You have a chart in PowerPoint that is linked to an Excel workbook. When you change the data in Excel, the chart in PowerPoint stays the same. This happens because the link between the two files is broken or not refreshing automatically. This article explains why the link fails and shows you how to fix it step by step.
Key Takeaways: Fixing a PowerPoint Chart That Won’t Update From Excel
- File > Info > Edit Links to Files: Manually check the link status and update or change the source for any broken links.
- Right-click chart > Update Link: Force an immediate refresh of a single chart without opening the Edit Links dialog.
- File > Options > Advanced > General > Update automatic links at open: Enable this setting to make PowerPoint refresh all links when you open the presentation.
Why PowerPoint Charts Stop Updating From Linked Excel Files
When you paste a chart into PowerPoint using the Use Destination Theme & Link Data or Keep Source Formatting & Link Data option, PowerPoint stores a reference to the original Excel file. This reference includes the full file path and the specific sheet and cell range. PowerPoint reads the data from that path each time it opens the presentation or when you manually trigger an update.
The link breaks when the Excel file is moved, renamed, or deleted. If the Excel file is on a network drive and the drive letter changes, the link also fails. PowerPoint cannot find the source file, so the chart shows the last cached data. Another common cause is a security setting in PowerPoint that blocks automatic link updates. By default, PowerPoint prompts you before updating links. If you click Don’t Update when opening the file, the chart stays stale until you manually refresh it.
A third cause is a corrupted link object inside the presentation. This can happen after a crash or when the file is saved in an older format like PPT instead of PPTX. In this case, the link still exists but PowerPoint cannot read the connection data.
Steps to Manually Refresh a Linked Chart From Excel
Use this method when you need to update the chart immediately. It works for one chart or for all linked charts in the presentation.
- Open the PowerPoint presentation that contains the linked chart
Make sure the Excel source file is accessible on your computer or network. If the file is on a shared drive, connect to that drive first. - Right-click the chart that is not updating
A context menu appears. Look for an option called Update Link. If you do not see it, the chart was pasted as a static image, not a linked object. - Click Update Link
PowerPoint reads the current data from the Excel file and redraws the chart. The chart should now show the latest values. If nothing happens, proceed to the Edit Links method below.
Using the Edit Links to Files Dialog to Update All Charts
- Go to File > Info
In the right pane, look for the Edit Links to Files button. It is located at the bottom of the Related Documents section. If you do not see it, click the arrow next to Related Documents to expand the section. - Click Edit Links to Files
A dialog box opens showing all external links in the presentation. Each link shows the source file name, the type of link, and the current update status. - Select the link for the Excel chart
Click the link row to highlight it. The source path appears at the bottom of the dialog. - Click Update Now
PowerPoint attempts to connect to the Excel file and refresh the chart data. If the update succeeds, the status changes to OK. - Click Close
The chart in the slide should now reflect the latest Excel data. If the status shows Error: Source not found, use the Change Source button to browse to the correct file location.
How to Make PowerPoint Automatically Update Linked Charts on Open
By default, PowerPoint asks whether you want to update links when you open a presentation. If you want the charts to update without any prompt, change this setting.
- Open PowerPoint and go to File > Options
The PowerPoint Options dialog opens. - Click Advanced
Scroll down to the General section. - Check the box next to Update automatic links at open
This setting tells PowerPoint to refresh all linked content automatically when the presentation is opened. Uncheck it if you prefer to be prompted each time. - Click OK
Close and reopen the presentation. The charts should now update without any user action.
What to Do When the Linked Chart Still Does Not Update
PowerPoint Shows “This presentation contains links” but the chart does not refresh
This usually means the Excel file path is broken. Open the Edit Links to Files dialog. If the status says Error: Source not found, click Change Source. Browse to the current location of the Excel file and select it. If the file was moved to a different folder, this restores the connection.
The chart updates manually but reverts to old data after closing and reopening PowerPoint
PowerPoint may be saving the old cached data instead of the updated values. After you update the link, save the presentation immediately. Go to File > Save or press Ctrl+S. When you reopen the file, PowerPoint reads the saved data. If the Excel file changes again after you save, the chart will show the new data only if you update the link again.
The chart is pasted as a picture and cannot be linked
If you copied the chart from Excel and used the default Ctrl+V paste, it is pasted as a static image. Right-click the chart and check if Update Link appears. If it does not, delete the chart and paste it again using Paste Special. In PowerPoint, press Ctrl+Alt+V, select Microsoft Excel Chart Object, and choose either Paste link option. This creates a live link.
Linked Chart Update Behavior: Manual vs Automatic vs Prompt
| Item | Manual Update | Automatic Update | Prompt on Open |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trigger | User right-clicks chart or uses Edit Links dialog | PowerPoint refreshes links when the file opens | PowerPoint asks user to click Update or Don’t Update |
| Setting location | File > Info > Edit Links to Files | File > Options > Advanced > Update automatic links at open | Default state when Update automatic links at open is unchecked |
| Best for | One-time refreshes or presentations with many linked files | Daily reports or dashboards where data changes frequently | Presentations where you want to control which links update |
| Risk | Users may forget to update before presenting | If the Excel file is large, opening the presentation is slower | Users may click Don’t Update and present stale data |
After applying the steps above, your linked chart should update correctly from Excel. To avoid future issues, store both the PowerPoint and Excel files in the same folder before creating the link. If you move the files, move them together and use the Change Source option to reconnect. For presentations that must always show live data, enable the Update automatic links at open setting and save the presentation after each manual update. This prevents stale data from being cached.