How to Switch (Flip) X & Y Axis in Excel & Google Sheets

This tutorial will demonstrate how to flip the X and Y Axis in Excel & Google Sheets charts.

How to Switch (Flip) X and Y Axis in Excel

X & Y Axis Explanation

  1. X Axis – horizontal line of the graph. Recommended dependent variable
  2. Y Axis – vertical line of the graph; Recommended independent variable

X Y Axis Scatterplot Excel

 

Starting with Your Base Graph

In this explanation, we’re going to use a scatterplot as the example to switch the X and Y axes. This scatterplot below shows the how the clicks and sales are related. Let’s say we want to change this graph so that the Sales will be on the Y Axis and Clicks on the X Axis.

Scatterplot Label on X Y Axis

Switching your X and Y Axis

  1. Right Click on Your Graph > Select Data

Switch X Y Axis Excel

 

2. Click on Edit

 

Flip Axis on Excel X Y

 

3.  Switch the X and Y Axis

You’ll see the below table showing the current Series for the X Values and current Series for the Y Values.

 

Switch X Y Axis Scatterplot Excel

 

You want to swap these values. The formula for “Series X Values” should be in the “Services Y Values” and vice versa as seen below. Then click OK. In order to swap, use:

Ctrl + C to Copy

Ctrl + V to paste

Swap X Y Axis Excel

 

After clicking OK, you’ll see that the values of the X and Y Axis has swapped as requested. However, as you can see, we still must switch the Axis Title Names as these have not updated.

 

Flip Axis Label X Y Label

4. Updating Axis Titles

Double click on the Axis Title and change the name to the appropriate title that represents the values on that axis.

Change Label on X & Y Axis

Final Graph after Swap

The final result shows the visualization in a more pleasing way where Sales are on the Y axis and Clicks are on the X Axis.

 

Excel Scatterplot with X Y Axis

How to Switch (Flip) X and Y Axis in Google Sheets

 

Switching X and Y Axis

  1. Right Click on Graph > Select Data Range

Google Sheets Scatterplot X Y Axis Flip

 

2. Click on Values under X-Axis and change. In this case, we’re switching the X-Axis “Clicks” to “Sales”.

Switch X Y Axis on Google Sheets

Do the same for the Y Axis where it says “Series”

 

Flip X Y Axis on Google Sheets

Change Axis Titles

Similar to Excel, double-click the axis title to change the titles of the updated axes.

Change Axis Titles on Google Sheets X Y Axis

 

Final Graph after Swap

Finally, we have a finished product after swapping the x and y axis as shown below.

Scatterplot X Y Axis Google Sheets