Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 2, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Most people who create charts with Excel don't know that you can change just about everything that controls how the chart appears. One of the things you can easily change is the pattern used to denote a chart's axis. By default, Excel normally uses a solid line for an axis. If you want to change the pattern used by Excel, follow these steps if you are using Excel 2007 or Excel 2010:
Figure 1. The Format Axis dialog box.
If you are using Excel 2013 or a later version, then the steps are slightly different:
Figure 2. The Format Axis task pane.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6134) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Formatting Axis Patterns.
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