Combo Chart Icon in Excel: Where to Find and Use It

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, find the combo chart icon on the Insert tab, in the Charts group, under Insert Combo Chart; it looks like columns with a line over them. Select your data first, then choose a preset such as Clustered Column – Line, or choose Create Custom Combo Chart to assign chart types and axes yourself.

Where to find the combo chart icon

Start by selecting the cells you want to chart, including the headings. On the ribbon, open Insert and look in the Charts group for Insert Combo Chart. The small graphic combines column bars and a line, though its appearance can vary slightly with ribbon size and Excel updates. Hover over a chart command to read its tooltip if you are unsure which icon it is.

If the button is not visible, the ribbon may be compressed because the Excel window is narrow. Maximize the window or inspect the Charts group’s menus. Another route in desktop Excel for Windows is Insert > Recommended Charts, followed by the All Charts tab and Combo. In that view, select a chart style and, if needed, choose the option to create a custom combination.

On Excel for Mac, the ribbon arrangement can differ; look under Insert and use Recommended Charts or the chart-insertion options to reach the Combo category. In Excel for the web, commands and chart-editing options can vary by account and rollout. If you cannot find a control for creating or customizing a combo chart, open the workbook in the desktop app for the full set of chart options.

What a combo chart does

A combo chart displays two or more data series using different chart types in one chart area. A common pairing is columns for sales and a line for profit margin. The columns emphasize the size of each month’s sales, while the line makes it easier to follow the margin’s movement across the same months.

The chart’s value comes from comparing series that share categories but differ in scale or in the kind of pattern they communicate. For example, a company might plot monthly order counts as columns and average delivery time as a line. A combo chart does not make the measurements equivalent: the legend and axis labels still need to make clear what each series represents.

Excel provides common pairings, but a combo chart is not limited to one column series and one line. In the custom settings, you can choose a chart type for each series, subject to the chart types Excel supports. The goal is a readable comparison, not simply using multiple styles for decoration.

How to create a combo chart

For a typical monthly comparison, arrange the data in a simple table: month names in the first column, sales in the second, and margin percentages in the third. Include a header for each column. Select the full range, including the headings, before inserting the chart. Clear labels and consistent rows help Excel identify the categories and series correctly.

Select the table, including its column headings and month labels.
Choose Insert > Insert Combo Chart in the Charts group. If that command is not visible, open Recommended Charts and select the Combo category.
Choose a suitable preset, such as Clustered Column – Line. For a different arrangement, select Create Custom Combo Chart.
In the custom chart settings, choose the chart type for each listed series. For example, set Sales to Clustered Column and Margin to Line.
If the values use very different scales, enable Secondary Axis for the series that needs its own scale, then confirm the chart.

After insertion, check that the horizontal axis shows the months and that the legend names match the column headings. If Excel has treated a row as a series when you expected it to be a category, use Chart Design > Switch Row/Column. The command is useful when the chart’s structure is reversed, but it will not fix missing or incorrectly selected source data.

Choosing a chart type and secondary axis

Use the chart type to reflect the question the reader should answer. Columns are useful for comparing amounts across distinct categories, such as sales by month. A line works well for showing a connected trend over an ordered sequence, such as weeks or months. A line can be confusing for unordered categories, because connecting them may suggest a continuous progression that is not present.

A secondary axis is useful when series have different units or very different ranges. If monthly sales are measured in thousands of dollars and margin is a percentage, plotting both on a single value axis may flatten the percentage line near the bottom. Giving the margin its own axis can make its variation visible. In the custom combo dialog, turn on Secondary Axis for the appropriate series rather than changing the axis for every series.

Two axes also create a risk: their scales can make the relationship look stronger or weaker than it is. Label both axes with units, use sensible bounds, and avoid implying that the same vertical distance means the same amount on both scales. For a column series, a zero baseline is generally important because the bar length visually represents magnitude. If readers need precise comparison between values, consider separate charts instead of a dual-axis chart.

Make the chart clear and trustworthy

Once the chart is inserted, add context that Excel cannot infer from the numbers alone. Use Chart Design > Add Chart Element to add a chart title, axis titles, or data labels where they help. A title such as Monthly sales and margin tells readers what the chart compares; axis titles such as Sales ($) and Margin (%) explain the units.

Keep the legend names short and meaningful; improve the source-table headings if the legend shows generic names such as Series 1.
Use contrasting colors and distinct line markers where needed, while checking that the chart remains understandable when printed or viewed without color.
Limit data labels to values that aid interpretation. Labels on every point can crowd a chart with many months or categories.
Check the date order and category labels, especially if the source table has blank rows, text dates, or totals mixed in with monthly data.

To change an existing series’ appearance, select the series and use the chart formatting controls, or return to Chart Design > Change Chart Type and select Combo. This can be more practical than deleting and rebuilding the chart when you only need to change a line to columns or enable a secondary axis. Keep the underlying data organized so future additions are easier to include.

Common problems and fixes

The combo chart button is missing. Widen the Excel window and inspect the Insert tab’s Charts group. Alternatively, go through Insert > Recommended Charts > All Charts > Combo. Ribbon layouts differ, so the command may be nested rather than displayed as a prominent icon.

The wrong series is shown as a line. Open Change Chart Type and check the chart type assigned to each series. Excel’s automatic choice is only a suggestion. Confirm that the series names and source ranges are correct before changing the visual style.

The line looks almost flat. The series may have a much smaller range than the column series. Consider assigning it a secondary axis, but label that axis clearly and inspect its minimum and maximum. A flatter line can also be an accurate reflection of stable data; do not adjust scales solely to make fluctuations look dramatic.

Excel plots categories incorrectly. Check that the selected range includes the category labels and that values are stored as numbers rather than text. Use Chart Design > Switch Row/Column if Excel has interpreted rows and columns in the opposite way from what you intended. Remove blank rows or unrelated totals from the selected range if they are creating unwanted series.

The chart is cluttered. Reduce unnecessary labels, gridlines, and decorative effects. If the message depends on comparing many series, a combo chart may not be the right solution. More series do not automatically make a chart more informative.

When to use a different chart

A combo chart is helpful when multiple series belong to the same set of categories and need different visual treatments. It is not automatically the best choice whenever values differ. If the measures have similar units and ranges, a single chart type may be clearer. For example, two related quantities measured in units can often be compared with grouped columns, while multiple trends over time may be easier to read as lines.

Separate charts can be preferable when the measures use unrelated units, when each needs a detailed scale, or when a secondary axis could mislead. A small-multiple layout—several charts with the same category order—lets readers compare patterns without overlaying different scales. A table may be better when exact values matter more than visual patterns.

Before choosing, ask what comparison the reader needs to make. If the answer is “compare amounts across categories,” columns or bars may suffice. If it is “see how two different measures change together,” a combo chart may be appropriate, provided the axes and units are explicit. If the answer is “read every value precisely,” pair the chart with a well-labeled table.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the combo chart icon look like in Excel?
The icon generally depicts a combination of vertical columns and a line. Its exact look can vary with the Excel ribbon layout. Hover over the chart command to see the tooltip identifying Insert Combo Chart.

Where is the combo chart option in Excel 365?
On Windows, look on Insert in the Charts group for Insert Combo Chart. You can also use Insert > Recommended Charts > All Charts > Combo to view the available combinations.

Can I make a combo chart with two lines?
Yes. In Create Custom Combo Chart, assign a line chart type to each series if that pairing is available. If both series use comparable units, a standard line chart may be simpler and easier to interpret.

When should I use a secondary axis?
Use one when series have different units or ranges that prevent both from being readable on one scale, such as dollars and percentages. Label both axes and check that the scales do not create a misleading visual comparison.

Can I change a chart to a combo chart after creating it?
Yes. Select the chart and choose Chart Design > Change Chart Type, then select Combo and assign types and axes to its series. The exact available choices depend on the chart and Excel version.

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