A chart legend appears by default when you first create a chart. For most charts, legends show the names and colors of each series of data. The legend text is taken from the chart's data range.
To add or move a legend:
- Right-click on the chart to bring up the context menu.
- Choose Legend. The Format Legend dialog box will appear.
- Choose the Options tab, shown below.
- Click Apply to see your changes or OK to accept your changes.
You may also move a legend by clicking and dragging. For information, see Moving Chart Elements.
You may size the legend by selecting it and dragging its selection handles. Making a legend longer adds extra space between the lines of text. Making it shorter cuts off lines of text. Making a legend wider will arrange the legend text in multiple columns. Shrinking the legend too far may cut off some of the legend's text.
By default, the legend text is taken from the chart's data range. You cannot select the legend text and edit it directly in the legend. Instead, you change the text in the cells on the chart's data range that correspond to the legend entries. The legend will automatically be updated to reflect the data range changes. For information, see Headings in the Data Range and Editing Cells in the Data Range.
There are other, more complicated ways to automatically change what appears in the legend. For information, see Changing Chart's Data Source for Series and Headings and Automatically Varying Data Point Colors.
FAQs
A chart legend appears by default when you first create a chart. For most charts, legends show the names and colors of each series of data. The legend text is taken from the chart's data range.
Where to put chart legends? ›
Legends should be placed below or to the right to a data visualization, depending on the type of data being labeled and the available space surrounding the data visualization. When a large set of values exist ensure the legend is placed on the right of the chart.
Why are legends important in charts? ›
In a chart/graph, there may be multiple datasets plotted. To distinguish among various datasets plotted in the same chart, legends are used. Legends can be different colors/patterns assigned to different specific datasets. The legends are shown in a corner of a chart/graph.
When should your chart have a legend? ›
You should include a legend in your chart whenever it helps your audience understand the data better by clarifying categories, data series, or types of data points and when representing complex or multi-dimensional data.
Which information can you find in the chart legend? ›
The chart legend displays the list of the chart variables, which represents a set of statistics displayed in accordance with the defined chart's additional details settings.
What does a chart legend do? ›
Most charts use some kind of a legend to help readers understand the charted data. Whenever you create a chart in Excel, a legend for the chart is automatically generated at the same time.
What does the legend of a chart stand for? ›
A chart legend appears by default when you first create a chart. For most charts, legends show the names and colors of each series of data. The legend text is taken from the chart's data range.
Should legends be at the top or bottom? ›
Ideally, the legend should be close to the data it's describing. For example, if we're looking at a bar chart, you could put the legend either above or below the bars or even alongside the chart. For a map, you could place it near the geographical data, such as in a corner or along the side.
Does every graph need a legend? ›
Answer. If your graph has more than one line, then you should always include a legend. Graphs should try to be self-explanatory, and provide enough information that someone unfamiliar with it, can look at it and understand what the data represents and what each line is describing.
How to design a good legend? ›
Legends should be intuitive to understand. If a chart presents color in a certain order, its legend should mirror that order. In other use cases (e.g., a line chart), use another meaningful order, such as the last values or the average of all values.
Click the chart, and then click the Chart Design tab. Click Add Chart Element > Legend. To change the position of the legend, choose Right, Top, Left, or Bottom. To change the format of the legend, click More Legend Options, and then make the format changes that you want.
Where to put table legends? ›
Table legends (also called “table titles”) will almost always be quite short and be placed above the table. Any detailed information is given below the table, in the footnote. For submission, tables usually are placed at the end of the manuscript following the figure legends page, with one table per page.
Is a legend always necessary? ›
Legends rely on visual association, which can make a chart more difficult to understand. Your chart doesn't need a legend if it only presents one data category. Only use a legend if you can't safely assume there will be enough space to apply labels directly. Use clear language and avoid acronyms in legends.
How do you sort a legend in a chart? ›
Under Chart Tools, on the Design tab, in the Data group, click Select Data. In the Select Data Source dialog box, in the Legend Entries (Series) box, click the data series that you want to change the order of. Click the Move Up or Move Down arrows to move the data series to the position that you want.
What is the key or legend on a graph? ›
But nowadays, key and legend are used interchangeably to mean the same thing, and because common usage should always be your guide, you can use either too. I'm going to use key just because I prefer the unlocking metaphor - reading it reveals the chart's meaning.
What is the legend function on a graph? ›
legend() function in R Programming Language is used to add legends to an existing Plot. A legend is defined as an area of the graph plot describing each of the parts of the plot. The legend plot is used to show statistical data in graphical form.
Where is the best place to put a legend on a map? ›
Legend placement
Often legends are included in boxes to one side or bottom of the map. However, this doesn't have to be the case. Legends can just be placed in white space around your main map figure without a bounding box. Either way, the legend should be placed such that the map layout appears balanced.
Do legends go above or below graphs? ›
Place captions below the figure. Figures can be presented as graphs, images or schematic diagrams and are usually read from bottom up. Use titles for both figures and graphs in oral presentation slides and posters.
Where does the legend go on a graph? ›
The legend of a graph reflects the data displayed in the graph's Y-axis, also called the graph series. This is the data that comes from the columns of the corresponding grid report, and usually represents metrics. A graph legend generally appears as a box to the right or left of your graph.
