Changing the default font in Excel graphs

Question

I want to change the default font in my graphs from Calibri to Arial. Often even after I've changed the font to Arial, the next time I use the graph it's gone back to Calibri. Why is this? I've changed the default font for my worksheets to Arial in the Options --> General tab, so this is not the problem. 

I tried simply to delete Calibri entirely, but that is not possible. 

I found this instruction on the web from back in 2010, but I can't understand it, so it's of little help. I don't know how to "create a workbook template."  I'm also not sure this answer is still valid 10 years later. 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/change-the-default-font-for-excel-graphs-and/fd0d67db-e1b8-47be-9cc8-3d17f3dc92f3

the legend font, axis font, titles font, etc. are linked to the body font of the active theme (see Page Layout tab). Create a workbook template with your on theme with the desired font as the body font and save it as Book.xltx in the XLStart folder.

Yes I can change individual elements by right-clicking on them etc. That's not the problem. I want them to be Arial automatically from the start and I don't want them reverting back to Calibri when they're left alone and no one is watching. 

Thanks,

Marshall

Answer 1

You can change the font of all graphs in an open workbook through the Theme Fonts in the Page Layout > Theme Group.

Kindly see the attached screenshot.

Answer 2

Hi MarshallGittler,

I'm an Independent Advisor and consumer of Microsoft products just like you. Let me help you with your concern.

Please follow the below steps to create a template with Arial as default font for Body and Charts

1. Create a new Workbook
2. Set the default Font in the Home Tab
3. Set the Theme Fonts in the Page Layout > Theme Group
4. Click File > Save as > Browse > Change the filetype as Excel Template (.xltx) > Name the workbook whatever you would like > Save

(Do not change the folder location)

Whenever you create a new workbook you can select the template on the Personal Template list.

Hope the above clarifies the solution presented here:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/fo...

Answer 3

Thanks for your quick response.  Unfortunately this won't solve my problem, which is:  what do I do with the several hundred workbooks that I already have, each of which has at least 10 charts in it, often more? Which keep switching to Calibri, like the dog chewing my shoes when I'm not there? 

In fact I never create a new workbook from scratch -- I have a library of spreadsheets and I always use one of them as a template. So this would've helped me maybe 25 years ago when I started using Excel, but isn't going to solve my problem now, I'm afraid. 

Perhaps there is no solution and I just have to keep checking my graphs every time I want to use one. 

How I miss Javelin Plus!

Answer 4

Thanks! That may be the solution. Much appreciated!