Charts are an eloquent way to illustrate data. The colors of the charts make it easier to understand and interpret them. So, it is essential to color the charts properly. In this article, we will show how to change color of one line in Excel chart.
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3 Handy Ways to Change Color of One Line in Excel Chart
In this article, we will talk about how to change the color of one line in an Excel chart in three different ways. Firstly, we will right-click on the chart to change its color. Secondly, we will use the Format Data Series command. Finally, we will utilize the Change Colors option to change the color of one line in an Excel chart. For the illustration, we will use the data set and the corresponding line chart below.
1. Applying Righ-Click on Line Chart
In this method, we will right-click on a particular chart and then one by one apply the commands to change its color. This is the easiest way to change the color of a particular line in a chart.
Steps:
- Firstly, right-click on one of the lines.
- Then, click on the Fill option.
- After that, from the available color, select the color that suits your test.
- Again, from the options select the Outline option.
- Then, select the same color as the fill color that was chosen previously.
- Consequently, we will see that the color of the line is changed accordingly.
Read More: How to Apply Multiple Colors in Excel Chart Background (3 Ways)
2. Using Format Data Series Command
In this illustration, we will use the most popular way to change the color of one line in an Excel chart. We will make use of the Format Data Series command here. This will allow us to easily change the color of one line in the Excel chart.
Steps:
- To start with, right-click on one of the line charts.
- Then, from the available options, select the Format Data Series command.
- Consequently, we will have a command panel to the right.
- From there, firstly tick the Solid Line option.
- Then, click on the Color option.
- Finally, from the drop-down options, select a color for the line.
- As a result, the color of the line will be altered.
Read More: How to Copy Chart Without Source Data and Retain Formatting in Excel
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3. Utilizing Change Colors Option
In this final method, we will alter the color of a line in a chart by using the Change Colors option. This method is applicable for multiple lines as well. However, one cannot change the colors of multiple lines individually. Rather, a color palette will be assigned to the set of lines. In this example, we will use a single-line chart.
Steps:
- Firstly, select the line on the chart.
- Secondly, go to the Chart Design tab.
- From that tab, select the Change Colors option.
- After that, select any color palette from the available options.
- Consequently, we will find the color of the line altered.
Read More: How to Change Chart Style in Excel (with Easy Steps)
How to Add Dotted Line in Excel Graph
Users often resort to dotted lines to represent their dataset. This sets the data apart from the other data. This also helps to predict the future trend in data. In this method, we will see an easy way to add a dotted line in an Excel graph.
Steps:
- To start with, right-click on a line on the chart.
- Then, from the available options select the Format Data Series command.
- After that, select the Fill & Line option.
- Then, select the Dash Line option.
- Finally, from the drop-down menu select any of the dashed lines.
- As a result, we will see that a dotted line will be plotted in the chart.
Read More: How to Make a Graph or Chart in Excel (Complete Video Guide)
Changing Graph Line Color Based on Value in Excel
Plotting data will be more visible if the data values are assigned different colors. This will also make the data easier to interpret. To do that, we will need to arrange our data in a specific way. Here is a sample dataset. Here, we have arranged the sales quantity over the years by season. A close look at the chart will show that we put data in the specific months according to the season and left the rest of the cells blank.
Steps:
- Firstly, select the dataset.
- Secondly, go to the Insert tab.
- Thirdly, from the Charts option, select the Recommended Charts command.
- Then, in the Insert chart dialogue box, first, select the Stacked Column chart.
- Finally, click OK.
- Consequently, we will have a chart where values of a particular season have a particular color.
Read More: How to Change Chart Color Based on Value in Excel (2 Methods)
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed three ways to change the color of one line in an Excel chart. This will allow users to present their data more eloquently and make it easier for readers to interpret as well.
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