6/5/2016

HowtoChangetheDefaultChartFormat

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How to Change the Default Chart Format

This article was previously published under Q141569

This article has been archived. It is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

SUMMARY
When you create charts in Microsoft Excel, the default chart format is a twodimensional column
chart. This article describes the steps you must follow to create a userdefined chart format and
how to change the default chart format in Microsoft Excel to that custom format.

MORE INFORMATION
To Create a UserDefined Chart Format
1. In a new worksheet, enter the following information, select the range A1:B5 and press F11:

A1:NYB1:25
A2:MDB2:15
A3:PAB3:10
A4:COB4:30
A5:VTB5:15

A new chart sheet will be created with your current default chart type by default in
Microsoft Excel, this will be a twodimensional column chart. The chart sheet should now
be the active sheet in
https://support.microsoft.com/enus/kb/141569

the workbook.

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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" in the formula bar.
6. On the Format menu, click AutoFormat. Under Formats Used, select the UserDefined
option.
7. Click Customize, and then click Add.
8. In the Format Name box, type "My Test Format".
9. In the Description box, type "This is a sample custom chart", then click OK, and then click
Close.
You now have a userdefined chart format that you can select each time you make a new chart.

To Change a UserDefined 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
twodimensional 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 UserDefined
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 userdefined 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
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Options.

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1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. In the Options dialog box, click Chart.
3. On the Chart tab, click the dropdown 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 userdefined 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 dropdown arrow under Default Chart Format, and click Builtin.
4. Click OK.

REFERENCES
For more information about UserDefined Chart Formats, click Answer Wizard on the Help menu
and type:
tell me about creating custom chart formats

Properties
Article ID: 141569 Last Review:
https://support.microsoft.com/enus/kb/141569

12/04/2015 12:42:08 Revision: 1.3

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Article ID: 141569 Last Review: 12/04/2015 12:42:08 Revision: 1.3

Applies to
Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
Microsoft Excel 5.0c
Microsoft Excel 5.0a for Macintosh
Keywords:
kbnosurvey kbarchive kbhowto KB141569

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