Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Adding Data Labels to Your Chart.

Adding Data Labels to Your Chart

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated July 2, 2016)

Data labels are used to indicate what the main part of the chart represents. Depending on the type of chart you are creating, data labels can mean quite a bit. For instance, if you are formatting a pie chart, the data can be more difficult to understand if you don't include data labels.

To add data labels in Excel 2007 or Excel 2010, follow these steps:

  1. Activate the chart by clicking on it, if necessary.
  2. Make sure the Layout tab of the ribbon is displayed.
  3. Click the Data Labels tool. Excel displays a number of options that control where your data labels are positioned.
  4. Select the position that best fits where you want your labels to appear.

To add data labels in Excel 2013 or Excel 2016, follow these steps:

  1. Activate the chart by clicking on it, if necessary.
  2. Make sure the Design tab of the ribbon is displayed. (This will appear when the chart is selected.)
  3. Click the Add Chart Element drop-down list.
  4. Select the Data Labels tool. Excel displays a number of options that control where your data labels are positioned.
  5. Select the position that best fits where you want your labels to appear.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6788) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Adding Data Labels to Your Chart.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He  is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Sharing AutoText Entries

AutoText entries can make your writing more productive, if used effectively. Because of this, it can be advantageous for ...

Discover More

Understanding Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes and endnotes are often used in scholarly and formal writing as a way to provide additional information about a ...

Discover More

Creating Long Page Footers

Ever wish that you could create nice, long footers that appear at the bottom of each page when you print your worksheet? ...

Discover More

Save Time and Supercharge Excel! Automate virtually any routine task and save yourself hours, days, maybe even weeks. Then, learn how to make Excel do things you thought were simply impossible! Mastering advanced Excel macros has never been easier. Check out Excel 2010 VBA and Macros today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Reordering the Display of a Data Series

Once you create a chart, you aren't limited to keeping the data series in the order they originally appeared. You can ...

Discover More

Creating Sparklines

Want a cool, small chart to show what your data is doing? You need a sparkline, discussed in this tip.

Discover More

Creating Charts in VBA

Most charts you create in Excel are based on information stored in a worksheet. You can also create charts based on ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight minus 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.