Chart & Visualization Issues

How to Reduce Space Between Columns in Excel Chart on Mac

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 872 views

Question details

The user wants to decrease the empty space between columns in a Mac Excel chart without increasing the thickness of the columns themselves.

Product: Excel
Device & OS: Mac
Scenario: Customizing the visual formatting of a column chart to bring data bars closer together without altering their width.
Observed behavior: Adjusting the Gap Width reduces the space but automatically makes the columns wider to fill the chart area, while adjusting Series Overlap does not affect the spacing between different categories as expected.

Before you start

Ensure your chart is selected and that you are working with a Column or Bar chart, as these specific spacing settings (Gap Width and Series Overlap) apply directly to these chart types.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust Gap Width and Resize the Chart Manually

Since reducing the Gap Width automatically expands column thickness to fill the plot area, you must combine this adjustment with resizing the overall chart to achieve closer columns at their original thickness.

In Excel, the plot area size is fixed until you manually change it. When you reduce the space (Gap Width) between columns, Excel compensates by making the columns wider. To get closer columns without the extra thickness, you need to shrink the chart width after adjusting the gap.

Open Format Data Series

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

Reduce the Gap Width

Click on the 'Series Options' icon (usually a bar chart symbol). Find the 'Gap Width' slider and reduce the percentage (e.g., down to 50% or 0% for touching columns). Note that the columns will temporarily become very wide.

Select the Chart Area

Click in the blank space near the outer edge of your chart to select the entire 'Chart Area' rather than the specific plot or data series.

Resize the Chart

Hover over the sizing handles on the left or right edge of the chart border. Click and drag the handles inward to make the chart narrower. Keep adjusting until the columns return to your desired thickness.

Understanding Gap Width: Gap Width controls the spacing between category groups relative to the width of the columns. A 150% Gap Width means the space is 1.5 times the width of the column.

Solution 2

Adjust Series Overlap for Multiple Data Series

If your chart contains multiple data columns per category (clustered columns) and you want to reduce the space between the bars within the same group.

Easily Customize Charts with WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet provides a highly intuitive interface for creating and formatting professional charts. You can seamlessly adjust gap widths, series overlaps, and chart dimensions with smooth, real-time visual previews.

1. Insert a Chart: Highlight your dataset, navigate to the Insert tab, and select a Column Chart.
2. Access Series Options: Double-click the chart columns to instantly open the formatting sidebar.
3. Adjust Gap Width: Under Series Options, drag the Gap Width slider to decrease the empty space between columns.
4. Scale the Chart: Click the chart borders and drag the sizing handles to adjust the overall width to maintain your preferred column thickness.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formatsIntuitive Format Data Series pane for quick spacing adjustmentsSmooth chart rendering and resizing on Mac and WindowsCompletely free lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my chart columns get thicker when I reduce the Gap Width?

In spreadsheet software, the plot area's physical width remains fixed by default. When you reduce the empty space (Gap Width) between the columns, the software automatically expands the columns themselves to fill up the available area in the chart.

What is the exact difference between Gap Width and Series Overlap?

Gap Width controls the empty spacing between different categories (groups of data) along the horizontal axis. Series Overlap controls the spacing and overlapping between individual data columns within the same category.

Can I set an exact pixel width for chart columns?

No, standard spreadsheet programs do not allow you to assign an exact physical width (like pixels or inches) to chart columns. Column width is always calculated dynamically based on the overall width of the chart and the Gap Width percentage.

Excel & Data Problems