# Microsoft Office Application Help - Excel Help forum > Excel Charting & Pivots >  >  Bar on chart are too thin

## rmedina

The bars on the bar chart are very thin even though I have ample space between the axis marks.  How can I make the bars fill the space?  It's hard to read.

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## shg

Select the series, Chart tools > Layout tab, Format Selection, Series Options, Gap Width

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## Andy Pope

Another reason for skinny columns is the category axis being dates.
e.g. You have weekly data so the columns are space 7 days apart.

xl2003
Right click chart and pick chart options. On the Axes tab set X axis to Category rather than Automatic or Time Series

xl2007
Right click axis and pick Format Axis. On the Options tab pick Axis Type: Text Axis

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## rmedina

Thanks for your replies.  It looks great now.

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## f1rebolt

> Another reason for skinny columns is the category axis being dates.
> e.g. You have weekly data so the columns are space 7 days apart.
> 
> xl2003
> Right click chart and pick chart options. On the Axes tab set X axis to Category rather than Automatic or Time Series
> 
> xl2007
> Right click axis and pick Format Axis. On the Options tab pick Axis Type: Text Axis




Thanks andy! Was a great Help. Cheers!!

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