Line Graph Maker: Free, Download as PNG

How to use the line graph maker

In Excel or Google Sheets, select your table: the x values (such as years) in the first column and one column for each line, with names in the first row. Copy and paste it in.
Add a title and axis labels, and choose whether to show the data points and start the y-axis at zero.
Click Make line graph.
Check the graph and the summary of each line's change, then click Download PNG for your report or slides.

How the change is calculated

For each line, the summary compares the first and last values:

change = last − first , percent change = last − firstfirst × 100

It also lists each line's highest and lowest values (and where they occur) and its average.

Worked example

Online course enrollment at a college was 120 in 2019 and 310 in 2024. How much did it grow?

Change
310 − 120 = 190 students
Percent change
190120 × 100 = +158.3%

What it shows: online enrollment more than doubled. Plotted next to in-person enrollment, which dropped sharply in 2020 and then recovered, a line graph shows both stories, and when the lines got close, at a glance. Load the example above to see it.

Tips for a clear line graph

Put time on the horizontal axis, from left to right.
Keep to a few lines. Two to four are easy to follow; beyond that, consider separate small graphs.
Label the lines directly instead of relying only on a legend. This tool writes each line's name at its end when there are four or fewer.
Be careful with the y-axis. A narrow range exaggerates small changes; starting at zero shows them in proportion.
Use evenly spaced time points when you can. If they aren't (for example 2010, 2015, 2016), enter them as numbers so the spacing is drawn to scale.

Frequently asked questions

When should I use a line graph?

Use a line graph to show how something changes over an ordered sequence, usually time: monthly sales, yearly enrollment, temperature through the day. The line makes rises, falls and trends easy to see. For separate categories with no natural order, use a bar graph; for parts of a whole, a pie chart; for the relationship between two measured variables, a scatter plot.

How do I graph more than one line?

Paste a table with the x values (years, months, dates) in the first column and one column per line, with the line names in the first row. For example, copy the columns Year, Online and In-person from your spreadsheet. Each column becomes its own line in a different color, labeled at its end and in the legend. Up to 7 lines are supported.

Should the y-axis start at zero?

Not necessarily. Unlike a bar graph, where a bar’s length must start at zero, a line graph is read by its slope, so a y-axis that starts near the data can show changes more clearly. But a narrow axis can make small changes look dramatic, so tick “Start the y-axis at zero” when the size of the change relative to the total matters.

What if some values are missing?

Leave the cell empty. The line will have a gap there instead of joining across the missing value, so readers can see where data are absent. The summary table uses only the values that are there.

How is the percent change calculated?

Percent change = (last value − first value) ÷ first value × 100. For example, going from 120 to 310 is (310 − 120) ÷ 120 × 100 = +158.3%. If the first value is 0, a percent change can’t be calculated, so only the actual change is shown.

How do I make a line graph in Excel or Google Sheets?

Put the x values in the first column and each series in the next columns, select the table, then choose Insert → Chart → Line. If Excel treats years as a data series, set them as the horizontal axis labels under Select Data. Or paste the same table into this tool for a clean graph with a change summary for every line.