XL: How to Change the Default Chart Format

• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

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.

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.

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.

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.

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