How to Make a Graph in Microsoft Word

By Filonia LeChat

Add displays of data to your Word documents.
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Microsoft Word 2013 not only lets you type and format text for documents, but includes graphic elements to transform that text into images that help your readers really visualize your writing. To add graphs into your files, step through a custom chart maker that displays information, without you having to open another software program. Charts are available for varieties of data, from single-plot points to multi-line scatters and bars.

Step 1

Click the “Insert” tab, then click the “Chart” button on the Illustrations section to open the “Insert Chart” pop-up window.

Step 2

Select the type of graph to add to the document, such as a pie chart or bar graph. Click the options, which vary per graph, such as a 2-D or 3-D look.

Step 3

Click “OK” and Word adds a chart with generic data points to the document. Note that the “Chart in Microsoft Word” window opens, too, which is actually a window to Microsoft Excel.

Step 4

Edit the generic data points in the “Chart in Microsoft Word” window with your real data for the graph. You can paste in the window or type the data. As you type, Word adjusts the graph to reflect the new data.

Step 5

Edit the other options on the chart, such as the placeholder chart title name and axis names, to meet your document's requirements.

Step 6

Review the options on the green Chart Tools tab and ribbon for additional customization features. This tab only appears when a chart is clicked. If you click off the graph, the ribbon disappears until you click the graph again.

Step 7

Scroll through the chart styles, where you can customize the graph from Word’s default colors, fonts and layout. You can also add options to the chart such as labels and percentages.

Step 8

Close the “Chart in Microsoft Word” window to remove it from the page and return to the Word document. Double-click the chart at any time to re-open it.

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