Chart Legend in PowerPoint

2 Dec 202418 minutes to read

Legends are visual pictorial hints that provide a viewer information that helps them understand an chart. Using Presentation, you can customize the legend in the chart.

Set the Position of Legend

The following code snippet illustrates how to set the legend position in chart.

C# [Cross-platform]

//Set the position of legend.
chart.Legend.Position = OfficeLegendPosition.Bottom;

C# [Windows-specific]

//Set the position of legend.
chart.Legend.Position = OfficeLegendPosition.Bottom;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Set the position of legend.
chart.Legend.Position = OfficeLegendPosition.Bottom

Set the layout Inclusion

The following code snippet illustrates how to prevent the overlapping the legend in chart.

C# [Cross-platform]

//Legend without overlapping the chart.
 chart.Legend.IncludeInLayout = true;

C# [Windows-specific]

//Set the position of legend.
chart.Legend.Position = OfficeLegendPosition.Bottom;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Set the position of legend.
chart.Legend.Position = OfficeLegendPosition.Bottom

Customization of Border

The following code snippet illustrates how to modify the border of the legend in chart.

C# [Cross-platform]

//Sets the legend border format - color, pattern, weight.
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.AutoFormat = false;
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.IsAutoLineColor = false;
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineColor = Syncfusion.Drawing.Color.Blue;
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LinePattern = OfficeChartLinePattern.DashDot;
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineWeight = OfficeChartLineWeight.Wide;

C# [Windows-specific]

//Sets the legend border format - color, pattern, weight.
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.AutoFormat = false;
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.IsAutoLineColor = false;
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineColor = Color.Blue;
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LinePattern = OfficeChartLinePattern.DashDot;
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineWeight = OfficeChartLineWeight.Wide;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Sets the legend border format - color, pattern, weight.
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.AutoFormat = False
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.IsAutoLineColor = False
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineColor = Color.Blue
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LinePattern = OfficeChartLinePattern.DashDot
chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineWeight = OfficeChartLineWeight.Wide

Customization of Text Area

The following code snippet illustrates how to modify the text area of the legend in chart.

C# [Cross-platform]

//Set the legend's text area formatting - font name, weight, color, size.
chart.Legend.TextArea.Bold = true;
chart.Legend.TextArea.Color = OfficeKnownColors.Bright_green;
chart.Legend.TextArea.FontName = "Times New Roman";
chart.Legend.TextArea.Size = 20;
chart.Legend.TextArea.Strikethrough = true;

C# [Windows-specific]

//Set the legend's text area formatting - font name, weight, color, size.
chart.Legend.TextArea.Bold = true;
chart.Legend.TextArea.Color = OfficeKnownColors.Bright_green;
chart.Legend.TextArea.FontName = "Times New Roman";
chart.Legend.TextArea.Size = 20;
chart.Legend.TextArea.Strikethrough = true;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Set the legend's text area formatting - font name, weight, color, size.
chart.Legend.TextArea.Bold = True
chart.Legend.TextArea.Color = OfficeKnownColors.Bright_green
chart.Legend.TextArea.FontName = "Times New Roman"
chart.Legend.TextArea.Size = 20
chart.Legend.TextArea.Strikethrough = True

Modify the Legend Entry

The following code snippet illustrates how to modify the legend entry.

C# [Cross-platform]

//Modify the legend entry.
chart.Legend.LegendEntries[0].IsDeleted = true;

C# [Windows-specific]

//Modify the legend entry.
chart.Legend.LegendEntries[0].IsDeleted = true;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Modify the legend entry.
chart.Legend.LegendEntries(0).IsDeleted = True

Manage Legend Visibility

The following code snippet illustrates how to hide the legend in chart.

C# [Cross-platform]

//Hiding the legend.
chart.HasLegend = false;

C# [Windows-specific]

//Hiding the legend.
chart.HasLegend = false;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Hiding the legend.
chart.HasLegend = False

View the Legend Horizontally

The following code snippet illustrates how to view legend horizontally.

C# [Cross-platform]

//View legend horizontally.
chart.Legend.IsVerticalLegend = false;

C# [Windows-specific]

//View legend horizontally.
chart.Legend.IsVerticalLegend = false;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' View legend horizontally.
chart.Legend.IsVerticalLegend = False

Set the Position using Layout

The following code snippet illustrates how to position the legend using layout.

C# [Cross-platform]

//Manually positioning chart legend area using Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.LeftMode = LayoutModes.edge;
chart.Legend.Layout.TopMode = LayoutModes.edge;

//Manually positioning chart legend area using Manual Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.LeftMode = LayoutModes.edge;
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.TopMode = LayoutModes.edge;

C# [Windows-specific]

//Manually positioning chart legend area using Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.LeftMode = LayoutModes.edge;
chart.Legend.Layout.TopMode = LayoutModes.edge;

//Manually positioning chart legend area using Manual Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.LeftMode = LayoutModes.edge;
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.TopMode = LayoutModes.edge;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Manually positioning chart legend area using Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.LeftMode = LayoutModes.Edge
chart.Legend.Layout.TopMode = LayoutModes.Edge

' Manually positioning chart legend area using Manual Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.LeftMode = LayoutModes.Edge
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.TopMode = LayoutModes.Edge

Resize the Legend

The following code snippet illustrates how to resize the legend in chart.

C# [Cross-platform]

//Manually resizing chart legend area using Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.Left = 400;
chart.Legend.Layout.Top = 150;
chart.Legend.Layout.Width = 150;
chart.Legend.Layout.Height = 100;

//Manually resizing chart legend area using Manual Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Height = 0.09;
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Width = 0.30;
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Top = 0.36;
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Left = 0.68;

C# [Windows-specific]

//Manually resizing chart legend area using Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.Left = 400;
chart.Legend.Layout.Top = 150;
chart.Legend.Layout.Width = 150;
chart.Legend.Layout.Height = 100;

//Manually resizing chart legend area using Manual Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Height = 0.09;
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Width = 0.30;
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Top = 0.36;
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Left = 0.68;

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Manually resizing chart legend area using Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.Left = 400
chart.Legend.Layout.Top = 150
chart.Legend.Layout.Width = 150
chart.Legend.Layout.Height = 100

' Manually resizing chart legend area using Manual Layout.
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Height = 0.09
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Width = 0.30
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Top = 0.36
chart.Legend.Layout.ManualLayout.Left = 0.68

The complete code snippet illustrating the above options is shown below.

C# [Cross-platform]

FileStream fileStreamPath = new FileStream("Data/Template.pptx", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite);
 //Open an existing PowerPoint Presentation.
 using (IPresentation pptxDoc = Presentation.Open(fileStreamPath))
 {
     //Gets the first slide.
     ISlide slide = pptxDoc.Slides[0];
     //Gets the chart in slide.
     IPresentationChart chart = slide.Shapes[0] as IPresentationChart;

     //Enable the legend.
     chart.HasLegend = true;

     //Set the position of legend.
     chart.Legend.Position = OfficeLegendPosition.Right;

     //Legend without overlapping the chart.
     chart.Legend.IncludeInLayout = true;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.AutoFormat = false;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.IsAutoLineColor = false;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineColor = Syncfusion.Drawing.Color.Black;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LinePattern = OfficeChartLinePattern.DashDot;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineWeight = OfficeChartLineWeight.Hairline;

     //Set the legend's text area formatting - font name, weight, color, size.
     chart.Legend.TextArea.Bold = true;
     chart.Legend.TextArea.Color = OfficeKnownColors.Pink;
     chart.Legend.TextArea.FontName = "Times New Roman";
     chart.Legend.TextArea.Size = 10;
     chart.Legend.TextArea.Strikethrough = false;

     //View legend in vertical.
     chart.Legend.IsVerticalLegend = true;

     //Modifies the legend entry.
     chart.Legend.LegendEntries[0].IsDeleted = true;

     //Manually resizing chart legend area using Layout.
     chart.Legend.Layout.Left = 0.2;
     chart.Legend.Layout.Top = 5;
     chart.Legend.Layout.Width = 40;
     chart.Legend.Layout.Height = 40;

     //Legend without overlapping the chart.
     chart.Legend.IncludeInLayout = true;

     using (FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("Result.pptx", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.ReadWrite, FileShare.ReadWrite))
     {
         //Save the PowerPoint Presentation.
         pptxDoc.Save(outputStream);
     }
 }

C# [Windows-specific]

//Open an existing PowerPoint Presentation.
 using (IPresentation pptxDoc = Presentation.Open("Template.pptx"))
 {
     //Gets the first slide.
     ISlide slide = pptxDoc.Slides[0];
     //Gets the chart in slide.
     IPresentationChart chart = slide.Shapes[0] as IPresentationChart;

     //Enable the legend.
     chart.HasLegend = true;

     //Set the position of legend.
     chart.Legend.Position = OfficeLegendPosition.Right;

     //Legend without overlapping the chart.
     chart.Legend.IncludeInLayout = true;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.AutoFormat = false;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.IsAutoLineColor = false;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineColor = Syncfusion.Drawing.Color.Black;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LinePattern = OfficeChartLinePattern.DashDot;
     chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineWeight = OfficeChartLineWeight.Hairline;

     //Set the legend's text area formatting - font name, weight, color, size.
     chart.Legend.TextArea.Bold = true;
     chart.Legend.TextArea.Color = OfficeKnownColors.Pink;
     chart.Legend.TextArea.FontName = "Times New Roman";
     chart.Legend.TextArea.Size = 10;
     chart.Legend.TextArea.Strikethrough = false;

     //View legend in vertical.
     chart.Legend.IsVerticalLegend = true;

     //Modifies the legend entry.
     chart.Legend.LegendEntries[0].IsDeleted = true;

     //Manually resizing chart legend area using Layout.
     chart.Legend.Layout.Left = 0.2;
     chart.Legend.Layout.Top = 5;
     chart.Legend.Layout.Width = 40;
     chart.Legend.Layout.Height = 40;

     //Legend without overlapping the chart.
     chart.Legend.IncludeInLayout = true;

    //Save the PowerPoint Presentation.
    pptxDoc.Save("Result.pptx");
 }

VB.NET [Windows-specific]

' Open an existing PowerPoint Presentation.
Using pptxDoc As IPresentation = Presentation.Open("Template.pptx")
    ' Gets the first slide.
    Dim slide As ISlide = pptxDoc.Slides(0)
    ' Gets the chart in the slide.
    Dim chart As IPresentationChart = TryCast(slide.Shapes(0), IPresentationChart)

    ' Enable the legend.
    chart.HasLegend = True

    ' Set the position of the legend.
    chart.Legend.Position = OfficeLegendPosition.Right

    ' Legend without overlapping the chart.
    chart.Legend.IncludeInLayout = True
    chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.AutoFormat = False
    chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.IsAutoLineColor = False
    chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineColor = Syncfusion.Drawing.Color.Black
    chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LinePattern = OfficeChartLinePattern.DashDot
    chart.Legend.FrameFormat.Border.LineWeight = OfficeChartLineWeight.Hairline

    ' Set the legend's text area formatting - font name, weight, color, size.
    chart.Legend.TextArea.Bold = True
    chart.Legend.TextArea.Color = OfficeKnownColors.Pink
    chart.Legend.TextArea.FontName = "Times New Roman"
    chart.Legend.TextArea.Size = 10
    chart.Legend.TextArea.Strikethrough = False

    ' View legend in vertical.
    chart.Legend.IsVerticalLegend = True

    ' Modifies the legend entry.
    chart.Legend.LegendEntries(0).IsDeleted = True

    ' Manually resizing chart legend area using Layout.
    chart.Legend.Layout.Left = 0.2
    chart.Legend.Layout.Top = 5
    chart.Legend.Layout.Width = 40
    chart.Legend.Layout.Height = 40

    ' Legend without overlapping the chart.
    chart.Legend.IncludeInLayout = True

    ' Save the PowerPoint Presentation.
    pptxDoc.Save("Result.pptx")
End Using

You can download a complete working sample from GitHub.

See Also

• How to remove legend for Chart in Presentation