Chart & Visualization Issues

How to Fix Excel Not Showing Vary Colors by Point in Charts

Emma Brown Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to enable the 'Vary colors by point' setting in Excel but finds it missing or unavailable for certain chart types like Box and Whisker or clustered column charts.

How to Fix Excel Not Showing 'Vary Colors by Point' in Charts

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Customizing chart data series colors for better data visualization.
Observed behavior: The 'Vary colors by point' checkbox is completely missing or unavailable in the Format Data Series pane.

Before you start

Ensure you have selected the specific data series within your chart rather than the entire chart area, as formatting options change based on your active selection.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify Chart Type Compatibility and Data Series

The 'Vary colors by point' feature is only available for specific chart types and requires formatting a single data series.

Excel does not support the 'Vary colors by point' option for certain statistical chart types, such as Box and Whisker, Histogram, or Waterfall charts. Additionally, this feature is typically only available when your chart plots a single data series. If your chart contains multiple series, the option will be hidden or disabled.

Check Chart Type Compatibility

Select your chart and verify its type. If it is a Box and Whisker chart, right-click the chart area, select 'Change Chart Type', and switch to a supported type like a standard Clustered Column or Bar chart.

Ensure a Single Data Series

Right-click your chart and choose 'Select Data'. Look at the 'Legend Entries (Series)' box on the left. Ensure there is only one series listed. If there are multiple, you cannot use the automatic vary colors option.

Open Format Data Series

Double-click the actual bars or columns in your chart. This will open the 'Format Data Series' pane on the right side of your screen.

Enable Vary Colors by Point

In the formatting pane, click the 'Fill & Line' icon (paint bucket). Expand the 'Fill' section, ensure 'Solid fill' or 'Automatic' is selected, and check the 'Vary colors by point' box.

Handling Multiple Series: If you need different colors for a multi-series chart, you must manually change the fill color for each series or click twice on an individual data point to format its color separately.

Easier Chart Formatting

Apply 'Vary Colors by Point' Easily Using WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet offers a seamless and user-friendly way to create charts and customize data series colors. You can easily enable the 'Vary colors by point' feature for your single-series charts without navigating complex menus.

1. Insert a Chart: Open your data in WPS Spreadsheet, select your single-series dataset, go to the 'Insert' tab, and choose a standard Column or Pie chart.
2. Access Chart Formatting: Double-click on the data series (the columns or slices) within the chart to quickly open the configuration panel on the right.
3. Enable Vary Colors: Navigate to the 'Fill & Line' tab in the panel, select 'Solid fill', and check the 'Vary colors by point' box to instantly apply distinct colors to each data point.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) chart formats.Intuitive Format Data Series pane for quick color adjustments.Extensive library of chart types and modern visualization templates.Free and lightweight alternative for all your spreadsheet tasks.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is 'Vary colors by point' greyed out in my clustered column chart?

This usually happens if your chart includes multiple data series. Excel only allows the 'Vary colors by point' option when plotting a single data series. Check your 'Select Data' settings to ensure only one series is active.

Does the Box and Whisker chart support varying colors by point?

No, Office applications do not support the 'Vary colors by point' feature for statistical charts like Box and Whisker, Histogram, or Pareto charts. All points within a single series in these charts will share the same color.

How can I change colors for individual bars if the automatic option is missing?

If the checkbox is unavailable, you can manually color individual bars. Click a data series once to select all bars, then click a specific bar a second time to isolate it. Right-click it, select 'Format Data Point', and choose a new fill color.

Excel & Data Problems