Office Settings & Configuration

How to Fix Small Excel Window When Editing PowerPoint Chart Data

Amos Gikunda Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to stop Excel from opening in a very small, single-row window every time they select Edit Data for a chart in PowerPoint.

How to Fix the Small Excel Window Opened from a PowerPoint Chart

Product: Microsoft 365 (PowerPoint and Excel)
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Clicking Edit Data on a PowerPoint chart opens the linked Excel worksheet to modify the chart's data points.
Observed behavior: Excel opens in a tiny window displaying only one row, which forces the user to manually resize the window every time they need to edit chart data.

Before you start

Ensure you have saved your current PowerPoint presentation and closed all other unnecessary Excel windows before adjusting the window settings to prevent configuration conflicts.

Solution 1Recommended

Reset the Default Windows Application Window Dimensions

Windows relies on the last closed window dimensions to determine how an application opens next. Manually resizing and closing Excel will reset this default behavior.

This behavior is typically controlled by the operating system's window memory rather than a specific setting within the PowerPoint chart. By training Windows to remember a larger size, you can resolve the issue permanently.

Open the chart data

In your PowerPoint presentation, right-click the chart and select 'Edit Data' or 'Edit Data in Excel' to trigger the small Excel window.

Resize the Excel window manually

Click and drag the edges or corners of the small Excel window to expand it to your preferred size. Alternatively, you can click the Maximize button.

Close the Excel instance correctly

While the Excel window is at your preferred expanded size, click the 'X' in the top right corner to close it. Do not resize it back down before closing.

Reopen the chart data

Go back to PowerPoint and click 'Edit Data' again. The Excel window should now retain the larger dimensions you previously set.

Reset the Default Windows Application Window Dimensions

Window Memory Successfully Reset: Windows will now remember the window dimensions of the last closed instance. This trick applies to most desktop applications experiencing similar sizing issues.

Solution 2

Update Microsoft Office to the Latest Version

If the window size fails to save after resizing and closing, updating Office can patch known bugs causing applications to open incorrectly.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Edit Chart Data Seamlessly with WPS Office

If you are tired of interface bugs and window sizing issues in Microsoft 365, WPS Office offers a completely free, lightweight, and easy-to-use alternative. Its integrated tabbed workspace prevents overlapping window glitches, making presentation editing a breeze.

1. Open your presentation: Launch WPS Presentation and open your existing .pptx file.
2. Edit chart data: Click on your chart and select 'Edit Data' from the intuitive ribbon menu.
3. Enjoy seamless editing: Modify your numbers in the flawlessly integrated WPS Spreadsheet window without worrying about tiny, unreadable pop-ups.

100% compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) and Excel (.xlsx) formats.Built-in spreadsheet editor for charts avoids external window sizing glitches.All-in-one tabbed interface keeps presentations and spreadsheets neatly organized.Highly lightweight software that saves system resources and opens instantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Excel open in such a small window from PowerPoint?

This happens because Windows saves the window dimensions from a previous session where an Excel instance was closed while very small. It applies that saved tiny dimension the next time Excel is launched via PowerPoint.

Does this resizing fix apply to Word charts as well?

Yes, the same principle applies if you select 'Edit Data' for a chart in Microsoft Word. Resizing the Excel window and closing it will reset the default opening size across Office applications.

What if resizing and closing Excel doesn't fix the problem?

If the size is not retained, try updating your Microsoft 365 installation. You should also test editing a chart in a brand-new presentation file to determine if your current file or Office profile is corrupted.

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