How to Make a Chart in Google Sheets (Step by Step)

A chart turns a column of numbers into something you can understand at a glance. Google Sheets builds one from your data in two clicks and suggests a chart type automatically; the chart editor lets you change everything else.

Insert a chart

Select the data you want to chart, including the header row. For example, the item names and amounts in B1:C7.
Go to Insert → Chart.

Sheets adds a chart to the sheet and opens the Chart editor on the right.

Column chart titled Amount vs. Item with one bar per expense: Groceries, Bus pass, Restaurant, Electricity, Coffee and Train pass — Real test: with Item and Amount selected (B1:C7), Sheets chose a column chart and the title "Amount vs. Item" on its own.

Chart editor Setup tab: Chart type Column chart, Stacking None, Data range B1:C7, X-axis Item, Series Amount, and Use row 1 as headers and Use column B as labels ticked — Real test: the Setup tab for that chart.

Choose the right chart type

Open the Chart type list in the Setup tab to switch types. A quick guide:

Chart	Use it to…
Column / Bar	Compare amounts between categories (expenses per item, sales per region)
Line	Show a trend over time (monthly revenue, weekly visitors)
Pie	Show parts of a whole, with only a few slices
Scatter	See whether two numbers are related (price vs. units sold)

Tip: if a category label is long, a bar chart (horizontal) is easier to read than a column chart.

For step-by-step help with slices, percentages and doughnut charts, see how to make a pie chart. For a tiny chart inside a single cell, use SPARKLINE.

Chart several series or columns that aren't next to each other

Several series: select the labels plus every column of numbers (for example months in A, 2025 sales in B and 2026 sales in C). Each column becomes its own line or set of bars.
Columns that aren't side by side: select the first column, then hold Ctrl (⌘ on Mac) and select the others before choosing Insert → Chart.
Add a series later: in the Setup tab, click Add series and pick the range.

Add a trendline or a second axis

Trendline: in the Customize tab, open Series and tick Trendline. It works with line, column, bar and scatter charts.
Second vertical axis: when two series have very different sizes (sales in thousands, margin in percent), open Customize → Series, pick the smaller series and set Axis to Right axis. Switching the chart type to Combo chart shows one series as bars and the other as a line.

Customize titles, colors and labels

Switch to the Customize tab in the Chart editor (Customise in UK English):

Chart & axis titles – give the chart a clear title, such as "Expenses by item".
Series – change the bar color and turn on Data labels to print each value on its bar.
Legend – move it or set it to None when there's only one series.
Horizontal axis / Vertical axis – change font size, number format and the minimum or maximum value.

Move, resize or delete the chart

Move: drag the chart by its edge.
Resize: click the chart and drag one of the blue handles.
Edit later: double-click the chart, or click it and choose the three-dot menu → Edit chart.
Delete: click the chart and press Delete.

To give the chart its own tab, open the three-dot menu and choose Move to own sheet.

Chart three-dot menu with Edit chart, Delete chart, Download chart, Publish chart, Copy chart, Move to own sheet and Alt text; the Download chart submenu shows PNG image, PDF document and Scalable Vector Graphics — Real test: the chart's three-dot menu, with the Download options open.

As an image: click the chart, open the three-dot menu and choose Download → PNG image, PDF or SVG.
In Google Docs or Slides: copy the chart and paste it. Choose Link to spreadsheet so you can update it when the data changes.
On a website: the three-dot menu → Publish chart gives you a link or embed code.

Make a pie chart

A pie chart shows how a total is split into parts, like a budget by category. It needs two columns: labels and values.

Put the categories in one column and the amounts in the next, with a header row. Each category should appear once; if it repeats, total it first with a pivot table or SUMIF.
Select both columns, including the header, and go to Insert → Chart.
In the Chart editor, open Chart type and choose Pie chart.
In Customize → Pie chart, set a Donut hole (Doughnut hole in UK English) to turn it into a doughnut, and choose the Slice label (percentage, value or label).

Pie chart of the six expenses with labels and percentages: Electricity 29.5%, Groceries 22.2%, Train pass 18.4%, Restaurant 15.7%, Bus pass 12.3%, Coffee 2.0% — Real test: the same data switched to a pie chart from the Chart type list.

Chart editor Customize tab with the Pie chart section open: Donut hole 0%, Border color None, Slice label None, label font and size — Real test: Customize → Pie chart, where the Donut hole and Slice label options are.

Frequently asked questions

Does the chart update when my data changes?

Yes. The chart is linked to its data range and redraws automatically. If you add rows below the range, edit the Data range in the Setup tab to include them, or use a whole-column range such as B1:C.

Why does my chart show the wrong data on the axis?

Sheets may have guessed the layout wrongly. In the Setup tab, try Switch rows / columns, and check that Use row 1 as headers is ticked.

How do I chart totals per category?

Build a small summary table first with SUMIF (one row per category), or a pivot table, then chart that table.

Is a chart the same as a graph?

Yes. Google Sheets calls them all charts; "line graph" and "bar graph" are just other names for line and bar charts.

How do I make the chart ignore empty rows?

Empty cells at the end of the range are skipped. Gaps in the middle show as breaks in a line chart; to join them, open Customize → Chart style and tick Plot null values.