In a chart, the text used to label the
chart axis is called
Axis Title. All
chart types other than Pie and Doughnut have axes and although
Radar charts have an axis, there is no provision to add axis
titles for them. In all other chart types such as Column, Line, etc.
Axis titles don't show up by default. You have to make them visible first, and then edit them
as required that's exactly what you are going to learn in this tutorial.
Before you get started, you should have a chart inserted on your PowerPoint slide. We used a column chart
for this example. You can also use any other chart type that allows axis titles. If you don't
know how to insert a chart, refer to our
Inserting Charts in PowerPoint
2010 tutorial. You can also
change the chart
type from one to another -- but, make sure your chart type supports axis titles. Follow these
steps to learn more:
- Select the chart on your slide as shown in Figure 1. This displays the
Chart Tools Design, Layout, and Format tabs on the
Ribbon area. Select the
Chart Tools Layout tab, as shown highlighted in red within
Figure 1.
Figure 1: Chart Tools Layout tab selected
- Within the Chart Tools Layout tab, click the Axis Titles button (
highlighted in red within Figure 2). This opens the
Axis Titles menu, as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Axis Titles menu
In Figure 2 above, you can see just two options within the Axis Titles menu
Primary Horizontal Axis Titleand Primary Vertical
Axis Title options. This is because, our sample chart includes only two
axes. One horizontal and one vertical axis. If your chart includes a
Depth Axis, or any of the Secondary Axes, you may see more
options within Axis Titles menu depending upon the axes included in your chart.
- To add a Horizontal Axis Title to your chart, select the
Primary Horizontal Axis Title option within the Axis Titles menu. This opens
a sub-menu as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Primary Horizontal Axis Title sub-menu
Note that the options in this sub-menu depend upon the option you selected within the
Axis Titles menu. Let us explore the options within the
Primary Horizontal Axis Title sub-menu, as marked in Figure 3, above:
A. None
This option, which is selected by default, makes sure that there is no
Axis Title shown on the chart.
B. Title Below Axis
Selecting this option adds an "Axis Title" text box below the
Horizontal Axis as shown in Figure 4. You can then go ahead and change the
text as required, using the techniques explained in our
Selecting and Changing Text in PowerPoint 2010 tutorial.
Figure 4: Horizontal Axis Title added
Note: If you select the Secondary Horizontal Axis Title,
you will see the Title Above Axisoption in the place of Title Below Axis
option. The Secondary Horizontal Axis is an axis that typically shows up above the chart's Plot Area.
C. More Primary Horizontal Axis Title Options
This option summons the Format Axis Titledialog box that you can see in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Format Axis Title dialog box
All options (the options highlighted in red within
Figure 5, above) within the sidebar of Format Axis Title dialog box other
than the Alignment option work only upon the text container of the Axis title, and not upon
the actual Axis title text. To learn more about those options, refer to our
Fills, Lines, and Effects section.
Alignment, the last option within the sidebar of Format Axis Title dialog box
is used to change the direction of the Axis title. See Figure 6.
Figure 6: Alignment options within Format Axis Title dialog box
Among the options within Alignment, only Text direction and
Custom angle options are available for formatting axis titles. The
Text direction option (highlighted in red within
Figure 6, above) is used to rotate the axis title by 90 degrees, whereas the
Custom angle option (highlighted in blue within
Figure 6, above) is used to rotate the axis title by the degrees you want.
- Now, let us add Vertical Axis Title to our chart. Select the
Primary Vertical Axis Title option within the Axis Titles menu. This opens a
sub-menu as shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7: Primary Vertical Axis Title sub-menu
Let us explore the options within the Primary Vertical Axis Title sub-menu, as marked in
Figure 7, above:
A. None
This option, which is selected by default, makes sure that there is no
Axis Title shown on the chart.
B.Rotated Title
Adds the text "Axis Title" as the vertical axis title, in front
of the Vertical Axis, as shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8: Rotated Axis Title
C. Vertical Title
Adds the text "Axis Title" as the vertical axis title, in
front of the Vertical Axis, vertically as shown in Figure 9.
Figure 9: Vertical Axis Title
D.Horizontal Title
Adds the text "Axis Title" as the vertical axis title, in
front of the Vertical Axis, horizontally as shown in Figure 10.
Figure 10: Horizontal Axis Title
Again, as mentioned earlier on this page, you can any time go ahead and change the text "
Axis Title" with the suitable title of your choice, using the techniques
explained in our
Selecting and Changing Text in PowerPoint 2010 tutorial.
E. More Primary Vertical Axis Title Options
Works similar to the More Primary
Horizontal Axis Title Options. Please refer to step 3-C on this page for more info.
- Add and edit axis titles as required. If you want to apply some additional text formatting
to the axis titles,
select them
and then select the Format tab of the
Ribbon as shown highlighted in
red within Figure 11.
Figure 11: Format tab of the Ribbon selected
Within the Format tab, you can choose any of the Quick Styles for your
Axis Titles. To learn how to apply Quick Styles, refer to our
WordArt Styles (Quick Styles) in PowerPoint 2010 tutorial. You can also try some
text fills,
text outline options and
text effects to stylize your
Axis Titles. In Figure 12 you can see our sample chart after
Axis Titles added.
Figure 12: Chart added with Axis Titles
- Save your presentation often.
See Also:
Axis Titles in PowerPoint 2013
for Windows
Axis Titles in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac
