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Data Bars in Excel

Written by ExcelMojo Editorial Team ExcelMojo Editorial Team ExcelMojo editorial profile and article credentials. Full Bio
Reviewed by Dheeraj Vaidya, CFA, FRM Dheeraj Vaidya, CFA, FRM Reviewed for accuracy, clarity, and editorial standards. Full Bio
Updated Apr 23, 2026
Read Time 8 min

What is Data Bars in Excel?

Data bars in Excel are a type of conditional formatting that visually represent the presented data. They are colored bars added to cells to compare their values. Larger the value, the longer the bar. They are beneficial as a visual representation tool for the comparison of values.

Below is a table containing some books’ names and the number of copies sold in a bookstore. Here, we can apply data bars in Excel to compare the sales details and find the best-selling books. For it, go to the Home tab, click on the Conditional Formatting option, and choose Data Bars. You can select any data bar according to your requirements. Thus, you can find the best-selling book immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How to add solid fill data bars in Excel?

You should select the required cell range. Then, go to Home tab and click on Conditional Formatting. Next, select the Data bars option in the drop-down list and choose Solid fill.

2. How to remove Data bars in Excel?

Select the range to remove the data bars and go to Conditional Formatting in the Home tab. Next, click on the option Clear Rules, and select either the “Clear Rules from Entire Sheet” or “Clear Rules from Selected Cells” option. You can also click on the Manage Rules option, select the required rule and press Delete Rule.

3. Why is data bars in Excel not working?

Data bars in Excel work only for numbers or quantitative data. If the data is in text format, the application of data bars will not work. The data bars will also not work for empty cells.

4. How to set maximum length of data bars in Excel?

After selecting the cell range:
1) Go to Conditional Formatting and choose More Rules.
2) In the popup window, choose “Number” under the Maximum option.
3) Enter the maximum value and press OK.

Download Template

📥Download the ready-to-use Excel template to practice this tutorial yourself.

Download Excel Template

Guide to Data Bars in Excel. Here we explain how to add/insert create data bars using step by step examples & downloadable excel template. Now, you can learn more from the following articles –