How to Shade an Area of a Graph in Excel (With Easy Steps)

In this example, we’ll consider a watersports business. They offer the Activity cruise, Nature cruise, and Sunset cruise. Here, we will analyze the business in 4 Seasons.

Step 1 – Input Data

• Input your necessary information in an Excel worksheet. For this case, we input the Seasons.
• We inserted the total number of people on each cruise in the respective seasons.

Step 2 – Create Minimum and Maximum Columns

• Create a new column named Maximum. We’ll use it to retrieve the maximum number of people from a particular season.
• Select cell F5.
• Insert the formula:

• Press Enter.
• Use the AutoFill tool to complete the column.

• Add a Minimum column.
• Choose cell G5 and insert the formula:

• Press Enter to get the minimum number of people.
• Use AutoFill to fill in the rest.

Read More: How to Create an Area Chart in Excel

Step 3 – Insert a Line Graph

• Select the range B4:G8.
• Go to the Insert tab.
• Click the 2-D Line graph from the Charts section.

• We want to perform a relative analysis of Nature cruise only. Select the other lines (Sunset and Activity) and press Delete.
• You’ll see the Nature cruise series only.

Step 4 – Add the Maximum Line and Format to Shade an Area

• Click on the chart and right-click to open the context menu.
• Click Select Data.

• The Select Data Source dialog box will pop out. In the Legend Entries field, press Add and select the Maximum column.
• Choose the Season column in the Horizontal Axis Labels box.
• Press OK.

• You’ll get the Maximum line.
• Select the line and go to the Insert tab.
• Choose the 2-D Stacked Area chart.

• You’ll see the following figure.

Read More: Excel Stacked Area Chart Change Order

Step 5 – Place the Minimum Line and Shade an Area of a Graph

• Select the chart.
• Go to the Select Data option from the Context Menu.
• In the pop-out dialog box, choose the Minimum column in the Legend Entries.
• Select the Season columns as shown below.
• Press OK.

• You’ll get the below graph. The Minimum series is added to the graph.

• Select the Minimum line.
• Choose the 2-D Area chart as demonstrated below.

• You’ll see the shaded regions.

Read More: Excel Area Chart Data Label Position

Final Output

• Select the Minimum series.
• Choose Format Data Series from the Context Menu.

• This will return the Format Data Series pane. Under the Fill tab, check the circle for Solid Fill.
• Choose the Color White.
• Choose No line in Border.

• You’ll get a clearer graph.

• Select the Gridline and press Delete.
• The lower boundary of the shaded region is the Minimum line. The upper one is the Maximum.
• The Green colored line is our Nature cruise series.

Download the Practice Workbook

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• Excel Stacked Area Chart Negative Values
• Proportional Area Chart Excel
• Smooth Area Chart Excel

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