Overview
This lecture explains how to quickly change the scale of a graph in Excel to make your charts clearer and easier to read.
Adjusting the Vertical Axis Scale in Excel
- Right-click on the vertical axis (the side with the values) of your Excel graph.
- Select ‘Format Axis’ to open the settings pane on the right side of the screen.
- In ‘Axis Options’, you can modify the bounds (minimum and maximum values) of the axis.
- Adjust the lower (minimum) and upper (maximum) bound values to suit your data (e.g., set upper bound to 160 instead of 400).
- Press Enter after changing the bound to see the update reflected in the graph immediately.
- You can also change the units between tick marks on the vertical axis in the same settings menu.
- Adjust the ‘Major’ units value (e.g., from 20 to 40) to control the spacing between axis values.
- These adjustments help make graphs more readable and tailored to your data presentation needs.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Axis — The horizontal or vertical border of a graph showing values or categories.
- Bounds — The minimum and maximum values displayed on an axis.
- Major Units — The interval between labeled values on an axis.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice adjusting axis bounds and units on an Excel graph.
- Watch additional tutorials on adding or formatting other graph elements in Excel.