Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Changing How Arrows Look.

Changing How Arrows Look

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 26, 2022)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

The Drawing toolbar in Excel allows you to place arrows within your workbook. Once an arrow is placed where you want it, you can easily change the way the arrow looks by following these steps:

  1. Select the arrow by clicking on it. (You can tell if the arrow is selected by whether there are handles at each end of the arrow line.)
  2. Choose AutoShape from the Format menu. Excel displays the Format AutoShape dialog box.
  3. Make sure the Colors and Lines tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

    4. Figure 1. The Colors and Lines tab of the Format AutoShape dialog box.

  4. Use the Begin Style and End Style drop-down lists to specify how each end of your arrow line should appear.
  5. Use the Begin Size and End Size drop-down lists to specify the size of each arrowhead. (These drop-down lists are available only if you specified an actual arrowhead in the Begin Style and End Style drop-down lists.)
  6. Click on OK. Your arrow is updated, as you specified.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3032) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Changing How Arrows Look.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Deleting Commented Text

Word allows you to add comments to your document to aid in the development of the document. At some point you may want to ...

Discover More

Displaying the Windows 8 Control Panel

Those who have spent a lot of time using the Windows Control Panel in the past know how powerful it can be. Finding the ...

Discover More

Highlighting Cells Containing both Letters and Numbers

Conditional formatting is a great tool for changing the format of cells based on whether certain conditions (rules) are ...

Discover More

Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Creating Custom Chart Formats

Excel allows you to create custom chart formats that go beyond the standard formats provided in the program. You can then ...

Discover More

Hiding Graphics when Filtering

Excel allows you to set up graphics so that they are associated with cells and even stay with the cells when the cells ...

Discover More

Using Dynamic Chart Titles

Want the title of your chart to change based upon what is placed in a worksheet cell? It's easy; just add a formula to ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is nine more than 5?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.