The default settings for bar chart in Excel mean that they appear on your charts with a lot of space between them. This default setting is sometimes not the look we want for our charts in particular if we want to compare the bars against each other. To have them appear closer together or of a thicker width would be better. It also will reduce wasted white space on the charts. It’s easy to do this in Excel.
- Right Click on the bars
- Format data series
- Series Options
- Gap
- You will see a slider
- Slide left or right to change the % width between your bars
This will adjust the width of your bars making them closer together or further apart.
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Amy Toney says
Hi Barb,
Excel is automatically formatting the width of the bars in my chart. Is there a way to cutomize that? I tried to use your “Gap” tip, but that didn’t work. AMY
Barbara says
Hi Amy
What version of Excel are you using
Barbara
JJ says
I had this problem when trying to plot data with an x-axis with dates and data only weekly or monthly. Try formatting the x-axis “Axis Type” as a “Text axis.” For more quick details, see this wonderful solution:
http://projectwoman.com/2011/06/help-my-excel-chart-columns-are-too-skinny.html
Bill says
This did the trick for me when the article’s trick did not. Thanks very much for posting!
Pradip Koparde says
Thanks To barb
i getting help form this site for ms-excel
Protocoder says
Dear Barbara
Thank you for your time and I really appreciate your help. I am here to see if I can reduce the gap between each column but keeping the width of the column same. Thanks in Advance.