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To make a scatter plot in Excel, put your x values in one column and the matching y values in the column next to it, select both columns, then choose Insert > Insert Scatter (X, Y) or Bubble Chart and pick a scatter type. The same chart is also called a scatter graph, scatter diagram or scattergram; in Excel it is always the chart type named Scatter (X, Y), also described by Microsoft as an xy chart.
The step that most often goes wrong is the chart type. Microsoft Support states that “a scatter chart never displays categories on the horizontal axis” and “always has two value axes”, while a line chart has only one value axis. If your numeric x values are being spaced evenly like labels, you have a line chart, not a scatter chart.
What a scatter plot is used for in research
A scatter plot shows how two numeric variables relate across the same set of cases, for example dose and response, or hours of training and test score. It is the usual first look at bivariate data before any correlation or regression is calculated. For how to read the pattern once you have it, see scatterplot interpretation; for other chart choices, see types of graphs in statistics.
Install or access (official source only)
Scatter charts are built into Excel, so there is nothing to install. Microsoft Support documents the same chart for Excel on Windows, on macOS and for the web; the menu paths below follow its articles “Present your data in a scatter chart or a line chart” and “Create a chart from start to finish”, both checked 2026-10-29.
Step-by-step: make a scatter plot in Excel
1. Lay out the data
Microsoft Support’s layout for a scatter chart is to put the x values in the first column and the corresponding y values in the adjacent column or columns. In its example, column A holds the values plotted on the horizontal axis and column B the values on the vertical axis.
2. Select the data and insert the chart (Windows)
- Select the data, including both columns.
- Select the Insert tab, then select Insert Scatter (X, Y) or Bubble Chart.
- Under Scatter, choose a type.
Pressing ALT + F1 creates a chart immediately from the selected data, so check the chart type it picked.
3. Insert the chart on a Mac
Select the data, go to the Insert tab and pick X Y Scatter. Chart Design > Add Chart Element, Quick Layout and Switch Row/Column are available once the chart is selected.
4. Add axis titles
Select the chart so the Chart Design and Format tabs appear. On Windows, choose Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Axis Titles. In Excel for the web, select the axis and turn on the Axis title toggle in the task pane. In a research report, name the variable and its unit on each axis, for example “Dose (mg)” and “Response (units)”.
5. Add a trendline (optional)
Select the chart, then choose Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Trendline and pick a type: Linear, Exponential, Linear Forecast or Moving Average. In Excel for the web, double-click the chart, go to Format > Trendline and switch it on. Add a trendline only after you have looked at the points, because the line implies a pattern that the data may not have. To calculate the slope, intercept and r-squared behind a linear line, see linear regression scatter plot.
Output and how to read it
Each marker is one case: its horizontal position is the x value and its vertical position is the y value. Look first at direction (rising, falling or flat), then at how tightly the points follow a line or curve, and for isolated points far from the rest. The guide to scatterplot interpretation covers direction, form, strength and outliers in detail. Scatter charts are also the basis for diagnostic plots such as the normal Q-Q plot built in normality test in Excel.
Troubleshooting
The chart shows lines or evenly spaced x values
This is the line-chart behaviour. Microsoft Support explains that the main difference between scatter and line charts is how they plot data on the horizontal axis, and that for numeric x values a scatter chart is usually the better choice. Delete the chart and insert Scatter (X, Y) instead.
The x and y variables are the wrong way round
Check that the x values are in the first column and the y values in the adjacent column. On a Mac, Switch Row/Column on the Chart Design tab changes how the data is read.
The chart is not what you expected after ALT + F1
The shortcut inserts a chart immediately without asking which type you want. Change the type through Insert > Insert Scatter (X, Y) or Bubble Chart.
Free alternatives
| Tool | Guide on this site |
|---|---|
| R | Scatterplots in R |
| Python | Scatter plot in Python |
FAQ
How do you make a scatter plot in Excel?
Put x values in the first column and y values beside them, select both, then choose Insert > Insert Scatter (X, Y) or Bubble Chart and pick a scatter type.
How do you make a scattergram or scatter diagram in Excel?
Scattergram, scatter diagram and scatter graph are other names for the same chart. In Excel, create it with the Scatter (X, Y) chart type using the steps above.
How do you draw a scatter graph in Excel with a line through it?
Select the chart and add a trendline from Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Trendline, then choose Linear or another type.
Why is my Excel scatter plot showing a line chart?
A line chart plots categories on the horizontal axis. A scatter chart has two value axes, so insert Scatter (X, Y) for numeric x values.
Sources
- Microsoft Support, Present your data in a scatter chart or a line chart, checked 2026-10-29.
- Microsoft Support, Create a chart from start to finish, checked 2026-10-29.
