Changing the Default Chart Type

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 20, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Word includes a program called Microsoft Graph that allows you to quickly and easily create graphs from simple data. If you find yourself working primarily with a specific type of data, and presenting that data in the same way most of the time, you may want to change the default chart type used by Microsoft Graph. When you first install Microsoft Graph, the default type of chart is a column chart. If you want your default to be a pie chart, for instance, you can follow these steps:

Choose Chart Type from the Chart menu. Microsoft Graph displays the Chart Type dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Chart Type dialog box

Click on Pie in the list of Chart Types, at the left of the dialog box.
In the right side of the dialog box, select one of the six pie chart subtypes.
Click on the Set As Default Chart button at the bottom of the dialog box. Microsoft Graph displays a dialog box asking you to confirm your action.
Click on Yes. Your default chart type is now set.
Click on Cancel to close the Chart Type dialog box.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (682) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Reversing Cell Contents

Macros are great at working with text. This tip presents an example that shows this versatility by reversing the contents ...

Discover More

Concatenating Values from a Variable Number of Cells

Excel makes it easy to concatenate (or combine) different values into a single cell. If you need to combine a different ...

Discover More

Selective Formatting using Find and Replace

The Find and Replace tool in Word allows you to search for formatting and alter it in your replacement text. What it ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

Starting Microsoft Graph

Microsoft Graph is a simplistic graphic tool that you can use to quickly add graphs to your document. Here's how to start ...

Discover More

Adding Titles to a Chart

Adding titles to either an axis or the chart as a whole can make your data easier to understand. Here's how to add this ...

Discover More

Editing the Color Palette in Chart

Microsoft Chart uses a palette from which it pulls the colors it uses. Learn how to change the palette.

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is four more than 4?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.