how to add x and y axis labels in excel

How to Add Axis Labels in Excel

Written by co-founder Kasper Langmann, Microsoft Office Specialist.

Axis labels make Excel charts easier to understand .

Microsoft Excel, a powerful spreadsheet software, allows you to store data , make calculations on it, and create stunning graphs and charts out of your data.

And on those charts where axes are used, the only chart elements that are present, by default, include:

Axes
Chart Title
Grid lines

You will have to manually add axis titles or labels on the chart.

In this article, we'll show you how you can easily add axis labels to a chart.

Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of Spreadsheeto

*This tutorial is for Excel 2019/Microsoft 365 (for Windows). Got a different version? No problem, you can still follow the exact same steps.

Get your FREE exercise file

Before you start:

Throughout this guide, you need a data set to practice.

I've included one for you (for free).

Download it right below!

Download the FREE Exercise File

The default chart elements

Let's say we have this "Monthly Pageviews" line chart:

As you have noticed, the only chart elements you can see are:

Chart Title
Axes
Grid lines

If you would like to check what chart elements are present, simply click the chart and click the plus (+) icon found on the upper-right side:

How to add axis titles

Here's how easy and quick it is to add axis titles:

Now, let's break down what just happened.

First off, you have to click the chart and click the plus (+) icon on the upper-right side.

Then, check the tickbox for 'Axis Titles' .

If you would only like to add a title/label for one axis (horizontal or vertical), click the right arrow beside 'Axis Titles' and select which axis you would like to add a title/label.

Editing the Axis Titles

After adding the label, you would have to rename them yourself.

There are two ways you can go about this:

Manually retype the titles
Use the formula bar

If you notice in the video at the start of the previous section, the titles weren't retyped.

To save yourself from the unnecessary effort, use a simple reference from the axis title to the cell which contains the text value of that title.

Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of Spreadsheeto

Here are the steps:

Click the axis title on the chart
Use the equal (=) sign on the formula bar
Click the cell with the appropriate axis title
Press 'Enter'

Wrapping things up…

Adding axis titles in Excel is easier and quicker than inserting a chart. You could literally do it in about 5 seconds!

If you don't have a chart of your own and you would like to practice, feel free to download the worksheet with the chart that we're using in this tutorial.

Kasper Langmann, Co-founder of Spreadsheeto

Kasper Langmann 2021-07-02T08:48:14+00:00