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How to Use C# to Create Excel Charts

ByChaknith Bin

May 31, 2025

Updated  June 22, 2025

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The following How-To enables you to create an Excel chart programmatically in C# using IronXL.

Programmatically Create Excel Charts in .NET

• Create Excel graphs programmatically
• Add series with title and legend

How to Create Excel Chart in C#

1. Install Excel library to create Excel charts.
2. Load the existing Excel file into a Workbook object.
3. Create a chart with CreateChart.
4. Set the chart's title and legend
5. Call the Plot method.
6. Save the Workbook to the Excel file.

Step 1

1. Install IronXL

First, the easiest way to install IronXL is to make use of the NuGet Package manager in Visual Studio:

• Select the Project menu
• Manage NuGet Packages
• Search for IronXL.Excel
• Install

You could also enter the following command into the Developer Command Prompt:

Install-Package IronXL.Excel

Or Download from here: https://ironsoftware.com/csharp/excel/packages/IronXL.zip

How to Tutorial

2. Create Excel Chart for .NET

Now for the project!

Add the following details into an Excel Spreadsheet. This is shown below:

Figure 1 – Data to be used for charting

Add the Namespaces necessary to work with Excel charts in IronXL.

using IronXL; using IronXL.Drawing.Charts;

using IronXL; using IronXL.Drawing.Charts;

Imports IronXL Imports IronXL.Drawing.Charts

Add code to create the Excel graph programmatically with IronXL:

// This method is triggered by a button click event private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { // Load the existing Excel workbook WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("Chart_Ex.xlsx"); // Use the default worksheet from the workbook WorkSheet ws = wb.DefaultWorkSheet; // Create a column chart at the specified range of cells var chart = ws.CreateChart(ChartType.Column, 10, 15, 25, 20); // Define the range for the x-axis data const string xAxis = "A2:A7"; // Add a series for the chart using data in the range and give it a title from the first row var series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "B2:B7"); series.Title = ws["B1"].StringValue; // Add another series series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "C2:C7"); series.Title = ws["C1"].StringValue; // Add a third series series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "D2:D7"); series.Title = ws["D1"].StringValue; // Set the chart title chart.SetTitle("Column Chart"); // Position the legend at the bottom of the chart chart.SetLegendPosition(LegendPosition.Bottom); // Plot the chart with the provided data chart.Plot(); // Save the workbook with the newly added chart wb.SaveAs("Exported_Column_Chart.xlsx"); }

// This method is triggered by a button click event private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { // Load the existing Excel workbook WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("Chart_Ex.xlsx"); // Use the default worksheet from the workbook WorkSheet ws = wb.DefaultWorkSheet; // Create a column chart at the specified range of cells var chart = ws.CreateChart(ChartType.Column, 10, 15, 25, 20); // Define the range for the x-axis data const string xAxis = "A2:A7"; // Add a series for the chart using data in the range and give it a title from the first row var series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "B2:B7"); series.Title = ws["B1"].StringValue; // Add another series series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "C2:C7"); series.Title = ws["C1"].StringValue; // Add a third series series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "D2:D7"); series.Title = ws["D1"].StringValue; // Set the chart title chart.SetTitle("Column Chart"); // Position the legend at the bottom of the chart chart.SetLegendPosition(LegendPosition.Bottom); // Plot the chart with the provided data chart.Plot(); // Save the workbook with the newly added chart wb.SaveAs("Exported_Column_Chart.xlsx"); }

' This method is triggered by a button click event Private Sub button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)	' Load the existing Excel workbook	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("Chart_Ex.xlsx")	' Use the default worksheet from the workbook	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.DefaultWorkSheet	' Create a column chart at the specified range of cells	Dim chart = ws.CreateChart(ChartType.Column, 10, 15, 25, 20)	' Define the range for the x-axis data	Const xAxis As String = "A2:A7"	' Add a series for the chart using data in the range and give it a title from the first row	Dim series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "B2:B7")	series.Title = ws("B1").StringValue	' Add another series	series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "C2:C7")	series.Title = ws("C1").StringValue	' Add a third series	series = chart.AddSeries(xAxis, "D2:D7")	series.Title = ws("D1").StringValue	' Set the chart title	chart.SetTitle("Column Chart")	' Position the legend at the bottom of the chart	chart.SetLegendPosition(LegendPosition.Bottom)	' Plot the chart with the provided data	chart.Plot()	' Save the workbook with the newly added chart	wb.SaveAs("Exported_Column_Chart.xlsx") End Sub

A Workbook object and a Worksheet object are created. The CreateChart method of the Worksheet object gets called to specify the chart type and chart location. The chart’s series get added, with its Title and the Legend. This is shown below.

Figure 2 – Chart output

Library Quick Access

IronXL API Reference Documentation

Learn more and share how to merge, unmerge, and work with cells in Excel spreadsheets using the handy IronXL API Reference Documentation.

IronXL API Reference Documentation

Chaknith Bin

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Software Engineer

Chaknith works on IronXL and IronBarcode. He has deep expertise in C# and .NET, helping improve the software and support customers. His insights from user interactions contribute to better products, documentation, and overall experience.

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