Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. 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: Styles for Lines, Dashes, and Arrows.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated January 1, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Excel allows you to place many different types of graphics objects within your worksheets. One common type of graphic object is a line or arrow. When you first insert lines or arrows into your worksheet, Excel places them using a thin line. You may want to change the width of the line used, as well as the style of line or arrow.
You make the desired changes by using the tools available on the Format tab of the ribbon. (This tab is visible only after you select the line you previously placed in the worksheet.) Click the Shape Outline option in the Shape Styles group. You'll see a palette that includes the following options:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8887) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Styles for Lines, Dashes, and Arrows.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!
Excel allows you to add comments to individual cells in a worksheet, but what if you want to add comments to graphics? ...
Discover MoreIf you want to create a line in your worksheet that is a specific length and slope, there are a couple of ways you can do ...
Discover MoreNeed to make sure that someone cannot delete a graphic in a worksheet? The ability to protect the graphic depends on ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments