Dividing Chart Legend Text Into Multiple Lines

 Last reviewed: October 18, 1994
Article ID: Q73226
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
  • Microsoft Excel for OS/2, versions 2.2, 2.21, and 3.0

By default, Excel places the description for each item in a chart legend on a single line. If the legend text contains multiple words, it can occupy much of the chart area. The solution is to break each legend into multiple lines.

Example

  1. Create a chart in Excel with a legend that contains multiple words.

  2. Activate the spreadsheet that contains the chart data.

  3. Select the first cell on the spreadsheet that contains the legend text.

  4. Press the F2 key to edit the line.

  5. Move the cursor to where the legend text should break.

  6. Hold down the ALT key and press ENTER. In Excel 2.x, you need to hold down the ALT key and type 013, which is the Carriage Return character.

The text will break at that point. Repeat these steps as needed until all the legend texts are divided. Activate the chart to view the new legend.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide." Version 3.0, chapter 11.

"Microsoft Excel Reference Guide." Version 2.x, pages 33-55.

Additional reference words: 5.00 2.00 2.0 2.01 2.1 2.10 2.2 2.21 2.20 3.00
3.0 4.00 wrap text
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Last reviewed: October 18, 1994
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