A line chart in Excel can be used for comparative analysis between multiple variables and for a visual representation of complex tabular data.
Also read: How to create a pie chart in Excel?
Steps to create a line chart in Excel
This article is a step-by-step tutorial on creating line charts in Excel for tabular data. Let’s get started with this beginner’s guide!
1. Prepare a data set
To begin creating a line chart, you first need tabular data. Let us take an example of tabular data below to learn to create line graphs.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 3 Sample Database](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/sample-database-1.png)
We have a tabular dataset showing the number of trivia contest participation of 5 years under 3 different topics.
Note- Do not give any heading to the column with years in order to avoid getting an uncertain X-axis for the line graph.
2. Set up the line chart in Excel
Let us proceed to create a line graph of this data to understand the behavior visually. Here is how.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 4 Selected Table](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/selected-table.png)
- Select the entire tabular data set.
- Go to the Insert tab.
- Click on the Line or Area Chart icon.
- Select the first option under 2D Line as it is relevant for this data here.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 5 Line Graph Option](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/line-graph-option.png)
You can now find that a line chart has been created for your tabular database by Excel, like this.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 6 Auto-generated Line Chart](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/line-graph-autogenerated.png)
We have renamed the chart title to Trivia Contest Participations to understand what information the chart delivers.
Customizing a line chart
Line charts are completely customizable in Excel. Let us begin customizing a line graph.
1. Viewing or hiding Chart Elements
To view or hide a particular chart element-
- Select anywhere on the chart.
- Click on the plus icon (Chart Elements) at the top right.
- Check the elements you want to view and uncheck the ones you want to hide.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 7 Chart Elements](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/chart-elements.png)
2. Changing legend color
To change the color of indicators or legends of the chart-
- Double-click the legend you want to change the color for.
- A window opens on the right called Format Legend Entry.
- Select paint bucket icon known as Fill & Line.
- Scroll down to Border heading.
- Choose the color you want for that legend in Color.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 8 Legend Color](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/legend-color.png)
Also read: 9 ways to edit legends in Excel
3. Changing style and color of the chart
To change the style and color of a line chart in Excel:
- Click anywhere on the chart.
- Click on the paintbrush icon to choose the style you like under the Style tab and color under the Color tab.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 9 Chart Styles & Color](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/chart-styles.png)
This is how our newly styled line graph looks like now.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 10 Customized Line Graph](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/customized-line-graph.png)
4. Applying Chart Filters
You can choose to view or hide a particular column, row, or value of the table in the line chart. This is possible by applying Chart Filters to a chart, like this-
- Click anywhere on the chart.
- Click on the filter icon on the top right of the chart area.
- To view or hide one or more legends, check the ones you want to view and uncheck the ones you want to hide.
- To view or hide one or more axes, check the ones you want to view and uncheck the ones you want to hide.
- Hit Apply once you’re done.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 11 Chart Filters](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/chart-filters.png)
5. Moving a chart to a different location
In Excel, you can move your charts to a different location such as moving your chart from one sheet to another. Here is how you can move a chart.
![[Beginners Guide] Create a Line Chart in Excel from Scratch 12 Move Chart Window](https://quickexcel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/move-chart-window.png)
- Click on the chart.
- Go to the Design Tab from the top menu bar
- Under Location, press Move Chart.
- A new window opens named Move Chart.
- You can either choose to create a new sheet and move your chart to the new the sheet or select an exisiting sheet to move your chart to.
- Press OK to move your chart.
Conclusion
This was all about creating, customizing, and organizing data in a line chart in Excel. Follow this step-by-step guide to be able to create a perfect line graph from scratch. If you have any doubts about line graphs in Excel, drop a comment below, and we will get back to you with an answer!