How to Extend a Chart in Excel

Adding new data to an Excel chart you’ve already created shouldn't feel like starting over. You've got your new weekly sales numbers or the latest month's website traffic, and you just want the chart to reflect it without a fuss. This guide will walk you through several simple methods for extending your chart to include new data, from a quick drag-and-drop to a pro-level technique that automates the process completely.

The Quick Resizer: A Simple Drag-and-Drop

The fastest way to add new, adjacent data to a chart is by simply dragging the data range handles. If your new data is in a row or column right next to your original data, this method works beautifully and takes only a few seconds.

Here’s how to do it:

Select Your Chart: Click anywhere on your chart. When you do, Excel will highlight the source data in your spreadsheet, usually with colored borders around the cells.
Find the Corner Handle: Look at the corner of the highlighted data range. You’ll see a small, blue, draggable handle (a tiny square).
Click and Drag: Hover your mouse over that corner handle until your cursor changes to a diagonal two-sided arrow. Click and drag the handle to expand the selection to include your new rows or columns.
Release: Once you release the mouse button, Excel immediately updates the chart to include the new data.

This is perfect for quick updates where you're just adding a new month or another week to an existing dataset. Bear in mind, this only works well when the data you're adding is directly next to the existing data already in the chart.

The 'Select Data Source' Method: More Control and Precision

When the drag-and-drop method doesn't work, or when you need a bit more control over what data is being included, the Select Data Source menu is your best friend. This lets you manually tell Excel exactly which cells to include.

Adjusting the Entire Chart Data Range

If you want to redefine the entire dataset powering your chart, you can do it with just a few clicks.

Open the Menu: Right-click on your chart and choose "Select Data..." from the context menu. Alternatively, click the chart, go to the Chart Design tab in the ribbon, and click Select Data.
Define the Range: A dialog box will appear. At the very top, you’ll see the "Chart data range" field with a cell reference like 'Sheet1'!$A$1:$B$12.
Update the Range: You can either manually edit the cell reference in this box or, more easily, click the small icon next to the field that looks like a spreadsheet. This minimizes the dialog box and lets you click and drag over the new range on your sheet — including the original data plus anything you need to add. Once selected, hit Enter.
Confirm Your Changes: Excel will show a preview of your new chart in the dialog box. If it looks correct, click "OK," and your chart will update.

Adding a New Data Series

Perhaps you don't just want to add more data points, you want to add an entirely new category to compare. For example, maybe your chart shows sales for "Product A," and now you want to show "Product A" vs. "Product B." You can add "Product B" as a new series.

Open the Menu: Right-click the chart and once again, pick "Select Data...".
Add a New Series: On the left side, under "Legend Entries (Series)", click the "Add" button.
Define the Series Name: The Edit Series dialog will pop up. For the Series name, click the cell that contains the name of your new data set (e.g., the cell with "Product B").
Define the Series Values: Clear any default content from the Series values field. Then, select all of the data values for the new series in your spreadsheet.
Hit OK: Once you press "OK," the new series will be added to your chart alongside the originals. You can use the buttons in this dialog box to add, edit, or remove data series as needed until your chart looks just right.

The Pro Move: Using Excel Tables for Auto-Updating Charts

While the previous two methods work well for one-off updates, they're still manual. Each time you add new data, you have to remember to resize or edit your chart's data source. There's a much better way: Excel Tables.

When you format your data source as an official Excel Table, any chart based on that table will automatically update itself whenever you add or remove rows or columns. It's truly a "set it and forget it" approach.

If you've already created your chart from a regular range, here's how to convert it to the table/auto-updating method.

Convert Your Data to a Table: Select all of your current data, including the headers. Then, go to the Insert tab and click Table, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + T.
A small window will appear. Make sure the checkbox for "My table has headers" is checked, and then click "OK".

Your data now looks different – it will have alternating row colors and filter dropdowns in the headers. That's a sign that you've successfully created a table.

Link Your Chart to the Table: Click on your chart, and open the Select Data menu again. In the "Chart data range" field, the reference should now include the table name instead of a cell range. Press Enter to confirm.

Now, your chart is directly connected to the table, so it will automatically update any time you add new data. There's no more manual dragging or updating needed. It just works!

Final Thoughts

Keep your Excel charts dynamic and complete by utilizing these methods. Whether you're comfortable with a quick drag to resize or want to take advantage of Excel Tables for automation, these options can keep your charts up-to-date and visually compelling. Leveraging tools like Excel Tables ensures that your data presentation adapts as your datasets grow, without constant manual intervention.

If you're frequently working with data and charts, adopting these techniques will save time and ensure accuracy, allowing you to focus on more critical analysis work.

Try out these methods with your projects and see how much easier managing your charts can become. With a bit of initial setup, you’ll find yourself spending less time maintaining charts and more time interpreting their insights.

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