How to Insert a Stacked Bar Chart in PowerPoint

Updated on:

May 25, 2026

By:

Use this interactive demo to learn how to add a stacked bar chart to your PowerPoint presentation.

Quick summary

A stacked bar chart in PowerPoint lets you visualize part-to-whole relationships across multiple categories in a single slide. Follow these steps to insert either a standard or 100% stacked bar chart using PowerPoint's built-in chart tool.

Steps

Go to the Insert tab in PowerPoint.
Click Chart located in the Illustrations group.
In the left panel, select Bar as the chart type.
Choose either Stacked Bar or 100% Stacked Bar from the available options.
Click OK to confirm your chart selection.
Replace the sample data with your own in the Excel spreadsheet that appears.
Close the Excel window when you have finished entering your data.

📌 Why this matters

Inserting a stacked bar chart in PowerPoint is one of the most effective ways to communicate proportional data and category comparisons in business presentations. PowerPoint's built-in chart tool makes it easy to choose between a standard stacked bar or a 100% stacked bar, giving presenters flexible visualization options without leaving the app. By linking chart data directly to an embedded Excel spreadsheet, users can update figures quickly and keep slides accurate. This feature matters because clear, well-structured data visualizations drive faster decision-making and more persuasive presentations.

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