A line graph fits best when you want to show how a value changed over time. The shape of the line rising and falling tells the direction of change on its own, so people can read the flow without comparing every number.

Reach for one in situations like these:
- Showing natural phenomena that change continuously by time, like temperature or rainfall.
- Showing the trend of business metrics, like monthly or quarterly sales and visitor counts.
- Explaining long-term change, like population shifts by year or rising prices.
- The slope of the line also tells you at a glance whether values are climbing fast or easing down. It's useful for gauging where things might head next, based on the flow of past data.

If you're drawing a line graph by hand, follow these steps.
- Set the x and y axes: Put time (months, years, and so on) on the x-axis and the value you're measuring (quantity, amount, and so on) on the y-axis.
- Set the scale: Choose a scale size and interval that can hold your data's maximum value.
- Plot the points: Mark each data value as a point where the x and y axes meet.
- Connect the lines: Join the points in order with line segments.
- Use a break line: If too much empty space opens up at the bottom of the y-axis, use a break line (axis break) to compress it so the change reads more clearly
- A digital tool makes this far faster. In Excel, select your data and choose [Insert] → [Chart] → "Line" to generate the graph. Google Sheets works the same way.
- That said, Excel and Sheets are limited when it comes to fine-tuning details like color, fonts, and layout. In MiriCanvas, the graph comes together just by entering your data, and you can edit line color, thickness, and label placement in a few clicks. If you want to finish creating and designing your graph in one go, give MiriCanvas a try.

Both are charts that visualize data, but they suit different situations.
- A line graph is good for showing change over time. Its strength is seeing when values rose or fell, and which way the overall trend is heading.
- A bar graph is good for comparing sizes between items. It reads better when you line up values from different items side by side, like sales by department or units sold by product.
- For example, if you want to compare this month's sales by region, use a bar graph. If you want to show how sales changed over the past year, use a line graph.

The line graph has many variations. You can adapt it into different forms depending on the nature of your data and the message you want to send.
- Area chart: Fills the space under the line with color. Use it when you want to show the flow of change along with the scale of the accumulated amount.
- Flowchart: A diagram that connects the flow of data or work step by step. It's most often used to visualize a process or decision path.
- Radar chart: Arranges several evaluation criteria in a radial layout and connects the points into a polygon. Use it to compare one subject's strengths and weaknesses across multiple measures at once.

Yes, you can make line graphs on the free plan. You also get free access to over 50,000 templates and over 350,000 photos and graphics. If you want premium templates and AI features too, upgrade to the Pro plan. You can see the details on the pricing page.

Yes. Once your line graph is complete, export it as a PPTX file and open it directly in PowerPoint. If you’d prefer to build the entire presentation in MiriCanvas, you can also try the AI Presentation Maker.