Excel Scatter Plot: How to Remove Values at the Origin

To remove only the point where both coordinates are zero from an Excel scatter plot, make helper columns that return #N/A for rows with X = 0 and Y = 0, then use those columns as the chart’s X and Y values. Excel does not plot the resulting #N/A point, and your original data remains unchanged.

Why a point appears at the origin

An XY scatter chart places each observation according to a pair of numbers: one X value and one Y value. When both values are zero, Excel positions that observation at the intersection of the axes, known as the origin. That point may be meaningful, such as a measured result of zero, or it may represent a default value, an unentered observation, or a calculation that has not produced a useful result yet.

Before removing it, check what the zeros mean in your worksheet. A true measurement of (0, 0) is different from a blank cell that a formula or import process has turned into zero. Excluding a genuine observation can change the story your chart tells, especially in a small data set. If the point is only an unwanted placeholder, filtering it from the chart is usually preferable to deleting the source row.

The method below is for Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows. The formulas also work in current Excel for Mac. Ribbon labels and their arrangement can differ slightly on Mac or Excel for the web, but the underlying chart and worksheet approach is the same.

Use helper columns to omit the zero-zero row

Suppose your worksheet has X values in column A and Y values in column B, with headers in row 1 and observations beginning in row 2. Add two columns with headers such as Chart X and Chart Y. The formulas below return the original coordinate except when both cells contain numeric zero. In that case, they return NA(), which gives the chart a value it can omit.

With X values in A2:A100 and Y values in B2:B100, enter this formula in C2 for the helper X value:

=IF(AND(ISNUMBER(A2),ISNUMBER(B2),A2=0,B2=0),NA(),A2)

With the same source layout, enter this formula in D2 for the helper Y value:

=IF(AND(ISNUMBER(A2),ISNUMBER(B2),A2=0,B2=0),NA(),B2)

Fill both formulas down through the last data row. The ISNUMBER checks make the test specific to numeric coordinates: two empty cells are not deliberately treated as a measured zero-zero pair. For every other row, the helper columns preserve the original X and Y values together. For a row containing (0, 0), both helper cells show #N/A.

For example, if the original rows are (0, 0), (2, 5), and (-1, 3), the helper columns return #N/A for the first pair, then 2 and 5, then -1 and 3. The chart therefore retains the latter two points and skips the origin point.

Change the chart to use the helper values

Once the helper columns are filled, point the chart series to them. On Windows, select the scatter chart and choose Chart Design > Select Data. In the Select Data Source dialog, select the series and choose Edit. Set the series X values to the helper X range, such as C2:C100, and the series Y values to the matching helper Y range, such as D2:D100. Keep the ranges the same length and aligned row by row, then confirm the dialogs.

Keep the original A and B columns intact; the helper columns are only for charting.
Check that the X range points to Chart X and the Y range points to Chart Y. Reversing them changes the chart’s horizontal and vertical coordinates.
Confirm that the chart has the expected number of visible points and that nonzero observations have not moved.

Excel normally skips chart points whose source value is #N/A. This is useful here because it omits the paired observation without substituting a misleading coordinate such as (0, 0). The worksheet will still display the errors in the helper cells; they are intentional outputs of the formulas, not errors in the original data.

Keep the chart current when data changes

If you add observations later, make sure the formulas and chart series include the new rows. A simple range ending at row 100 will not automatically include data entered in row 101 unless the source is set up to expand. One convenient option is to convert the source data into an Excel table: select the data and choose Insert > Table. Add the helper columns to the table and fill their formulas down. Excel tables generally extend calculated-column formulas when new rows are added.

After adding rows, inspect the chart’s series ranges if the new points do not appear. Tables and charts often expand together when the chart is based on the table, but chart setup can vary, especially if the series was manually assigned fixed cell ranges. The key requirement remains that the chart’s X and Y ranges include the corresponding helper values for each new observation.

If you want to hide the helper columns from view, you can do so after confirming the chart still displays the intended points. However, chart behavior can depend on the hidden-data setting. Select the chart and open Chart Design > Select Data > Hidden and Empty Cells. Check the option for showing data in hidden rows and columns only if you want hidden helper values included. The dialog’s exact options can vary by chart and Excel version, so verify the result after changing the setting.

Other ways to exclude the origin

Helper columns are a dependable choice when the source data must remain available and the chart should update as values change. There are other approaches, but each has trade-offs:

Filter the source rows: Add a helper flag that identifies rows where both coordinates are zero, then filter those rows out of a table. Charts usually omit filtered-out rows by default, but the hidden-row chart setting can affect this. Filtering also hides rows from the worksheet view, so it may be less convenient when you still need to inspect every observation.
Delete the source row: This removes the observation from the worksheet, not just the chart. Use this only if the row is genuinely unwanted and you have kept any needed original data elsewhere.
Change the axis limits: Setting a minimum value above zero can make the origin fall outside the visible plot area. It does not remove the data point; it changes the displayed scale and may also clip other valid values. This is not a good substitute when you want to exclude one specific pair.
Hide a marker manually: Formatting one data point to have no marker can work for a static chart, but it is easy to lose track of and may apply to the wrong point after the data changes. It also leaves the underlying observation in the series.

For a chart that needs to stay accurate as data is edited, filtering through helper values is clearer than changing the axis or manually formatting one marker. It also makes the exclusion rule visible in the worksheet.

Exact zeros, calculated values, and tolerances

The formulas above test for exact numeric zeros. This is appropriate when the source values are entered as zero or the calculation returns precisely zero. But a value displayed as 0.00 may not actually equal zero: a calculation can produce a tiny number that is rounded for display. Excel will then treat that point as nonzero, even though the chart may make it look like it sits at the origin.

If values are calculated and tiny residuals should count as zero, use a tolerance that makes sense for the units and precision of your data. For instance, a threshold of 0.000001 might be suitable for one scale and inappropriate for another. There is no universal tolerance: choosing one that is too large can discard legitimate observations near the origin. You can inspect the underlying values by increasing the displayed decimal places or checking the formula results before deciding.

Another common issue is that one coordinate is zero while the other is not. The formulas do not remove those points. A point such as (0, 4) lies on the Y axis, not at the origin, and a point such as (3, 0) lies on the X axis. The condition tests that both coordinates are zero, so these observations remain on the chart.

Common chart problems to check

If the unwanted point remains visible, first confirm that the chart is using the helper ranges rather than the original columns. Next, inspect both helper cells for that row. Both should return #N/A for the exact zero-zero pair. If one helper formula was copied incorrectly, or the series still references an original coordinate, Excel may continue to plot the point.

If other points disappear, verify that X and Y helper formulas refer to the same source row and that the chart ranges have matching lengths. Also check for text values or blanks in the source data. A scatter chart expects numeric coordinates; text and incomplete pairs may be skipped or behave differently from ordinary numeric points. Avoid replacing an excluded point with an empty string as a shortcut, because chart treatment of empty results can depend on the chart settings. Returning NA() makes the intended omission explicit.

If you see a marker at the origin even though the zero-zero row is excluded, look at the axis crossing and the other observations. A point with a very small coordinate can appear almost on top of the origin at the chart’s current scale. A different valid observation may also genuinely have coordinates of zero on one axis. Inspect the source values before concluding that the excluded row is still plotted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove only the point at (0, 0) without deleting its row?

Yes. Use helper columns that return NA() for the zero-zero pair, then set the chart series to use those columns. The source row stays in the worksheet, while the chart omits the point.

Will the helper formula remove points on either axis?

No. It excludes only rows where both X and Y are zero. A point such as (0, 4) or (3, 0) remains because it is not located at the origin.

Why does a value displayed as zero still show on the chart?

The stored value may be a small nonzero result rounded for display. Increase the cell’s decimal places or inspect the calculation. If appropriate for your data, use a carefully chosen tolerance rather than an exact-zero test.

Does returning NA change my original data?

No. The NA() result appears in the helper columns only. Your original X and Y values remain in their source columns, so you can use them for other calculations or charts.

Can I just change the axis minimum to hide the origin?

You can change the visible scale, but that does not remove the observation from the series. It may also hide other valid points. Use helper values when the goal is to omit only the zero-zero pair.

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

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