To make a pie chart with percentages in Excel, select your data, go to Insert > Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart > Pie, then select the chart, click the Chart Elements (+) button, and choose Data Labels > More Options. In the Format Data Labels pane, tick Percentage and clear Value. Excel works out each slice’s share of the total for you.
Applies to: Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows. Excel for Mac uses the same options with a slightly different layout. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 9, 2026.
Set up your data
A pie chart shows one series of numbers as parts of a whole. Put the labels in one column and the numbers in the next, with a header row:
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rent | 1,200 |
| Food | 450 |
| Transport | 200 |
| Utilities | 150 |
You don’t need to calculate percentages first. Excel calculates them from the amounts. Avoid including a total row, or it becomes its own slice.
Create the pie chart
- Select the labels and numbers, including the header row (for example, A1:B5).
- Go to the Insert tab.
- In the Charts group, select Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart (the circle icon).
- Choose Pie under 2-D Pie. Excel adds the chart to your sheet.
Show percentages on the slices
- Click the chart, then click the Chart Elements button (the + sign beside the chart).
- Point to Data Labels, select the arrow, and choose More Options.
- In the Format Data Labels pane, under Label Options, tick Percentage.
- Clear Value if you only want percentages. Tick Category Name if you want labels like “Rent 60%” on the chart instead of a legend.
- Under Label Position, choose Best Fit, Inside End or Outside End.
The fastest way: Quick Layout
Click the chart, go to Chart Design > Quick Layout, and choose Layout 1. It adds category names and percentages to every slice in one click. You can still fine-tune the labels afterward.
Show both the value and the percentage
In Format Data Labels, tick both Value and Percentage. Under Separator, choose (New Line) so each label reads, for example, “1,200” on one line and “60%” on the next.
Change the number of decimal places
- In Format Data Labels, expand Number at the bottom of Label Options.
- Set Category to Percentage.
- Type the number of Decimal places, such as 1, so small slices don’t all show as 0% or 1%.
Rounding can make the labels add up to 99% or 101%. Adding a decimal place usually fixes that.
Use percentages you’ve calculated yourself
If you need custom percentages, for example of a target rather than the total, calculate them in a column first. In C2, type =B2/SUM($B$2:$B$5), fill it down, and format the column as Percentage. For more on percentage formulas, see how to multiply by a percentage in Excel.
Then, in Format Data Labels, tick Value From Cells, select C2:C5, and clear the other label options. The labels now show your calculated values.
Make the chart easier to read
- Limit the slices. More than six or seven slices get hard to compare. Combine small items into “Other,” or use a bar chart instead.
- Sort the data from largest to smallest before creating the chart, so slices go around in size order.
- Pull out a slice to highlight it. See how to explode a slice of a pie chart in Excel.
- Use Pie of Pie or Bar of Pie (in the same chart menu) to show many small values in a second chart.
- Change the colors from Chart Design > Change Colors, or click a single slice twice and use Format > Shape Fill.
If the percentages look wrong
- One huge slice: a total row was included in the data. Remove it from the chart range with Chart Design > Select Data.
- Labels show values, not percentages: open Format Data Labels and tick Percentage, then clear Value.
- Slices are missing: cells with 0, text or errors aren’t shown. Check the numbers are real numbers, not text. See how to convert a percentage to a number in Excel if your data is stored as percentages.
- Only one slice appears: only one number was selected, or Excel plotted the data by row. Select the labels and numbers together, or use Chart Design > Switch Row/Column.
- Labels overlap: choose Best Fit or Outside End, and turn on Show Leader Lines.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make a pie chart from percentages that already add up to 100%?
Yes. Select the labels and percentages and insert a pie chart. If you show Value labels, they display your percentages exactly as entered.
How do I change the chart title?
Click the title once and type a new one, or link it to a cell by typing = and clicking the cell in the formula bar.
Can I show percentages in a doughnut chart?
Yes. Doughnut charts use the same Data Labels options, including Percentage.
Does the chart update when my data changes?
Yes. Change a number and the slices and percentages update automatically.
Related: how to edit the legend in Excel.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.