Pie charts, bar charts, line charts – Microsoft Excel presents its users a whole host of chart styles with which they can tell the story of their data in clear, colorful, succinct ways; making it all the easier for those unfamiliar with the data to get to grips with it.
To learn how to add a title to a chart in Excel, simply follow our step-by-step instructions. For any additional information, or if you have any unanswered questions at the end of this article, please do check out our FAQs, listed below.
Table of Contents
How to add a title to a chart in Excel (PC)
- Open up the Microsoft Excel application on your PC, and load the document with the chart you wish to add a title to (or a blank one to test out the technique on)
- If you need to add a chart first, do so by first highlighting the cells with the data in them which you wish to make a chart of (click and drag to highlight your selection of cells). Then navigate to the ‘Insert’ tab of the toolbar at the top of the page, and select your desired chart from the ‘Charts’ section. One will be instantly generated.
- To add a title to your chart, click on Layout under Chart Tools.
- From the options provided, click on Chart Title and select a position for the title of the chart.
- Now, to finally edit the name of your title, simply triple-click on the text reading ‘Chart Title’ above your chart – this will highlight that text. Now replace it by typing your preferred chart title.
How to add a title to a chart in Excel (mobile)
- Open up the Microsoft Excel application on your mobile or tablet device, and load the document with the chart you wish to add a title to (or a blank one to test out the technique on)
- If you need to add a chart first, do so by first highlighting the cells with the data in them which you wish to make a chart of (tap and then drag the highlighted box over your chosen selection of cells). Then navigate to the ‘Insert’ tab of the toolbar at the bottom of the page (you may need to enlarge the menu by first tapping the upward arrow), and select your desired chart from the ‘Charts’ section. One will be instantly generated, which you can drag and drop to reposition.
- From the chart menu at the bottom of your screen, navigate to ‘Elements’, then tap ‘Chart Title’, and align it as you like.
- To finally edit the name of your chart’s title, tap the chart where it reads ‘Chart Title’, delete this text and enter your own.
And there you have it! Whether on mobile or PC, our simple tutorials can guide you through every step of the process of adding a title to a chart in Microsoft Excel.
For any additional info, tips, or tricks, please see our FAQs below.
Frequently asked questions
Why would I want to add a title to a chart in Excel?
Excel is the world’s premier application for finance and accounting (both personal and business), as well as calendar planning and data entry. It’s also utilized by scores of people to create eye-catching and engaging presentations (printed or virtual), with which to educate and inform.
One of the best ways of grabbing your audience’s attention through Excel is with the inclusion of some relevant and neatly organized charts – since many people are visual learners, it helps to be able to see the visual representation of figures and statistics, rather than simply being presented with the raw data.
However, what is a chart without a title? Confusing, is what it is. Adding a title to your Excel charts not only helps keep you, the presenter and coordinator of this information, on track, but also acts as a clear signpost to anyone else interacting with it as to what the data included on it represents.
Can I alter the title of the chart at a later date?
You most certainly can. The title of the chart can be altered and edited as often as you like. You don’t even have to have a title. It is perfectly easy to ‘hide’ the displayed title if you like, so long as you’re sure it’s sensible to do so.
Moreover, you can edit the positioning of the title, too. Via the same set of navigation tools by which you set and change the title, you can move it around the chart. Alternatively, just drag and drop the title anywhere you like within the chart parameters.
Can I delete the title of the chart at a later date?
Yes, absolutely. If you don’t want there to be any title, you can delete it with no problem. However, it might be more sensible just to ‘hide’ it, so that you don’t forget what it is the chart represents when you come back to it days, weeks, months later only to find there’s no title attached to it.
