Box and Whisker Plot Labels in Excel: How to Add Them

To label a box and whisker plot in Excel, include a header for each data group when you create the chart, then add a chart title and axis titles from Chart Design > Add Chart Element. Excel labels the groups from the headers; for values such as the median and quartiles, add text boxes to the chart and position them beside the corresponding marks. You’ll need Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows and data arranged in columns or rows by group.

What You’ll Need

An Excel workbook with one numeric data group per column (or row) and a clear header for each group. Avoid putting text or totals in the numeric data.
Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows. The desktop Excel app on Mac has similar chart features, though ribbon placement and some editing controls can differ.
If you want to label particular statistics, a small summary table with the values you want to show, such as the minimum, first quartile, median, third quartile, and maximum.

Step-by-Step

Arrange the source data with group names. Put each group in its own column and put the group name in the first cell above it. For example, enter “Group A” in A1 and its measurements in A2:A9; put a second group in column B with its name in B1. Keep each measurement as a number. The column headers become the category labels on the chart, so use names that will make sense to someone reading the finished chart. If groups have different numbers of observations, leave unused cells blank rather than entering zero; a zero is a real observation and can change the box.
Select the data, including the headers. Drag across the complete data range, including the header row, such as A1:B9. If you select only the measurements, Excel may assign generic names such as Series 1, or it may interpret the data in an unexpected direction. For data arranged in rows, select the row headers and values together; you can correct the orientation after inserting the chart.
Insert the box and whisker chart. On the ribbon, choose Insert > Insert Statistic Chart > Box and Whisker. Excel creates the chart from the selected range. If you do not see Box and Whisker, check that you are using a desktop version that supports this statistical chart type and that the selection contains numeric data. Excel for the web may not provide the same chart-creation and formatting controls; use the desktop app for the steps here.
Check that the group labels are correct. Click the chart and open Chart Design > Switch Row/Column if Excel has treated each observation as a separate group or has used the wrong direction. The group names should appear along the horizontal category axis. If a name is missing or wrong, correct the source header cell; the chart should update from its source data. To check or change the range, use Chart Design > Select Data.
Add a descriptive chart title. With the chart selected, choose Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Chart Title > Above Chart. Click the title box and type a short explanation of what the groups measure, such as “Quiz Scores by Class.” Avoid a title that only says “Box and Whisker Plot”; it identifies the chart type but not the data. If you prefer, click the chart’s title placeholder directly and replace its text.
Add axis titles where they clarify the units. Choose Chart Design > Add Chart Element > Axis Titles, then select the primary horizontal or primary vertical title as appropriate. Click each title placeholder and enter a useful label. The horizontal axis usually identifies the groups, while the vertical axis explains the measured quantity and units, such as “Completion time (minutes).” Category names already shown along the horizontal axis are not a substitute for a vertical-axis title.
Decide which box-plot features to show. Right-click a box in the chart and choose Format Data Series. In Series Options, you can control options such as inner points, outlier points, mean markers, mean lines, and the quartile calculation, where available. These are chart features, not text labels. Choose settings that fit the purpose of the graphic, and keep them consistent across groups. If you will add numerical quartile callouts, make sure your summary calculations use the same inclusive or exclusive quartile convention as the chart.
Calculate the statistics you plan to label. For a concrete example, suppose Group A’s eight observations are 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, and 14 in A2:A9. Put statistic names in C2:C6 and the matching results in D2:D6. With those values in A2:A9, enter =MIN(A2:A9) in D2; the result is 2. With the same data layout, enter =QUARTILE.INC(A2:A9,1) in D3; the first quartile is 4.75. With the same data layout, enter =MEDIAN(A2:A9) in D4; the median is 7.5. With the same data layout, enter =QUARTILE.INC(A2:A9,3) in D5; the third quartile is 10.5. With the same data layout, enter =MAX(A2:A9) in D6; the result is 14. These results use inclusive quartiles. Set the chart to Inclusive median in Format Data Series if you want its quartiles to match these calculations. The whisker ends can differ from the minimum and maximum when the chart treats observations as outliers.
Put the values into readable callout text. With the statistic names in C2:C6 and results in D2:D6, enter =C2&": "&D2 in E2, then fill the formula down through E6. The first result reads “Minimum: 2,” and the remaining rows combine each name with its value. Format the results in column E if you want a consistent number of decimal places; you can also type short labels directly into text boxes if the values will not need to update.
Add and position statistic labels on the chart. Select the chart, choose Insert > Text Box, and draw a small box near the relevant part of the plot. Type a label such as “Median: 7.5.” Repeat for the quartiles or whisker endpoints you want to explain. To make a text box update from a worksheet cell, select the box, click the formula bar, type an equals sign and a reference such as =Sheet1!$E$4, then press Enter. Replace Sheet1 with the actual worksheet name. Place the linked box beside the median line or box edge, not over the data. Add a short connector line if a label’s exact target is otherwise unclear. On Mac, use Insert > Text Box where available; the ribbon layout may differ slightly, but the text box can be selected and linked through the formula bar in supported desktop versions.
Finish and verify the chart. Resize the plot area or chart so labels do not overlap, then check that every callout points to the intended statistic and that the group names remain visible. Click a linked label and confirm its source cell in the formula bar. If you edit the source data, verify that the chart and linked values update as expected. Save the workbook with the source data and summary table intact so readers can inspect how the labels were produced.

Common Mistakes

Expecting Excel to print every statistic automatically. The built-in chart displays the box, median line, whiskers, and any enabled points or mean markers, but those marks are not necessarily accompanied by their numerical values. Add text-box callouts for the numbers you need readers to see.

Leaving generic group names. Headers such as “Series 1” make a chart difficult to interpret. Give each data group a concise name before creating the chart, and check that Excel has picked up the header row.

Mixing quartile conventions. The chart’s inclusive or exclusive quartile setting affects where the box edges fall. A value calculated with QUARTILE.INC may not match a chart set to the other convention. Match the summary method to the chart setting before placing a precise callout.

Calling the minimum or maximum a whisker endpoint automatically. In a box plot, whiskers may end at the most extreme non-outlier values rather than at the absolute minimum and maximum. Check the plotted points and the chart’s outlier settings before labeling an endpoint as a minimum or maximum.

Putting labels on top of the data. A text box can hide an outlier or obscure the median line. Use short wording, position labels just outside the box, and make the chart wider or taller when space is tight.

Tips

Use the same number format for all callouts. If the chart is for a general audience, one decimal place may be easier to scan than long decimal values.
Label only the statistics that support the point of the chart. Five labels on every group can crowd a chart with many categories; consider labeling the median or a notable group instead.
Use a vertical-axis title to state measurement units and a chart title to explain the comparison. This avoids repeating the same information in every category label.
For text boxes that should update, link each one to a worksheet cell rather than typing a changing value into the box. Keep the summary cells near the source data and give them clear names.
After changing the chart’s size, recheck manually positioned callouts. They may shift relative to the plotted marks, especially if the plot area has been resized.
On Mac, chart design controls are available through the chart tabs and formatting panes, but commands may be arranged differently from Windows. If a ribbon command is hard to locate, select the chart first and inspect the Chart Design tab.

Troubleshooting

The chart shows one box per row instead of one per column: Select the chart and choose Chart Design > Switch Row/Column. If that does not fix it, open Chart Design > Select Data and confirm that the selected range includes the intended labels and values.

The axis says Series 1 or displays numbers: Check the source range and ensure the header cells are included. Edit the header cells to contain text labels, then use Chart Design > Select Data to verify the chart’s data range. If Excel has interpreted a row of values as category names, switch the row and column orientation.

The chart has no title or axis-title boxes: Select the chart before using Chart Design > Add Chart Element. Choose the required title option from its menu, then click the placeholder that appears. A chart title and axis titles are separate elements, so add each one independently.

A statistic callout does not change when the data changes: Check that the box is linked to the correct cell through the formula bar. If it contains typed text instead of a cell reference, it will stay fixed. Also check that the summary formula refers to the complete data range and that the cells contain numbers rather than number-like text.

The quartile callout does not line up with the box edge: Compare the chart’s Inclusive median setting with the method used in the worksheet. Also verify that you are labeling the first or third quartile, not the whisker endpoint. Outliers can make whiskers stop short of the minimum or maximum.

Labels overlap or get cut off: Widen the chart, move the labels toward open space, or shorten their wording. If the chart is too crowded to annotate clearly, label fewer statistics or separate the groups across multiple charts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Excel automatically label the median and quartiles with their values?

Do not assume the built-in box and whisker chart will show numerical labels for each statistic. For explicit values, calculate the statistics in worksheet cells and add text boxes linked to those cells. The chart itself continues to show the statistical marks.

How do I label each box with its group name?

Place each group name in the header cell above its data column, select the headers and measurements together, and insert the chart. If the chart uses generic names, check the selected range or use Chart Design > Select Data to correct it.

Can I show labels for outliers?

You can turn on outlier points in Format Data Series, but a visible point is not the same as a text label. If you need to identify an outlier by value or record name, add a text box or use a different charting approach that supports the annotation you need.

Why are my quartile values different from Excel’s box edges?

The chart may use a different quartile convention from the worksheet formula, or the chart may be showing a different group or range. Match the inclusive or exclusive setting, check the source data, and confirm that you are comparing the correct quartile.

Do linked text-box labels update when I change data?

Yes, if the text box is linked to a worksheet cell and that cell’s formula recalculates. A label typed directly into a text box is static, so you must edit it yourself when the underlying value changes.

Can I add these labels in Excel for the web?

Excel for the web can display many charts, but its chart creation and formatting options may differ from desktop Excel. If you cannot insert a Box and Whisker chart or add and link text boxes, open the workbook in Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac and make the edits there.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

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

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.