Formatting Issues

How to Change Numerals in a Word Chart Data Table

Nimra Malik Oct 10, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to display localized numerals (such as Arabic or Hindi) within a chart data table in Microsoft Word, but standard formatting and language changes are not taking effect.

How to Change Numerals in a Word Chart Data Table

Product: Microsoft Word 2016
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Formatting a document chart to display localized numerals in its attached data table for regional compliance or presentation purposes.
Observed behavior: Even when numerals display correctly in standard Word text or the source Excel data, the Word chart data table remains locked to default Western numerals (e.g., 1234).

Before you start

Ensure that your Windows Regional settings are correctly configured for your target locale and that the corresponding language pack is installed in Microsoft Office.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Windows and Word Language Settings

Adjusting the regional settings in Windows and the numeral settings in Word can force the chart data table to adopt your preferred numeral system.

Word chart data tables often pull their formatting from systemic Windows regional settings and internal Word advanced options rather than the linked Excel file.

Configure Windows regional settings

Open the Windows Control Panel, go to 'Clock and Region', and select 'Region'. Click on 'Additional settings' and change the 'Standard digits' to your preferred numeral system (e.g., Arabic-Indic), then click 'Apply'.

Adjust Word numeral options

Open Microsoft Word, go to 'File', and select 'Options'. Navigate to the 'Advanced' tab, scroll down to the 'Show document content' section, and change the 'Numeral' dropdown to 'Context' or 'Hindi'.

Restart and update the chart

Close Microsoft Word completely and reopen your document. Click on the chart, go to the 'Chart Design' tab, and click 'Refresh Data' to apply the new systemic numeral formatting.

Update Windows and Word Language Settings

Word 2016 Limitations: If the data table still displays Western numerals, Word 2016 may lack full localization support for the embedded chart engine. In this case, use the alternative solution below.

Solution 2

Use a Manually Formatted Text Table

If Word's chart engine does not support localized numerals for data tables, hiding the default table and inserting a standard Word table provides complete formatting control.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Format Localized Documents Easily with WPS Office

If Microsoft Word is struggling to display localized numerals in your chart data tables, consider switching to WPS Office. It is a highly compatible, free alternative that offers robust language support and intuitive chart formatting tools.

1. Download and install WPS Office: Get the free WPS Office suite from the official website and install it on your Windows device.
2. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing .docx file containing the chart.
3. Edit your chart properties: Select the chart to access the intuitive chart tools and customize your numeral formatting effortlessly.

100% compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) formatsExcellent multilingual support for seamless localized formattingFree and lightweight with a familiar user interfaceNo missing features when migrating complex documents and charts

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do the numerals in my Word chart data table not match my Excel data?

Word chart data tables rely on Word's internal formatting engine and your overall Office language settings, not the visual formatting of the source Excel file. If Word lacks support for localized chart elements in your version, it defaults to standard Western numerals.

How do I force Word to use Arabic-Indic numerals for all text?

Go to File > Options > Advanced. Scroll to the 'Show document content' section. Find the 'Numeral' dropdown menu and select 'Context' (which adapts to the keyboard language) or 'Hindi' (which forces Arabic-Indic numerals).

Can I manually type different numerals into a Word chart data table?

No, the built-in chart data table is dynamically linked to the chart's source data and cannot be edited directly like normal text. To type numerals manually, you must disable the chart data table and create a regular Word table underneath the chart.

Document & File Issues