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How to break chart links to source data in Excel?

Author Kelly Last modified

In general, the chart will change automatically when we modify the source data. However, in some cases, you may want to keep the chart unchanged when the source data changes. Here, this article will show you two easy methods to break chart links to their source data in Excel.


Use VBA to break chart links to source data

This method will introduce a VBA to quickly break the links between all charts and their source data in an Excel worksheet. Please do as follows:

1. Enable the specified worksheet where you want to break all chart links, and press "Alt "+ "F11" keys together to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. Click "Insert" > "Module", and paste the VBA code into the new module window.

VBA: Break all chart links in a worksheet

Sub BreakChartLinks()
Dim I As Long
Dim xChartCount As Long
Dim xLinkArr As Variant
Dim xSerColl As Variant
xLinkArr = ActiveWorkbook.LinkSources(xlLinkTypeExcelLinks)
If Not IsEmpty(xLinkArr) Then
For I = LBound(xLinkArr) To UBound(xLinkArr)
ActiveWorkbook.BreakLink xLinkArr(I), xlLinkTypeExcelLinks
Next I
End If
xChartCount = ActiveSheet.ChartObjects.Count
If xChartCount <> 0 Then
For I = 1 To xChartCount
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects(I).Activate
For Each xSerColl In ActiveChart.SeriesCollection
xSerColl.Values = xSerColl.Values
xSerColl.XValues = xSerColl.XValues
xSerColl.Name = xSerColl.Name
Next
Next
End If
End Sub

3. Press" F5" key or click the "Run" button to run this VBA.

Now you will see all chart links are broken to their source data in the current worksheet.


Use Kutools for Excel to break chart link to source data

If you have "Kutools for Excel" installed, you can apply its "Detach Chart" tool to quickly break the link between a chart and its source data with only one click in Excel.

Kutools for Excel offers over 300 advanced features to streamline complex tasks, boosting creativity and efficiency. Itegarate with AI capabilities, Kutools automates tasks with precision, making data management effortless. Detailed information of Kutools for Excel...         Free trial...

1. Select the chart whose link you need to break in Excel.
A screenshot of a chart in Excel before breaking its link to source data

2. Click "Kutools" > "Charts "> "Chart Tools "> "Detach Chart" to enable this feature.
A screenshot showing the Kutools Detach Chart option in the Excel ribbon

The link between the selected chart and its source data will be broken immediately.
A screenshot of a chart in Excel after breaking its link to source data

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