Changing Line Color in a Drawing Object

Lines are used for all graphics within Excel. Lines are typically used to outline the shape, although you can use them for arrows and for drawing directly on your worksheet. Excel allows you to specify the color or pattern that should be used for your lines. To change the line color used in an object, follow these steps if you are using a version of Excel prior to Excel 2007:

1. Make sure the Drawing toolbar is displayed.
2. Click once on the object whose line color you want to change. The object is selected.
3. Click on the Line Color tool on the Drawing toolbar. The color of the lines in the object are changed to the color used in the bar at the bottom of the Line Color tool.
4. To use a different color, click on the down-arrow to the right of the tool and choose a different color.

There is no Drawing toolbar in Excel 2007, so you need to follow different steps to accomplish the same task:

1. Click once on the object whose line color you want to change. The object is selected.
2. Make sure that the Format tab is selected on the ribbon.
3. In the Shape Styles group on the ribbon, click the down-arrow next to the Shape Outline tool.
4. Choose a color from those offered in the drop-down area.