PlayInfoBox

Home /Utilities /How to Visualize Numbers with Data Bars in Excel

How to Visualize Numbers with Data Bars in Excel

Tap a step to see how to add data bars in Excel.

  1. Select the numeric range you want to visualize

    Select numeric data you want to compare by size, such as sales figures or scores.

  2. Click "Conditional Formatting" in the Home tab

    In the "Styles" group of the "Home" tab, click "Conditional Formatting."

  3. Choose "Data Bars" and pick a color

    Hover over "Data Bars" in the dropdown and click the bar style in whichever color you prefer.

  4. Also try "Color Scales" or "Icon Sets"

    Besides data bars, you can also apply color scales that shade cells by value, or icon sets that use arrows or traffic-light-style symbols.

  5. Why it helps

    A table of bare numbers is hard to compare at a glance, but adding data bars shows a small bar chart right inside each cell, making relative size instantly visible.

When a table of nothing but numbers is hard to read at a glance

Sales figures or scores listed as plain numbers make it hard to tell which values are bigger or smaller. Adding data bars shows an in-cell bar chart alongside each number, so you can spot the relative size of values visually and immediately.

Showing the bar without the number

If the numbers themselves feel redundant once the bars are visible, you can hide them and keep only the bar: after applying data bars, reopen "Conditional Formatting β†’ Manage Rules," edit the rule, and check "Show Bar Only." This leaves a clean row of bars with no numeric clutter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove data bars once applied?

Click "Conditional Formatting β†’ Clear Rules β†’ Clear Rules from Selected Cells" to remove the data bar formatting you applied.

Can negative values be shown with data bars too?

Yes. By default, negative values are shown as a bar in a different color extending in the opposite direction (to the left), making them easy to tell apart from positive values.