Exploding a Pie Chart in Excel

Exploding Out a Single Slice of Pie

To add emphasis to a particular piece of a pie chart you can move or "explode" this slice out from the rest of the chart as can be seen in the image to the right.

1. The first step is to create a pie chart.


2. Once the pie chart is complete, click once with the mouse pointer on the chart to highlight it


3. Small circles (dark blocks in Excel 2003 and previous) should be visible on the outside edge of the pie


4. Click a second time with the mouse pointer on the slice you want to explode out from the rest of the pie


5. The small circles / dark blocks should now surround just this single slice of pie


6. Click and drag with the mouse pointer the selected slice of the pie


7. The slice should move away from the rest of the chart thus exploding it


8. To move the exploded slice back to its original location repeat steps 2 and 3 above and then drag the slice back to the pie. It will automatically return to its original location

Note: If all of the slices in the chart explode out it means that you did not select just a single slice. To correct this, drag the slices back together and try steps 2 and 3 above again.

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