.


  4. On the Insert menu, click Titles, then click Chart Title, and then click OK.

    You should now have attached text, "Title," that is at the top of your chart.


  5. While this text is selected, type "My Custom Chart" (without the quotation marks) in the formula bar.


  6. On the Format menu, click AutoFormat. Under Formats Used, select the User-Defined option.


  7. Click Customize, and then click Add.


  8. In the Format Name box, type "My Test Format" (without the quotation marks).


  9. In the Description box, type "This is a sample custom chart" (without the quotation marks), then click OK, and then click Close.


You now have a user-defined chart format that you can select each time you make a new chart.

To Change a User-Defined Chart Format

  1. Reselect the data that was entered in Step 1 of the "To create a user- defined chart format" procedure in this article, and then press F11.

    A new chart sheet should be created with the current default chart type (this is typically a two-dimensional column chart). This chart sheet should be the active sheet in the workbook.


  2. On the Format menu, click AutoFormat. Under Formats Used, select the User-Defined option.


  3. In the Formats list, click the My Test Format entry, and then click OK.


Your new chart should now be formatted just like your first chart (that is, it should have the same attributes as the user-defined chart format).

To Change the Default Chart Format

The following steps assume that you have followed steps 1 through 9 in the "To Create a User-Defined Chart Format" section of this article.

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.


  2. In the Options dialog box, click Chart.


  3. On the Chart tab, click the drop-down arrow under Default Chart Format, and in the list, click the My Test Format entry.


  4. Click OK.


The default chart format has now been set to the user-defined chart format. To verify that the default chart format has been changed, do the following:

  1. Reselect the data that you created in Step 1 of the "To create a user- defined chart format" section of this article.


  2. Press F11.


The chart format should be just like the custom format you created above.

To Reset Your Default Chart Format to the Format

That Was Set When You First Installed Microsoft Excel

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options.


  2. In the Options dialog box, click Chart.


  3. On the Chart tab, click the drop-down arrow under Default Chart Format, and click (Built-in).


  4. Click OK.



REFERENCES

For more information about User-Defined Chart Formats, click Answer Wizard on the Help menu and type:

tell me about creating custom chart formats

Additional query words: 5.00a 5.00c 


Keywords          : xlchart 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,7.0; MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: July 29, 1999