Half Circle Graph in Excel: Name and How to Make One

A half-circle graph in Excel is usually called a semi-doughnut chart or half-doughnut chart; when it displays a target or progress value, people may call it a semicircular gauge. Excel does not provide a dedicated half-circle chart type, but you can create the look with a doughnut chart and a hidden slice.

What the chart is called

“Half circle graph” describes the shape rather than an official Excel chart name. The most useful terms to search for are semi-doughnut chart, half-doughnut chart, and, for a display that resembles a meter, semicircular gauge. These names often refer to a doughnut chart whose lower half has been concealed.

A doughnut chart has a blank center and ring-shaped segments. A semi-doughnut uses only the visible upper half of that ring, leaving the lower half blank. The segments can show categories, such as a budget divided among three departments, or a filled-versus-unfilled portion of a target. The chart’s name does not tell you exactly what its data means, so labels and a clear title still matter.

It is also useful to distinguish this from a semicircle-shaped pie chart. A pie chart has slices meeting at the center; a doughnut chart has a hole. Both can be arranged to show half a circle, but the doughnut version is common for gauges because its ring resembles a meter.

Does Excel include a built-in half-circle chart?

No. In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, the standard chart gallery includes pie and doughnut chart types, but not a separate chart type named “half circle” or “semi-doughnut.” The half-circle appearance is made by formatting a regular doughnut chart. This matters when you search the ribbon: look for Doughnut, not a chart option with a half-circle name.

Excel for Mac and Excel for the web also offer doughnut charts, although the available formatting controls and the arrangement of menus can vary by version. If you cannot find a particular setting, select the chart and look for its series formatting options; the desktop Windows instructions below use the Format Data Series pane. In every version, the central idea is the same: include a slice equal to the visible data total, then make that slice invisible.

How the hidden slice makes a semicircle

A doughnut chart divides a full 360-degree ring among all values in its source data. To make exactly half the ring visible, the hidden slice must account for half of the total value. If the visible categories add up to 100, for example, add a hidden slice of 100. The chart then totals 200, so the visible categories occupy 180 degrees and the hidden slice occupies the other 180 degrees.

That arithmetic also explains why a hidden slice must be updated if the visible total changes. If your categories add to 120 but the hidden value stays 100, the hidden slice will no longer occupy exactly half the chart, and the visible portion will not form a precise semicircle. For a scale that always totals 100, you can use the scale total as the hidden value; for a variable set of categories, make the hidden value equal the sum of those categories.

The hidden slice still exists in the chart data. You conceal it by setting its fill and border to none, and rotate the chart so that this invisible section sits at the bottom. It is not deleted, and it should not be included in a legend or described as a real category.

Build a simple half-circle chart in Excel

Here is a basic example with three category values that total 100. The fourth row is the slice that will be hidden:

In A1:B4, enter headers Category and Value.
Enter Department A — 45, Department B — 35, Department C — 20, and Hidden half — 100 in rows 2 through 5.

For this example, use A1:B5 as the chart source. The visible total is 45 + 35 + 20 = 100, matching the hidden value of 100. Each visible category therefore uses its share of the upper 180 degrees: Department A takes 81 degrees, Department B takes 63 degrees, and Department C takes 36 degrees.

Select the data range, including the headers and the Hidden half row.
Choose Insert > Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart > Doughnut.
Right-click a ring segment and choose Format Data Series. In Series Options, adjust Angle of first slice until the hidden segment is at the bottom. A starting value such as 270 degrees is often useful, but the correct setting depends on the order of your data and the chart’s current orientation.
Select the Hidden half segment. If selecting it is difficult, click the chart once to select the series, then click that segment again. In the formatting options, set its fill to No fill and its border to No line.
Remove the Hidden half entry from the legend, or remove the legend if it does not help readers understand the chart. Add a chart title and labels for the visible categories as needed.

Excel’s chart formatting controls can vary slightly with updates. If the chart rotates in the wrong direction, change the angle or reorder the source rows; then check that the concealed section is at the bottom and the visible ring forms a continuous upper semicircle. Do not hide a visible category by mistake: select the slice whose value is 100 in this example.

Format the chart so it is easy to read

The default doughnut chart may be technically correct but still hard to interpret. Choose a distinct, consistent color for each visible category, and use a title that states what the values represent. For instance, “Department Budget Mix” is more informative than “Results.” If the chart is a progress display, include the target and the reporting period so viewers know what “complete” means.

You can change the width of the ring through Format Data Series > Series Options > Doughnut Hole Size. A larger hole creates a thinner ring; a smaller hole creates a thicker one. The best setting depends on the chart’s size and whether you need space in the middle for a value label. For labels, use Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Data Labels, then remove labels that overlap or add no useful information.

A half-circle chart is often shorter vertically than a full doughnut, but Excel’s chart area may still reserve space for the concealed half. Resize and crop the chart area carefully rather than stretching it until the ring looks oval. Keep the shape circular, use readable text, and avoid relying on color alone to distinguish categories; direct labels or a legend can help readers with color-vision differences.

When a semicircular gauge is useful

A semi-doughnut can work well when a dashboard needs a compact visual for one clearly defined measure, such as percent of a monthly target reached, capacity used, or a score within a fixed range. The half-ring provides a familiar meter-like shape, and the center can hold a large number such as “70%.” It is most effective when the scale and the meaning of the number are immediately clear.

However, a plain half-doughnut does not automatically create a needle or calculate a gauge reading. It simply displays the values supplied to it. For a progress ring, use two visible values—completed and remaining—plus a hidden value equal to the scale total. For a 70% completion display, the visible values are 70 and 30, with another 100 hidden. The 70 segment then fills 70% of the visible semicircle. This is a filled progress arc, not a needle pointing to 70 on a dial.

Be cautious about using gauges for comparisons. A reader can often compare aligned bars more accurately than angles or arc lengths, especially across several items. If you need to compare many departments or months, a bar chart may communicate the differences faster and take up less space.

Alternatives to a half-circle chart

Choose the chart based on the question you need to answer, not just its appearance:

Doughnut chart: useful for showing parts of a whole, especially with a small number of categories. A full ring uses the available chart area more efficiently than a half-ring.
Bar chart: a strong choice for comparing values across categories because the bars share a baseline. It is usually easier to read when there are many values or small differences.
Progress bar: a straightforward way to show completed versus remaining work without implying a dial scale.
Half-doughnut gauge: useful when a compact, meter-like visual fits the dashboard, provided the scale is fixed and clearly explained.

For example, if a report compares the sales of eight regions, a bar chart will usually make ranking and differences clearer than eight small gauges. If a dashboard shows one machine’s capacity used from zero to 100%, a gauge-like display may be a reasonable choice. The chart should clarify the data rather than decorate it.

Common problems and fixes

The chart is a full ring. Confirm that the source data contains the extra hidden value and that it equals the sum of the visible values. Then format that specific segment with no fill and no line.
The blank half is at the top or side. Change Angle of first slice in the series options, or rearrange the source rows. The goal is to position the hidden segment below the visible arc.
The semicircle is uneven after data changes. Recalculate the hidden value so it remains equal to the visible total. A fixed hidden value will stop working if the categories no longer add to that amount.
The legend shows an unexplained blank category. Remove the hidden item from the legend or remove the legend altogether. Keep the helper row in the chart data; it is needed to create the shape.
Labels are crowded or confusing. Use fewer labels, label the important values directly, or move the detailed numbers to cells beside the chart. Avoid placing a label on the invisible segment.

One common misconception is that setting a chart’s background to white creates a true half-doughnut. That only covers part of the chart visually; it does not make the underlying chart data or the visible area a correctly proportioned semicircle. Using a helper slice that balances the visible total is more reliable, especially if the chart sits on a colored dashboard background.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a half-circle graph called in Excel?
It is generally called a semi-doughnut chart or half-doughnut chart. If it is designed to resemble a meter, it may be called a semicircular gauge. Excel does not list it as a separate built-in chart type.

Can Excel make a half-doughnut chart?
Yes. Insert a regular doughnut chart, add a hidden value equal to the visible values’ total, rotate the chart so that slice is at the bottom, and set that slice to No fill and No line.

How do I show 70 percent on a half-circle chart?
For a progress arc with a scale of 100, use visible values of 70 and 30, then add a hidden value of 100. Hide the last slice. The 70 segment fills 70% of the visible half-ring; add a separate text label if you want the number displayed in the center.

Is a half-doughnut chart the same as a gauge?
Not necessarily. A half-doughnut is a chart shape. A gauge is a display intended to show a value against a scale and may include a needle or marked ranges. A basic semi-doughnut shows ring segments but does not create a needle automatically.

Why does the hidden slice need to match the other values?
The chart allocates angles in proportion to all source values. Making the hidden value equal to the visible total gives the hidden slice half of the 360-degree ring and leaves the other half for the displayed categories.

Try it: the Percentage Formula Generator: percent of, percent change, increase and decrease, with the formula.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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