Fix: Charts Not Updating in Word

O problema

Your Word document contains a chart created from Excel data, but when you update the Excel file, the chart in Word doesn’t change. The chart shows outdated numbers from months ago. Manually changing the chart in Word doesn’t sync back to Excel. The link between Excel and Word is broken. You want the chart to always reflect current Excel data.

Correção rápida

Atualize linked chart immediately:

1. Clique com o botão direito the chart in Word
2. Selecione Atualize Link (if this option aparece, it’s a linked chart)
3. The chart refreshes with current data from Excel
4. Done

If you don’t see “Atualize Link” option, it’s an embedded chart (data is in Word, not linked to Excel). Prossiga to Solução passo a passo.

Solução passo a passo

Step 1: Understand Linked vs. Embedded Gráficos

Different fixes apply to each type.

1. Clique com o botão direito the chart in your Word document
2. If you see “Atualize Link,” it’s linked to an external Excel file
3. If you see “Editar Data” or “Editar Gráfico,” it’s embedded in Word

Linked charts: Data lives in Excel file; Word shows preview Embedded charts: Data is copied into Word; independent from Excel

Step 2: Fix Linked Gráficos (Links to Excel)

If your chart is linked and not updating:

1. Clique com o botão direito the chart
2. Selecione Editar Link or Links (or go to Arquivo > Info > Editar Links to Arquivos)
3. In the Links dialog, find your chart’s linked Excel file
4. Clique Atualize Agora to refresh immediately
5. If you see error like “file not found,” click Change Fontee and navigate to where the Excel file is now
6. Clique OK

The chart should now display current Excel data.

Step 3: Manually Atualize the Link

Force Word to check for updated data.

1. Clique com o botão direito the chart
2. Selecione Atualize Link
3. Alternatively, go to Arquivo > Info and look for Editar Links to Arquivos
4. Selecione your linked chart data
5. Clique Atualize Agora
6. Gráfico refreshes

Do this whenever you’ve updated the source Excel file.

Step 4: Editar Embedded Gráfico Data Directly

If chart is embedded (not linked), edit the data within Word.

1. Clique duas vezes the chart
2. The chart enters edit mode (borders around it change)
3. Clique com o botão direito within the chart
4. Selecione Editar Data
5. A small table aparece showing the chart data
6. Editar the numbers and labels in this table
7. Gráfico updates immediately as you change data
8. When done, click outside the chart to exit edit mode

Step 5: Change Linked to Embedded (or Vice Versa)

If you want to switch between linked and embedded:

To embed a linked chart:

1. Clique com o botão direito the chart
2. Selecione Editar Link or go to Arquivo > Info > Editar Links to Arquivos
3. Selecione the chart link
4. Clique Break Link
5. Gráfico is now embedded (no longer updates from Excel, but data is saved in Word)

To link an embedded chart:

1. Exclua the embedded chart
2. Vá para Inserir > Gráfico or Inserir > Object > Create from Arquivo
3. Browse to your Excel file
4. Verifique “Link to file” (don’t check “Display as icon” if you want to see data)
5. Clique OK
6. Gráfico now linked to Excel

Step 6: Verifique if Excel Arquivo Still Exists

Linked charts break if Excel file is moved or deleted.

1. Clique com o botão direito the chart
2. Selecione Editar Link or go to Arquivo > Info > Editar Links to Arquivos
3. Look at the “Fontee” field to see where Word thinks the Excel file is
4. Navigate to that location to verify the file exists
5. If file not found:
   • Locate your Excel file (search for it)
   • Clique Change Fontee in Links dialog
   • Navigate to the actual file location
   • Clique OK

Step 7: Atualize Excel Arquivo and Manually Atualize

1. Open the Excel file separately
2. Atualize the data
3. Save the Excel file
4. Return to Word
5. Clique com o botão direito chart
6. Selecione Atualize Link
7. Gráfico now reflects the new Excel data

Step 8: Exclua and Reinsert Gráfico as Linked

If chart won’t update despite being linked:

1. Clique com o botão direito the chart and delete it
2. Vá para Inserir > Gráfico
3. Selecione From Arquivo or Object
4. Browse to your Excel file
5. Selecione the file and click Open
6. A dialog aparece asking whether to link or embed
7. Verifique “Link to file” for linked chart
8. Uncheck “Display as icon” if you want to see data
9. Clique OK
10. Gráfico reinserts and should update properly

Step 9: Verify Excel Range is Correct

If data is in Excel but chart uses wrong range:

1. Clique duas vezes chart
2. Clique com o botão direito and select Editar Data
3. The data table shows what’s being charted
4. If data looks wrong, you may need to:
   • Exclua this chart
   • Vá para Excel and manually create chart there
   • Copie that chart from Excel
   • Cole it into Word
   • This is more reliable than Inserir > Gráfico

Step 10: Ative Automatic Link Atualizes

Some Word versions allow auto-update of links.

1. Vá para Arquivo > Info > Editar Links to Arquivos
2. In the Links dialog, select your chart link
3. Procure an “Automatic” checkbox or “Atualize Method” option
4. If present, ensure “Automatic” is checked
5. Clique OK
6. Agora the chart updates automatically when you open the Word document

Por que isso acontece

1. Embedded instead of linked — Gráfico is copy of data, not link to source
2. Excel file moved — Link breaks if source file location changes
3. Manual edits in Word — Editaring data in Word breaks link to Excel
4. Copie/paste instead of insert — Coled charts are embedded, not linked
5. Excel not open — Some charts only update if Excel is running
6. Arquivo permissions — Excel file read-only or restricted
7. Corrupted link — Connection between Word and Excel damaged
8. Different computer — Linked file path valid on your computer but not shared computers

Como evitar

1. Relink after moving files — If you move Excel file, update the link in Word
2. Prefer linking for dynamic data — Use links if Excel is updated frequently
3. Use embedded for static charts — If data won’t change, embed for simplicity
4. Test links before sharing document — Verify charts update before sending
5. Keep Excel file in consistent location — Don’t move source files often
6. Atualize links before sharing — Clique com o botão direito > Atualize Link before sharing Word
7. Use absolute paths — When possible, link to files on network shared drives
8. Document the link — Make note of which Excel file a chart is linked to

Ainda não funciona? Soluções alternativas

1. Recreate chart in Excel — Exclua Word chart, create new chart in Excel, copy/paste to Word
2. Convert to image — Copie chart, Cole Special > As Picture for static snapshot
3. Use Power Query — Advanced: Power Query can pull data into Word indirectly
4. Send Excel with document — Include Excel file with Word so links work on any computer
5. Use SharePoint link — Store Excel on SharePoint, link from there for reliable access
6. Break link, manually update — If linking doesn’t work, break link and manually update chart data
7. Use Word’s built-in chart — Inserir > Gráfico > use Word’s native chart tool instead of Excel
8. Contact Microsoft Support — For persistent linking issues, get technical support

Pontos-chave

• Clique com o botão direito chart > “Atualize Link” for linked charts
• Clique duas vezes chart > “Editar Data” for embedded charts
• Linked charts pull data from Excel; embedded charts contain data in Word
• If Excel file moves, update link location (Arquivo > Info > Editar Links to Arquivos)
• Breaking a link converts it to embedded; you lose automatic updates
• Test links work before sharing document with others
• Create charts in Excel, link to them from Word for best reliability
• Updating embedded data is easy but requires manual Excel-to-Word process