How to Make a Pie Chart in Excel

You can chart how many different pies you’ve baked

Pie charts are a common type of data visualization. Pie charts can make it easier for others to understand the data you’re presenting. Each slice of the pie is one component, and the components all add up to the whole pie. In other words, pie charts are most useful when you have data sets that add up to 100%.

Virtually all spreadsheet software offers a way to create pie charts. Today we’ll focus on creating pie charts in Microsoft Excel.

How to Create a Pie Chart in Excel

Microsoft Excel is the gold standard of office spreadsheet software. We’ll be using the desktop application, but you can opt to use the web version. After all, the Microsoft Office suite for the web is available for free! Let’s look at how to create a pie chart from your data in Excel.

You have just created a pie chart! Next we’ll explore adjusting the look and feel of your pie chart.

Formatting Your Pie Chart

Excel offers several ways to format pie charts.

You can change theChart Titleif you like. Excel automatically uses the header of the column where your chart data is stored—in this case, “Poker Winnings.” If you update the text of that column’s header, the pie chart’s title will update automatically. Alternatively, you can double-click on the chart title itself and edit it.

You should also put your data in the right order. Imagine an analog clock superimposed on top of your pie chart. The biggest slice of the pie should begin at 12:00. As you go clockwise around the pie, the slices should get progressively smaller. In order to accomplish this, you need to sort your numerical data from largest to smallest.

Select theHomemenu item. Make sure your cursor is in one of the cells in the column with numerical data. Select theSort & Filterbutton on the ribbon and chooseSort Largest to Smallest.

Your pie chart will automatically update, and now you’re following best practices regarding the order of your data within the pie chart.

Choose your Data Labels. Begin by clicking on the pie chart and selecting the green plus icon to the right of the chart to displayChart Elements.

Now check the box next toData Labels.

Expand the options for Data Labels and then selectMore Options…

That will open the Format Data Labels panel.

How Excel Pie Chart Labels Work

The Format Data Labels panel is where you can choose which labels will appear on your pie chart.

Select the bar graph icon calledLabel Options.

Expand theLabel Optionssection and you’ll see a number of labels you can choose to display on your pie chart.

Here’s how each label option works:

Changing Pie Chart Colors

To change your pie chart color scheme, begin by selecting the pie chart. Then select the paintbrush icon,Chart Styles.

You’ll see two tabs,StyleandColors. Explore the options in both tabs and choose a color scheme you like.If you want to highlight a specific slice of the pie, apply a color to that slice while choosing a shade of gray for all the other slices.

You can select a single slice of the pie by selecting the pie chart and then clicking on the slice you want to format. You can also move the slice you want to highlight slightly away from the center to call attention to it like this:

Changing Pie Chart Type

To change the chart type, select theDesigntab on the ribbon and selectChange Chart Type.

For example, select theDonut Chart.

Now our example pie chart looks like this:

Other Kinds of Charts in Excel

Now that you know the basics of creating a pie chart in Excel, check out our article, “Charting Your Excel Data” to learn more tips and tricks on how to present your data visualizations in clear, compelling ways.

Maggie Marystone is a freelance technology writer, human rights worker, and storyteller based in Chicago.Read Maggie’s Full Bio

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