The fastest way to change a chart style
Right-click the chart itself, then click Change Chart Type. A panel opens on the right side of your screen showing style options — pick the one you want and click it. The chart updates when ready. That is the quickest route if you want a different chart shape, like switching from a bar chart to a line chart.
If you want to keep the same chart type but change colors, fonts, or the overall look, use the Chart Design tab instead. Click the chart once to select it, then look for Chart Design in the ribbon at the top. Click it, and you will see preset style options in a row — hover over each one to preview it on your chart, then click the one you want.
Both methods work on charts you have already created. Neither one deletes your data or changes what the chart measures — they only change how it looks.
Key Takeaways
- Right-click a chart and select Change Chart Type to switch between chart shapes like bar, line, pie, or scatter.
- Use the Chart Design tab in the ribbon to explore preset color and style schemes without changing the chart type.
- Hover over a style option to see a live preview on your chart before you commit to it.
- The Format tab lets you customize individual elements like axis labels, titles, and legend position if the preset styles do not match what you need.
Switching between chart types with Change Chart Type
When you right-click a chart and choose Change Chart Type, a panel appears on the right side showing all the chart types Excel offers: column, bar, line, pie, area, scatter, stock, surface, radar, and combo. Click the type you want, and Excel shows you the subtypes available within that category. For example, if you click Column, you can choose between clustered columns, stacked columns, or 100% stacked columns.
The chart updates as soon as you click a subtype. Your original data stays the same — only the visual shape changes. This is useful when your data would tell a clearer story in a different format. A line chart, for instance, shows trends over time better than a bar chart does. A pie chart works well for showing parts of a whole, but a bar chart is easier to read if you have many categories.
If you change your mind, you can undo the change by pressing Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) or by clicking the undo arrow in the top left corner of Excel.
Using Chart Design to explore preset styles
The Chart Design tab is where you go if you want to keep your chart type but change its appearance. Click the chart once to select it, then look at the ribbon at the top of your screen. You should see a Chart Design tab appear. Click it, and you will see a row of preset styles — each one has a different color scheme and font treatment.
Hover your mouse over any style to see a live preview of how your chart will look with that style applied. This preview appears on the chart itself, so you can see the change before you click. Once you find one you like, click it, and the style applies when ready. The styles are numbered, so if you want to go back to a style you saw earlier, you can hover over them again to find it.
These preset styles are designed to work well together — the colors contrast clearly, the fonts are readable, and the overall look is professional. If none of them match what you need, you can customize individual elements using the Format tab instead.
Customizing colors and fonts with the Format tab
The Format tab appears in the ribbon when a chart is selected. It lets you change specific parts of the chart — the title, the legend, the axis labels, the gridlines, and the data series itself. Click the part of the chart you want to change, then use the Format tab to adjust its color, font, size, or other properties.
For example, to change the color of the bars in a bar chart, click one of the bars to select the entire data series, then right-click and choose Format Data Series. A panel opens where you can pick a new color, adjust transparency, or add a pattern. To change the title font, click the title text, then use the font options in the Format tab or right-click and choose Format Chart Title.
This approach takes longer than using a preset style, but it gives you complete control. You can mix and match — start with a preset style you mostly like, then tweak the parts that do not quite fit your needs.
Moving and resizing chart elements
Once you have the style you want, you may need to move the legend, reposition the title, or adjust the size of the plot area. Click the element you want to move — the legend, for instance — and drag it to a new location. The legend can sit to the right, left, top, or bottom of the chart, or you can remove it entirely by right-clicking it and choosing Delete.
To resize the entire chart, click it once to select it, then drag one of the corner handles outward to make it larger or inward to make it smaller. Dragging a corner handle keeps the chart proportional. If you drag a side or top handle, you can stretch it in one direction only.
These changes are separate from the style — moving the legend or resizing the chart does not affect the colors or fonts you chose. You can adjust the layout as many times as you need without losing your style choices.
Saving a custom style for reuse
If you create a chart style you like and want to use it again on other charts, you can save it as a template. Right-click the chart, choose Save as Template, give it a name, and click Save. Excel stores the template in a folder on your computer.
The next time you create a new chart, you can explore that template when ready. When you open the Change Chart Type panel, you will see a Templates section at the top showing any templates you have saved. Click the one you want, and the new chart takes on all the formatting you saved — colors, fonts, legend position, and all.
This is especially useful if you create charts regularly for reports or presentations and want them to look consistent. Instead of customizing each chart from scratch, you can explore your saved template in seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a style change?
Yes. Press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) when ready after making the change, or click the undo arrow in the top left corner of Excel. You can undo multiple steps if you need to go back further.
What if I want different colors than the preset styles offer?
Right-click the data series (the bars, line, or points in your chart) and choose Format Data Series. A panel opens where you can pick any color you want from a color picker, adjust transparency, or add a gradient or pattern.
Can I change the style of just one part of the chart?
Yes. Click the specific element you want to change — a single bar, the title, the legend, or the axis labels — then right-click and choose the format option for that element. Changes you make to one element do not affect the rest of the chart.
Do chart styles work the same way in older versions of Excel?
The ribbon layout and tab names may differ slightly in Excel 2010 or earlier, but the basic process is the same: right-click the chart to access chart type options, and look for design or format tabs to change colors and fonts. If you cannot find a tab, check the menus at the top of the screen.
What happens to my data when I change the chart style?
Your data does not change at all. Changing the style only changes how the chart looks — the colors, fonts, and layout. The numbers and values the chart displays stay exactly the same.