Add or remove data labels in a chart

To quickly identify a data series in a chart, you can add data labels to the data points of the chart. By default, the data labels are linked to values on the worksheet, and they update automatically when changes are made to these values.

Data labels make a chart easier to understand because they show details about a data series or its individual data points. For example, in the pie chart below, without the data labels it would be difficult to tell that coffee was 38% of total sales. Depending on what you want to highlight on a chart, you can add labels to one series, all the series (the whole chart), or one data point.

Pie chart with data labels formatted as percentages

Add data labels to a chart

Choose the data series or chart. To label one data point, after choosing the series, select that data point.
In the upper right corner, next to the chart, select Add Chart Element and choose Data Labels.
To change the location, select the > arrow, and choose an option.
If you want to show your data label inside a text bubble shape, select Data Callout.

Select More Data Label Options to change the look of the data labels.

To make data labels easier to read, you can move them inside the data points or even outside of the chart. To move a data label, drag it to the location you want.

If you decide the labels make your chart look too cluttered, you can remove any or all of them by selecting the data labels and then pressing Delete.

Tip: If the text inside the data labels is too hard to read, resize the data labels by selecting them, and then dragging them to the size you want.

Change the look of the data labels

Right-click the data series or data label to display more data for, and then select Format Data Labels.
Select Label Options and under Label Contains, pick the options you want.

Use cell values as data labels

You can use cell values as data labels for your chart.

Right-click the data series or data label to display more data for, and then select Format Data Labels.
Select Label Options and under Label Contains, select the Values From Cells checkbox.
When the Data Label Range dialog box appears, go back to the spreadsheet and select the range for which you want the cell values to display as data labels. When you do that, the selected range appears in the Data Label Range dialog box. Then select OK.

The cell values now display as data labels in your chart.

Change the text displayed in the data labels

Choose the data label with the text to change and then select it again, so that it's the only data label selected.
Select the existing text and then type the replacement text.
Select anywhere outside the data label.

Tip: If you want to add a comment about your chart or have only one data label, you can use a textbox.

Remove data labels from a chart

Select the chart from which you want to remove data labels.

This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, and Format tabs.
Do one of the following:
- On the Design tab, in the Chart Layouts group, select Add Chart Element, choose Data Labels, and then select None.
- Select a data label one time to select all data labels in a data series or two times to select just one data label that you want to delete, and then press DELETE.
- Right-click a data label, and then select Delete.
  
  Note: This removes all data labels from a data series.
You can also remove data labels immediately after you add them by selecting Undo on the Quick Access Toolbar, or by pressing CTRL+Z.