How to Change Legend in Excel

As an expert in Microsoft Excel, I’m frequently asked about the various functionalities of this powerful tool. One question that often comes up is, “how to change legend in Excel?” The chart legend is an essential element of any graph or chart in Excel, as it provides viewers with the context they need to make sense of the data. Fortunately, changing or customizing the legend in Excel is a simple process that requires just a few steps and a bit of navigation through the software’s interface.

Introduction

The chart legend is an essential feature of any Excel chart. It represents the data series in the chart. Sometimes you might want to change the legend, which is quite a simple process when you know your way around Excel.

How to Change Legend in Excel

Changing the legend in Excel is a task that can be accomplished in just a few simple steps, as shown below:

Step 1: Load your Excel spreadsheet and select the chart

Start by opening your Excel spreadsheet and selecting the chart from which you’d like to change the legend. To select the chart, click on any part of it, and the title bar of the chart should become highlighted.

Step 2: Select the chart elements dropdown

Once the chart is selected, you need to find the ‘Chart Elements’ icon and click on it. It’s usually located just above the upper-right corner of the chart. A dropdown menu will appear once you click on the icon, as shown below:

Step 3: Deselect the default legend

From the dropdown menu, you need to deselect the default legend by clicking on the box next to ‘Legend.’ This action will remove the legend from your chart.

Step 4: Customize the legend

To customize the legend, you need to scroll down to the ‘Legend’ option and select ‘More Legend Options.’

After you click on ‘More Legend Options,’ a new dialog box will appear, giving you several options to customize your chart legend. From this dialog box, you can edit the font, color, and other attributes of the legend. You can even change the position of the legend by using the dropdown list under ‘Legend Position.’

As you can see, changing the legend in Excel is a simple process. Hopefully, this tutorial has provided you with the information you need to customize your chart legend to meet your needs. With these simple steps, you can now create impressive charts that are well-labeled and easy to read!

Tips for Effective Chart Legends

While customizing the charts using Excel, a great legend can provide a great deal of clarity to the graph and enhance the interpretation of data. Below are a few tips for designing an efficient and effective chart legend:

Use a Clear Title

The chart legend’s title should be concise and to the point, providing the viewer with all the necessary information with regards to the content of the chart. If the title isn’t clear or descriptive enough, it may lead to confusion.

Sort Data in an Orderly Manner

It’s essential to sort data in a sensible way that makes it easy for viewers to interpret. In most cases, sorting data in ascending or descending order from the largest to the smallest will make it easy to determine the magnitude of each element.

Use High Contrast Colors

The legend’s text should be easy to read and have high contrast compared to the background color. This makes reading the legend easy, reducing eye strain and enhancing clarity.

Microsoft Excel is an excellent tool for creating simple and complex charts. The legends within these charts help tell a story about the data in the chart. By following these tips for creating effective chart legends, you can create easy-to-read graphs that provide clear information and are visually appealing. With these simple steps, you can master Excel charts like a pro!

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions related to changing or customizing chart legends in Excel:

Q: Can I remove the legend completely from my chart in Excel?

A: Yes, you can remove the chart legend from your chart. To do so, select your chart, click the ‘Chart Elements’ icon, deselect the ‘Legend’ checkbox, and the legend will disappear from your chart.

Q: Can I change the font size and color of the chart legend in Excel?

A: Yes, you can customize the font size and color of the chart legend by selecting the ‘More Legend Options’ from the ‘Chart Elements’ icon’s dropdown menu. Once you’ve clicked on ‘More Legend Options,’ you can modify various parameters, including font size and color.

Q: Can I change the position of the legend on my chart in Excel?

A: Yes, you can adjust the position of the legend on your chart by using the ‘Legend Position’ dropdown list in the ‘More Legend Options’ dialog box.

Q: Can I change the shape of the legend keys in Excel?

A: Unfortunately, no. You cannot modify the shape of the legend keys in Excel. However, you can change the color and size of the keys.

Q: How do I change the name of data series in Excel?

A: To change the name of the data series, select the chart, click the ‘Chart Elements’ icon, and then click on the data series name. You can then modify the name directly in the chart, and the new name will appear in the legend.