In this tutorial, you will learn how to add a y axis in google sheets.
Datasets with multiple variables can be hard to interpret using standard graphs and charts with a single Y axis, but in many cases adding a second Y axis to label the data can be very helpful. By default, Google Sheets typically only generates one Y axis for a chart, but you can easily add a Y axis to the chart by following the steps below.
Adding a Chart
Before adding an additional Y Axis, you’ll need to insert a chart in Google Sheets. Here’s how:
Step 1
Select the data you want to chart. This should include two ranges to be charted on the Y access, as well as a range for the X axis
Step 2
Open the Insert menu, and select Chart
Step 3
From the Chart Editor sidebar, select the type of chart you want to use. A Combo Chart type often works well for datasets with multiple Y Axes
Step 4
The chart will update to the selected chart type. You can drag and drop to position it above the cells
Adding a Y Axis to the Chart
After inserting your chart, here’s how to add a second Y axis:
Step 1
Open the Chart Editor by selecting the chart and clicking on the 3-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner of the chart. From the menu that appears, select Edit Chart
Step 2
Switch to the Customize tab of the Chart Editor, then click on the Series section to expand it
Step 3
From the dropdown at the top of the Series section, select the Series you want to display in the left-hand Y axis
Step 4
Scroll to the bottom of the Series Section and ensure Left Axis is selected in the Axis dropdown
Step 5
Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for the right-side Series but choose Right Axis from the Axis dropdown
Step 6
Both axes will display on the chart, scaled to fit the corresponding datasets
Summary
Example Spreadsheet: Make a copy of the example spreadsheet
In this tutorial, I covered how to add a y axis in google sheets. Want more? Check out all the Google Sheets Tutorials.