How to Rotate Text in an Excel Chart (2 Methods)

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If you are searching for some special tricks to rotate text, you are in the perfect place. In Microsoft Excel, there are numerous ways to rotate text in an Excel chart. In this article, we’ll discuss two methods to rotate text in an Excel chart. Let’s follow the complete guide to learn all of this.


How to Rotate Text in an Excel Chart: 2 Methods

Here, we have an Excel chart of sales quantity containing months on the X-axis and the value of sales quantity on the Y-axis. Now we want to rotate the text.Rotate Text in an Excel Chart


1. Changing the Orientation of Text in an Excel Chart

To rotate the text of the X-axis in the following, you have to follow the following steps.

Steps:

  • Firstly, select the text on the X-axis.

Changing the Orientation of Text in Excel Chart

  • Select Home, then click on Then select an option. Here, we select the Angle Counterclockwise option. As a result, the X-axis text will rotate counterclockwise.

click on Counterclockwise to Rotate Text in an Excel Chart

Result:

Finally, you will get the output like the following.

get the Rotate Text in an Excel Chart

Read More: How to Add Subscript in Excel Graph


2. Using Format Axis to Rotate Text in an Excel Chart

Here, we demonstrate another method to rotate text in an Excel chart. In this method, we have two ways to rotate text by using Format Axis. Now I am going to describe the whole process in the following section.


2.1 Selecting Text Options to Rotate Text in an Excel Chart

Steps:

  • Firstly, select the text on the X-axis. Then right-click and select Format Axis.

Selecting Text Options to Rotate Text in Excel Chart

  • When the Format Axis dialogue box appears, you have to select Text options.
  • Next, select the Text Box.
  • Then select Text direction and select any of the options.
  • Here, I am going to select Rotate all text 900. As a result, you will see that the text of the X-axis will rotate 900 in the clockwise direction.

rotate all text by 90 degree

Finally, you will get the desired output like the following.

get the Rotate Text in an Excel Chart

Rotate by selecting Custom Angle

You can also do this by selecting Custom Angle. For this purpose, you have to follow the following steps.

  • Firstly, select the X-axis text. Then right-click and select Format Axis.

Rotate by selecting Custom Angle

  • Then select Format Axis > Text Options > Text Box and finally select Custom angle and enter your desired angle.
  • Here we enter 300. As a consequence, you will see that the text of the X-axis will rotate 300 in the clockwise direction.

Result:

Finally, you will get the following desired output.

show the Rotate Text in an Excel Chart


2.2 Selecting Axis Options Rotate Text in an Excel Chart

To rotate text by selecting Axis options, you have to follow the following steps.

Steps:

  • Firstly, select the text on the X-axis. Then right-click and select Format Axis.

By Selecting Axis Options Rotate Text in Excel Chart

  • Once the Format Axis dialogue box appears, you have to select Axis options.
  • Next, select the Alignment.
  • Then select Text direction and select any of the options.
  • Now, I am going to select Rotate all text 900. As a result, you will see that the output of the X-axis will rotate 900 in the clockwise direction.

Finally, you will get the following output.

show the output

Rotate by Selecting a Custom Angle

You can also rotate your text by selecting Custom Angle. For this purpose, you have to follow the following steps.

  • Firstly, select the X-axis text. Then right-click and select Format Axis.

Rotate by Selecting a Custom Angle

  • After that, select Format Axis > Axis Options > Text Box and finally select Custom angle and enter your desired angle.
  • Here we enter 450. As a consequence, you will see that the output of the X-axis will rotate  450 in the clockwise direction.

Result:

Finally, you will get the following desired output.

get the Rotate Text in an Excel Chart

Read More: How to Change Text Direction in Excel Chart 


Download Practice Workbook

Download this practice workbook to exercise while you are reading this article.


Conclusion

That’s the end of today’s session. I strongly believe from now you may rotate text in an Excel chart. If you have any queries or recommendations, please share them in the comments section below.

Keep learning new methods and keep growing!


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Saquib Ahmad Shuvo
Saquib Ahmad Shuvo

Welcome to my Profile. I am working on and researching Microsoft Excel right now, and I will be posting articles about it here. I received a B.Sc. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). Having studied naval architecture, I have a strong interest in research and development. Always try to learn from different sources and come up with creative solutions.

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