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Scott Cox's avatar
Scott Cox
Brass Contributor
Aug 03, 2017

Line charts: Moving the legends next to the line

When I create a line chart in Excel, how can I get the legends moved from a single spot on the graph where Excel places them by default to a place next to the requiste line for easier identification?

  • With data labels you may simplify the procedure. Click on line, it shows you data points, when click on one point (other ones wan't be shown) and from right click Add data label

     

    Into the box which appears you may put any text and format it as you want

     

    If you have data labels initially just format the data label for one of points on your choice.

  • Hi Scott, You can actually select/activate the legend and drag it using mouse to the desired location on the chart. Thanks :) Balakrishna
    • Yes, but that's not possible to move individual element of the legend to proper place. You may sort elements, but you can't remove line sign or edit the legend text. Quite limited possibilities.

    • Deleted's avatar
      Deleted
      If it's a line chart with single line then mouse drag should help.
      If more than one line in the line chart, display the data labels, then in the data label options use "series name" instead of "values", then remove the undesired data labels retaining only the one you need.
      • Scott Cox's avatar
        Scott Cox
        Brass Contributor

        Yep.  I was afraid of that.  I'm pretty sure that you could do this in a previous version of Excel.  It's very limiting.  The legend colors tend to blur on print outs and it's hard to associate them with the appropriate line.

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