5 Awesome Excel Chart Shortcuts

Try These Excel Shortcuts to Save Time Creating and Formatting Charts

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated March 9, 2018

Applies to: Microsoft® Excel® 2010, 2013 and 2016 (Windows)

If you create a lot of charts in Excel, you’re probably looking for shortcuts to speed up creation and formatting. The following are some useful shortcuts you can use with Excel charts.

Recommended article: Excel Data Entry Tricks and Shortcuts Every User Should Know

1. Create a new chart on a new sheet

To create a new chart on a new sheet:

1. Select the data you want to use to create a chart.
2. Press F11. Excel creates a chart on a new sheet using the default chart type.

2. Create a new chart on the current sheet

To create a new chart on the current sheet (an embedded chart):

1. Select the data you want to use to create a chart.
2. Press Alt + F1. Excel creates a chart on a new sheet using the default chart type.

3. Select and move an embedded chart

To select and move an embedded chart on a worksheet:

1. Control-click the edge of the chart.
2. Use right, left, up and down arrow keys to move the chart.

4. Display the Formatting task pane or dialog box

To display the Formatting task pane (2013 or 2016) or dialog box (2010):

1. Select an item in a chart.
2. Press Control + 1. A task pane or dialog box appears.

5. Copy formatting from one chart to another

To copy formatting from one embedded chart to another:

1. Select the chart with the formatting you want to copy by Control-clicking on its edge.
2. Press Control + C.
3. Select the chart to which you wish to copy the formatting by Control-clicking on its edge.
4. Press Control + Alt + V. A dialog box appears.
5. Click Formats and then click OK.

Below is the Paste Special dialog box that appears:

To copy formatting from one chart sheet to another:

1. Select the chart with the formatting you want to copy by clicking just inside the page corner. This is equivalent to select all.
2. Press Control + C.
3. Select the chart to which you wish to copy the formatting by clicking just inside the page corner.
4. Press Control + Alt + V. A dialog box appears.
5. Click Formats and then click OK.

Below is the Paste Special dialog box that appears:

You can save a lot of time formatting by copying and pasting formats between charts.

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