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The Format dialog box appears
for the object you selected.
Here, it is the Format Chart
Title dialog box.
4
Click a tab.
5
Change the formatting
options.
6
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to set
other formatting options.
7
Click Close.

Excel applies the formatting.
Format Chart Elements Using the
Format Dialog Box
1
Click the chart element you
want to format.
2
Click the Format tab.

Click the Format tab.
3
Use the Ribbon controls to
change the formatting options.
Note: Not all of the Ribbon
controls will be available for each
chart element.

Excel applies the formatting.
Format Chart Elements Using the
Ribbon
1
Click the chart element you
want to format.
Are there any formatting shortcuts I can use?
Yes. Excel offers several methods you can use to
quickly open the Format dialog box. If you are
using your mouse, position
over the element
you want to format, and then double-click. From
the keyboard, first click the chart element you
want to format and then press
+ . You can
also right-click the chart element and then click
Format Element (where Element is the name of
the element).
How do I know where to click to
select a chart element?
The easiest way to be sure you are clicking
the correct element is to position

apply.
Customize a Chart Element Background
You can add visual interest to a chart element
by customizing the element’s background, or
what Excel calls the fill.
Most fills consist of a single color, but you can
also apply a color gradient, a texture, or even a
picture. However, you should be careful about
the background you choose for certain chart
elements. Since some chart elements —
particularly the chart area, plot area, value axis,
and category axis — display data, be sure to
choose a background that does not make that
data difficult to read.
Customize a Chart
Element Background
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Formatting Excel Charts
CHAPTER
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you selected.
Apply a Gradient Fill
1
Click the chart element you
want to format.
2
Click the Format tab.
3
Click the Shape Fill .
4
Click Gradient.
5
Click the gradient you want to
apply.
•
Excel formats the element’s
background with the gradient
you selected.
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