top of page

You are learning Creating Charts and Graphs in MS Excel

How to add data labels to show specific values on a chart?

There are two main ways to add data labels to your chart in Excel to show specific values:

Method 1: Using the Chart Design Ribbon

1. Click on your chart: Make sure the chart you want to add data labels to is selected.
2. Go to the Chart Design tab: On the Excel ribbon, locate the "Chart Design" tab.
3. Click Add Chart Element: In the "Chart Layouts" group, find the "Add Chart Element" button and click on it.
4. Choose Data Labels: A dropdown menu will appear. Select "Data Labels" from the list.

Method 2: Right-Clicking on a Data Point

1. Right-click on a data point: Click directly on a data point in your chart that you want to label.
2. Select Add Data Label: A context menu will appear. Choose "Add Data Label" from the menu options.

Formatting Data Labels (Optional):

Once you've added data labels, you can customize their appearance:

1. Click on a data label: Select the data label you want to format.
2. Right-click and choose Format Data Labels: A context menu will pop up. Click on "Format Data Labels."
3. Formatting options: In the "Format Data Labels" pane, you can change the font size, color, position (inside or outside the data point), and what information the label displays.

By default, data labels will show the value of the data point they are attached to. However, you can choose to display other information like the category name, series name, or even a custom formula using this formatting menu.

bottom of page