Copying graphs and charts from Excel into PowerPoint is a common task for many professionals. Pasting an Excel chart directly into PowerPoint using the standard Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut can often result in a blurry or low-quality image. Fortunately, there is a handy keyboard shortcut that maintains the quality and formatting of your Excel charts when pasting them into PowerPoint – Ctrl+Alt+V.
Why Use Ctrl+Alt+V for Pasting Excel Charts
The standard keyboard shortcut for pasting items from the clipboard is Ctrl+V. However, using Ctrl+V to paste Excel charts into PowerPoint often reduces image quality, removes formatting, and even changes the chart type.
Ctrl+Alt+V is an alternative paste option that maintains more fidelity when transferring an Excel chart into PowerPoint. Here are some of the benefits of using Ctrl+Alt+V:
- Preserves image and print quality
- Retains all formatting and chart elements
- Paste links the chart, so it updates when Excel data changes
- Works for charts, tables, shapes, SmartArt, and more
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these simple steps to quickly and seamlessly copy any Excel chart into PowerPoint using the Ctrl+Alt+V method:
Select the Chart in Excel
- Open the Excel workbook containing the chart you want to copy.
- Click once on the chart to select the entire chart and its underlying data table. A border will appear around the perimeter of the chart.
Copy the Chart
- With the chart selected, press Ctrl+C on your keyboard to copy the chart. You can also right-click the chart and select Copy from the context menu.
Switch to PowerPoint
- Open the PowerPoint presentation where you want to paste the Excel chart.
- Navigate to the slide and place your cursor where you want the pasted chart to be located.
Paste Using Ctrl+Alt+V
- Press the Ctrl+Alt+V key combination on your keyboard. This will paste the chart as a linked object while maintaining the chart’s formatting and quality.
- If desired, resize the chart by clicking and dragging the sizing handles around the perimeter.
And that’s it! The Excel chart is now pasted into the PowerPoint slide. If you edit the source data in Excel, the PowerPoint chart will update to reflect those changes.
Customizing the Linked Chart in PowerPoint
Once the chart is pasted into PowerPoint, you can customize it like any other PowerPoint object:
- Change layouts from the Chart Design tab
- Modify data colors, font sizes, 3D effects and more
- Resize, rotate, or move the copied chart object
Keep in mind that extensive changes to the appearance may break the link to the Excel data. Formatting like colors or fonts can be changed without affecting the link.
Troubleshooting Tips
If pasting your chart using Ctrl+Alt+V does not work, try these tips:
- Select the entire chart and data table in Excel before copying
- Use Ctrl+C to copy (not just Ctrl+X or right click copy)
- If paste options appear upon using Ctrl+Alt+V, select Microsoft Excel Chart Object
- If the chart pastes but is not linked, copy/paste again using the above steps
Conclusion
Learning the Ctrl+Alt+V shortcut for pasting Excel charts into PowerPoint saves time and preserves chart quality. Unlike a standard copy/paste, Ctrl+Alt+V creates a live link back to the data in Excel. This allows the chart to dynamically update if changes occur to the source data.
Give the Ctrl+Alt+V method a try next time you need to import Excel data visualizations into your PowerPoint decks! Let us know in the comments if you have any other tips for copying charts between Office applications.
