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How to Create Tables or Charts in Microsoft Sway (Workarounds)

Phi Hung Vo Oct 10, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to know how to create or insert tables and charts into Microsoft Sway, as the native options are missing from the interface.

How to Add Tables or Charts to Microsoft Sway

Product: Microsoft Sway
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a presentation or digital story in Microsoft Sway and needing to display tabular data or graphical charts.
Observed behavior: The native chart creation feature was removed, and there is no direct table or chart card available in the Sway authoring canvas.

Before you start

Since Microsoft Sway no longer offers a built-in table or chart tool, you will need a separate word processor or spreadsheet application to create your data visuals before adding them to your Sway presentation.

Solution 1Recommended

Create the Table or Chart in Word and Upload as an Image

The most reliable workaround is to design your table or chart in a word processor like Microsoft Word or WPS Writer, take a screenshot, and insert it as an image card in Sway.

Microsoft removed the native chart feature in Sway to work on an improved experience. Until a native feature returns, converting your data to images ensures your formatting remains perfectly intact across all devices and screen sizes.

Create your data visual

Open Microsoft Word, Excel, or a compatible alternative and use the Insert tab to create your table or chart with the desired formatting.

Save as an image

Take a screenshot of the completed table or chart using the Snipping Tool, or right-click the chart object and select Save as Picture.

Add an Image Card in Sway

Open your Microsoft Sway project, click the + icon in the Storyline to add a new card, and select Image from the media options.

Upload the image

Drag and drop the saved image of your table or chart into the Sway image card, or browse your device to upload it.

Create the Table or Chart in Word and Upload as an Image

Formatting Retained: By saving your tables and charts as images, you guarantee that complex formatting, borders, and colors will not be distorted when viewed on mobile devices.

Solution 2

Embed an Excel Workbook Using an Embed Code

If you want the data to remain interactive, you can upload an Excel file to OneDrive and embed it directly into your Sway presentation.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Create Beautiful Tables and Charts with WPS Office

While Microsoft Sway lacks native table and chart tools, you can easily design professional data visualizations in WPS Office. As a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office, WPS Spreadsheet and Writer let you create stunning charts that you can instantly save as images and drop into your Sway presentations.

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and create a new Spreadsheet to input your raw data securely.
2. Insert a Chart: Highlight your data, navigate to the Insert tab on the top ribbon, and select your preferred chart or table type.
3. Export as Picture: Right-click the finished chart, select Save as Picture, and then upload it directly into your Microsoft Sway image card.

100% compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) and Word (.docx) formats.Rich built-in templates for creating charts, tables, and professional graphs.Lightweight installation with a familiar, easy-to-use tabbed interface.Free tool to quickly design and export high-quality data visuals for Microsoft Sway.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Microsoft remove the chart feature from Sway?

Microsoft temporarily removed the native chart creation feature in Sway to re-evaluate and develop an improved data visualization experience. No official timeline has been provided for its return, making image-based workarounds necessary.

Can I copy and paste a table directly from Word into Sway?

If you copy a table from Word and paste it directly into a Text card in Sway, it will usually lose its tabular formatting and appear as disorganized plain text. It is highly recommended to capture the table as an image and paste it into an Image card instead.

How do I request Microsoft to bring back charts in Sway?

You can submit feature requests and feedback directly to the development team through the Microsoft Sway feedback portal or by using the Feedback option located in the settings menu of your Microsoft 365 account.

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