Change your default chart type in Excel's settings

Excel starts every new chart as a column graph, but you can change that to any chart type you use more often. The setting lives in Excel's Options menu and takes about 30 seconds to change. Once you set it, every chart you create will use your chosen type instead — until you change it again.

This matters for privacy because the chart type you choose affects what data gets visible at a glance. A line graph shows trends over time more clearly than a column chart does. A pie chart makes percentages obvious but hides raw numbers. Changing the default means you are less likely to accept whatever format Excel suggests, and more likely to think about which shape actually shows what you want people to see.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Excel Options from the File menu, then go to Trust Center and Chart Settings to find the default chart type dropdown.
  • You can set any built-in chart type as your default — column, line, pie, bar, area, scatter, or stock charts.
  • The change applies only to new charts you create in Excel; it does not change charts you have already made.
  • If you work in a shared environment, your default setting is personal to your user account and does not affect other people's Excel.

Step-by-step: Windows Excel

Open Excel and go to the File menu in the top left. Click Options at the bottom of the menu. In the Excel Options window, click Trust Center on the left side. Then click the Trust Center Settings button on the right.

In the Trust Center window, click Chart Settings on the left. You will see a dropdown menu labeled Default Chart Type. Click the dropdown and choose the chart type you want — Line, Pie, Bar, Area, Scatter, Stock, or any other option that appears. Click OK to close the Trust Center window, then click OK again to close Excel Options. The next chart you create will use your new default.

Step-by-step: Mac Excel

Open Excel and click the Excel menu at the very top left of your screen. Click Preferences. In the Preferences window, look for Charts and click it. You will see a dropdown for Default Chart Type. Select the type you want and close the window.

Mac Excel does not have a Trust Center menu like Windows does, so the Charts preference is easier to find. Your change takes effect when ready for any new charts you create.

What happens if you change your mind

Changing the default does not lock you into that choice. When you create a new chart, you can still right-click it and select Change Chart Type to pick something different for that one chart. The default just means you start with your preferred type instead of always starting with columns.

If you want to go back to Excel's original default (column charts), follow the same steps and select Column from the dropdown. You can change your default as many times as you want.

Why this matters for the charts you share

The chart type you choose shapes how people read your data. A column chart makes it straightforward to compare values side by side. A line chart makes trends obvious. A pie chart shows parts of a whole, but it is harder to read exact percentages from a pie than from a bar. A scatter plot shows relationships between two variables.

When you change your default to match the type you use most, you are less likely to accept the first format Excel offers. You are more likely to think about whether that format actually shows what you want to communicate. That small friction — having to make a choice instead of just accepting the default — often leads to clearer, more honest charts.

If your Excel is part of a work network

Some workplaces use group policies that lock certain Excel settings across all computers. If you follow these steps and your default chart type does not change, or if it changes back after you restart Excel, your IT department may have frozen that setting. You can ask them to unlock it, or you can change the chart type manually each time you create one.

Your personal default setting does not affect other people on your network. Each person's Excel remembers their own choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set a different default for different types of data?

No. Excel has one default chart type per user account. If you work with both time-series data and categorical data, you will need to choose the type that fits your most common use case, then change individual charts as needed.

Does changing the default affect charts I already made?

No. The default setting only applies to new charts you create after you change it. Charts you made before the change stay in their original format.

What if I want to use a custom chart template instead?

Excel also lets you save a chart as a template and use that template for new charts. This is more powerful than the default setting because your template can include colors, fonts, and axis labels, not just the chart type. Right-click any chart, select Save as Template, give it a name, and then choose it from the Chart Type menu when you create a new chart.

Will this setting move to a different computer if I use Excel on multiple devices?

No. Your default chart type setting is stored on each computer separately. If you use Excel on your work computer and your personal laptop, you will need to set the default on each one.