What is a donut chart?
A donut chart is a pie chart with the center removed. Each segment represents a category's share of a total. The open center reduces visual weight and can leave room for a short total or annotation in designs that support one.
Create a donut chart in four steps
- Add labels and positive values manually or upload a CSV or Excel file.
- Confirm that every row represents a distinct part of the same whole.
- Choose colors that make adjacent segments easy to distinguish.
- Download the chart as PNG for slides or SVG for scalable editing.
Donut chart design tips
Keep the number of segments small, order them consistently, and label the total clearly in the surrounding text. If readers need to compare close values, use a bar chart instead; people judge length more accurately than angles or arcs.
Frequently asked questions
Is donut chart the same as doughnut chart?
Yes. Both spellings describe a ring-shaped variation of a pie chart.
Can I use raw values?
Yes. Chart Maker calculates the relative size of every segment from the values you enter.
When should I avoid a donut chart?
Avoid it for negative values, overlapping categories, many tiny segments, or situations where precise ranking matters.