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To add text to a chart that is different from the text in titles (titles in charts: Descriptive text that is automatically aligned to an axis or centered at the top of a chart.) or labels, you can use the Drawing toolbar to draw a text box on the chart. You can also create a new text box that refers to a worksheet cell. With a linked text box, any changes that you make to the worksheet cell will appear in the chart.

What do you want to do?

Draw a text box on a chart

Link a text box to a worksheet cell

Move or resize a text box

Remove a text box

Draw a text box on a 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 which you want to add a text box.
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click Text Box .

   Note  This toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen instead of at the top. If the Drawing toolbar is not visible, point to Toolbars on the View menu, and then click Drawing.

3. Click where you want to start a corner of the text box, and then drag until the text box is the size that you want.
4. In the text box, type the text that you want.

   The text will wrap inside of the text box. To start a new line inside of the text box, press ENTER.

5. When you finish typing, press ESC to cancel editing mode, or click anywhere outside of the text box.

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Link a text box to a worksheet cell

1. On 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 in 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.), click where you want to place the text box in the chart area (chart area: The entire chart and all its elements.).
2. On the Drawing toolbar, click Text Box .

   Note  This toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen instead of at the top. If the Drawing toolbar is not visible, point to Toolbars on the View menu, and then click Drawing.

3. 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 (=).
4. Select the worksheet cell that contains the data or text that you want to display in the text box on the chart.

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

5. Press ENTER.

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Move or resize a text box

1. On 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 in 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.), click the text box that you want to move or resize.
2. Do one of the following:
   • To move the text box, place the cursor on the border so that it turns into a four-headed arrow, and then drag the text box to where you want it.
   • To resize the text box, click any drawing handle, and then drag until the text box is the size that you want.

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Remove a text box

On 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 in 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.), click the border of the text box that you want to delete, and then press DELETE.

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