Excel is such a clever tool, it can make sense of your data for you. This video will teach you how to take a sheet of numbers and turn them into helpful graphs, fast.
How to Create Charts and Graphs in Excel in Seconds
Charts are one of the easiest ways to turn rows of numbers into clear, meaningful insights. Whether you’re presenting sales figures, tracking trends, or analysing performance, Excel makes it simple to create professional-looking charts with just a few clicks. From handy keyboard shortcuts to Excel’s built-in chart recommendations, here are three quick ways to visualise your data.
1. Create a Charts / Graphs with Keyboard Shortcuts
If you already know which chart you want, keyboard shortcuts are the fastest option.
Windows
- Alt + F1 – Inserts a default chart (typically a column chart) directly into your current worksheet.
- F11 – Creates the default chart on a brand-new chart sheet.
Mac
- ⌘ + Option + R – Inserts the default chart into your current worksheet.
These shortcuts are ideal when you need to create charts quickly without navigating through multiple ribbon tabs.
2. Let Excel Recommend the Best Chart / Graphs
Not sure which chart type best represents your data? Excel’s Quick Analysis tool can help.
Here’s how to use it:
- Highlight your data, including any column headings.
- Click the Quick Analysis button that appears in the bottom-right corner of your selection (or press Ctrl + Q on Windows).
- Select Charts.
- Hover over the suggested charts to preview how your data will look.
- Click the chart you prefer to insert it into your worksheet.
This feature is particularly useful if you’re comparing different chart styles before making a decision.
3. Explore All Chart / Graph Types from the Insert Tab
For the greatest flexibility, use Excel’s Insert tab.
- Select your data (including headers, but excluding totals where possible).
- Click the Insert tab on the ribbon.
- Choose Recommended Charts to see Excel’s suggested visualisations.
- Alternatively, browse All Charts to choose from the full range of chart types.
Excel offers a variety of options, including:
- Column charts
- Bar charts
- Line charts
- Pie charts
- Scatter charts
- Area charts
- Combo charts
Choosing the right chart helps communicate your data more effectively and makes reports easier to understand.
Tips for Better Excel Charts
Once you’ve created your chart, a few simple improvements can make it look even more professional:
- Use clear, descriptive chart titles.
- Keep colours consistent throughout your workbook.
- Remove unnecessary gridlines and chart clutter.
- Label important data points where appropriate.
- Choose chart types that match your data—for example, line charts for trends over time and pie charts for showing proportions.
Create Better Visual Reports
Excel’s chart tools make it easy to transform raw data into professional visual reports. Whether you use keyboard shortcuts, the Quick Analysis tool, or the full chart library, creating effective graphs takes only a few seconds.
By choosing the right chart and applying a few formatting improvements, you’ll create reports that are easier to understand and far more engaging for your audience.
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