How to Remove a Data Series from a Chart in Excel
Removing a data series you no longer need from an Excel chart is a quick way to clean up your visualization and focus your audience's attention on what truly matters. Whether your data has changed or you simply want to simplify a graph, Excel provides several easy methods to get the job done. This guide will walk you through four distinct methods, from a simple right-click to the powerful Select Data tool, so you can confidently manage your chart data.
Understanding Data Series in Excel Charts
Before we jump into the "how," let's quickly clarify what a "data series" is. A data series is a collection of related data points that are plotted in your chart. Think of it as a single category of information you want to visualize.
For example, imagine you have a spreadsheet tracking monthly sales for two products: "Product A" and "Product B."
In a line chart, the line representing Product A's sales over time is one data series, and the line for Product B is another.
In a bar chart, the set of blue bars representing Product A's monthly sales is one data series, and the set of orange bars for Product B is a second data series.
In a pie chart, each individual slice represents a data point belonging to a single data series.
When you "remove a data series," you are telling Excel to remove all the associated data points for that category from the chart, effectively decluttering your visualization.
Method 1: The Quickest Fix (Right-Click and Delete)
This is often the fastest and most intuitive way to remove a data series, especially when the visual element is easy to select. It works by directly interacting with the chart element you want to get rid of.
Here's the step-by-step process:
Select the Chart: First, click anywhere on your chart to activate it. You'll know it's selected when you see a border appear around its perimeter and the "Chart Design" and "Format" tabs appear in the Excel ribbon.
Select the Data Series: Now, carefully click on the visual representation of the data series you wish to remove. This could be one of the lines in a line graph, one of the bars in a column chart, or a slice in a pie chart. When you click it correctly, Excel will highlight all the points in that series. For instance, if you click one blue bar, all blue bars will be selected.
Pro Tip: Be careful to click only once. A second, slower click will select just a single data point instead of the entire series. If only one point is selected, clicking delete will only remove that specific point, not the whole series. 3. Right-Click and Delete: Right-click on the selected series. A context menu will pop up. From this menu, simply choose "Delete."
Excel will instantly remove the data series, and the chart will readjust automatically. The legend, axes, and remaining data points will all be updated to reflect the change. It's clean, simple, and takes just a few seconds.
When to Use This Method:
This method is perfect for quick, permanent edits where you can clearly see and click on the series you want to eliminate. It's the go-to choice for uncluttered charts.
Method 2: Temporarily Hide Data with Chart Filters
In newer versions of Excel (Excel 2013 and later), Microsoft introduced a handy feature called Chart Filters. This tool allows you to show or hide data interactively without permanently removing it. It's perfect for when you want to temporarily focus on certain data during a presentation and bring the hidden series back later.
Follow these steps:
Select Your Chart: Click on your chart to select it.
Open Chart Filters: When the chart is selected, three small buttons will appear on its upper-right side. Click the funnel-shaped icon, which is the "Chart Filters" button.
Uncheck the Series: A filter pane will open, displaying the series and categories currently in your chart. Under the "Series" section, you'll see a list of every active data series, each with a checkbox next to it.
Deselect the Series to Hide: Simply uncheck the box next to the name of the data series you want to hide. You can uncheck multiple series at once.
Apply the Changes: Once you're happy with the selection, click the "Apply" button at the bottom of the filter pane. The series will disappear from the chart.
The beauty of this method is its non-destructive nature. The removed series isn't gone for good - it's just hidden. To bring it back, you can revisit the Chart Filters menu and re-check the box at any time.
When to Use This Method:
Use the Chart Filters when you need to toggle data series a lot. It's ideal for creating different views of the same chart for different audiences or for drilling down into your data without having to create multiple charts.
Method 3: The Power Option (The "Select Data Source" Dialog Box)
For more control and precision, the "Select Data Source" dialog box is your best friend. This method allows you to manage everything that's plotted on your chart from a single control panel. It's especially useful for complex charts where a series might be hard to see or be overlapped by another.
Here’s how to use it:
Open the Dialog Box: There are two simple ways to access it:
Right-click on a blank area within your chart and choose "Select Data..." from the menu.
Alternatively, click your chart to select it, then navigate to the "Chart Design" tab on the ribbon and click the "Select Data" button.
Locate Your Data Series: The "Select Data Source" window will appear. On the left side, you'll see a list titled "Legend Entries (Series)." This box contains all the data series currently plotted in your chart.
Select and Remove: Scroll through the list and click on the name of the series you want to remove to highlight it.
Remove the Series: Once highlighted, click the "Remove" button located between the left and right panes. The series name will disappear from the list.
Confirm Your Changes: Click "OK" to close the dialog box. Your chart will update immediately, reflecting the removal of the data series.
This method feels more deliberate because it forces you to identify the series by name rather than by its visual look. This precision helps prevent accidental deletions and gives you a clear overview of exactly what data is feeding into your chart.
When to Use This Method:
The "Select Data Source" box is ideal for complex charts with many series, when a series has zero values and is invisible, or when you want to fine-tune your chart by adding, editing, and removing multiple series in one go.
Method 4: Manually Resizing the Source Data Range
Finally, you can also remove a data series by directly modifying the highlighted source data range on your worksheet. This technique is very visual and works well when your data is organized in a simple, contiguous block.
Here’s the process:
Select the Chart: Click your chart. When you do, Excel will highlight the source data on your worksheet with colored borders. Each data range for your axis labels and series will have its own color.
Find the Range Handle: Look at the highlighted data on your sheet. You'll see outlines around the cells that are feeding your chart. At the corners of this highlighted range, there are small squares, or "handles."
Click and Drag to Adjust: Hover your mouse cursor over one of the handles until it turns into a double-sided arrow.
Resize the Range: Click and drag the outline to shrink the selection. As you drag, be sure to exclude the row or column containing the data for the series you want to remove. The chart will update in real-time as you resize the range.
Release the Mouse Button: Once the selection includes only the data you want to display on the chart, release the mouse button.
This drag-and-drop resizing method provides immediate visual feedback, allowing you to see exactly how your changes will affect the chart as you make them.
When to Use This Method:
Use this for simple, table-based charts where the data is organized neatly in adjacent rows and columns. It's not as effective if your chart data is scattered across non-adjacent cells.
Final Thoughts
Whether you need to quickly delete a series with a right-click, temporarily hide it with filters, or precisely manage it through the Select Data Source window, Excel offers a solution that fits your needs. Master these simple techniques, and you'll be able to create cleaner, more effective charts that tell a clearer story with your data.
While mastering these functions in Excel is a great skill, the process of preparing, cleaning, and visualizing data can still be quite time-consuming, especially when pulling data from multiple sources like Google Ads, Shopify, and Salesforce. Here at Graphed, we automate all of that manual work. You connect your data sources once, and then you can create real-time, interactive dashboards instantly just by describing what you want to see in simple, natural language. Instead of painstakingly removing a data series, you can just ask, "Show me last quarter's revenue but exclude Product B," and we'll generate the updated chart for you in seconds.