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You can add a chart title and axis titles by using the Chart Wizard when you create a chart. If you create a chart without these titles, you can always add them to that chart later. You can also link a chart or axis title by creating a reference to corresponding text in a worksheet (worksheet: The primary document that you use in Excel to store and work with data. Also called a spreadsheet. A worksheet consists of cells that are organized into columns and rows; a worksheet is always stored in a workbook.) cell. A linked title is automatically updated in the chart when changes are made on the worksheet.

For information about creating a chart, see Create a chart.

What do you want to do?

Add a chart or axis title to an existing chart

Link a chart or axis title to a worksheet cell

Edit a chart or axis title

Remove a chart or axis title

Add a chart or axis title to an existing chart

1. Click the chart sheet (chart sheet: A sheet in a workbook that contains only a chart. A chart sheet is beneficial when you want to view a chart or a PivotChart report separately from worksheet data or a PivotTable report.) or the embedded chart (embedded chart: A chart that is placed on a worksheet rather than on a separate chart sheet. Embedded charts are beneficial when you want to view or print a chart or a PivotChart report with its source data or other information in a worksheet.) to select the chart to which you want to add a title (titles in charts: Descriptive text that is automatically aligned to an axis or centered at the top of a chart.).
2. On the Chart menu, click Chart Options.

   Note  The Chart menu is only available when a chart is selected.

3. On the Titles tab, type the text that you want in the appropriate title boxes.

Tips

• To insert a line break in a chart title, or to format the text, click the chart title to enter editing mode.
• To insert a line break, click the chart title to place the cursor where you want to break the line, and then press ENTER.
• To format the text, select the text, and then click Selected Chart Title or Selected Axis Title on the Format menu. On the Font tab, click the formatting options that you want.

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Link a chart or axis title to a worksheet cell

1. On a chart sheet (chart sheet: A sheet in a workbook that contains only a chart. A chart sheet is beneficial when you want to view a chart or a PivotChart report separately from worksheet data or a PivotTable report.) or in an embedded chart (embedded chart: A chart that is placed on a worksheet rather than on a separate chart sheet. Embedded charts are beneficial when you want to view or print a chart or a PivotChart report with its source data or other information in a worksheet.), click the chart or axis title that you want to link.

2. In the formula bar (formula bar: A bar at the top of the Excel window that you use to enter or edit values or formulas in cells or charts. Displays the constant value or formula stored in the active cell.), type an equal sign (=).
3. Select the worksheet cell that contains the data or text that you want to display in your chart.

   Tip  You can also type the reference to the worksheet cell. Include the sheet name, followed by an exclamation point, for example, Sheet1!F2

4. Press ENTER.

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Edit a chart or axis title

1. On a chart sheet (chart sheet: A sheet in a workbook that contains only a chart. A chart sheet is beneficial when you want to view a chart or a PivotChart report separately from worksheet data or a PivotTable report.) or in an embedded chart (embedded chart: A chart that is placed on a worksheet rather than on a separate chart sheet. Embedded charts are beneficial when you want to view or print a chart or a PivotChart report with its source data or other information in a worksheet.), click the chart or axis title to activate it, and then click it again to place the cursor in the text.

   Tip  You can drag to select the text that you want to change.

2. Type the new text.

   Tip  To insert a line break, place the cursor where you want to break the line, and then press ENTER. To format the text, select the text, and then click Selected Chart Title or Selected Axis Title on the Format menu. On the Font tab, click the formatting options that you want.

3. Press ENTER.

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Remove a chart or axis title

• Click the chart or axis title that you want to delete, and then press DELETE.

  Or you can right-click the chart or axis title, and then click Clear.

Tip  You can also remove chart or axis titles immediately after you add them by clicking Undo on the Edit menu, or by pressing CTRL+Z.

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