Error "Some chart types cannot be combined with other chart types"

Question

I am using MacBook Air with MacOS Tahoe 26.4. Currently I have Microsoft Office Word Version 16.43.

When I try to create a chart in an Office document (even an empty document), I cannot create a pie/column/line/XY/combo chart, as I get the error saying "Some chart types cannot be combined with other chart types. Select a different chart type".

I can create a hierarchy and statistical chart.

I have already tried to delete the Office container folder. It didn't help.

If I create a chart in Excel and try to paste it in Office, it doesn't work either. Nothing happens.

Answer 1

Hi, Milana Kazbekova

this looks more like a compatibility problem than a chart setup mistake. Native Apple silicon support starts with Office version 16.55.1107.0 or later, and current supported Mac builds are meant for the three most recent macOS versions, so a much older build like 16.43 can behave oddly with charts on a newer Mac setup.

Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try:

First, if this is an Apple silicon Mac, it is recommended that you temporarily disable any third-party add-ins or test the app under Rosetta 2 just once, because older plug-ins can interfere with Office on Apple silicon.

Second, it is suggested that you rename the document to something very simple, with no special characters. There is a long-running thread where removing a * from the file name fixed this exact chart error for some Mac users.

Third, for the Excel-to-Word workaround, it is recommended that you paste the chart as a picture instead of an embedded chart. That avoids the broken chart object and usually at least gets the graphic into the document.

If none of that helps, I’d send it through the in-app Feedback/Report a Problem option, because this really looks like a bug in the chart engine, not something you’re doing wrong.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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Answer 2

The issue is caused by how certain newer chart types are handled in Office when their internal XML content types are incorrect. In affected builds, charts such as treemap, sunburst, histogram, box and whisker, Pareto, or waterfall are saved with the same content type as older charts (column, pie, etc.), which prevents some chart types from being created or combined correctly and can cause errors when inserting or displaying charts.

To resolve this, update Office to a build that includes the chart fix. For Office 2016, the documented fix is to install the November 10, 2015 updates for Office 2016, which correct the chart content types and related XML handling. After installing the appropriate Office updates, restart the Mac and try inserting the chart again in Word.

If running a later perpetual or Microsoft 365 build, install the latest available Office version for macOS, then retry chart insertion.

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References:

• An image of a chart or a bounding box that has a message is displayed instead of the chart in Office 2016 applications
• How do I upgrade Office?