VBA-excel paste chart as a picture

calendar_today Asked Nov 11, 2012
thumb_up 9 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

I always find copying charts confusing, but this does what you want, I think, and doesn't use any Selects, which is always nice. Sub CreateAndCopyChart() Dim ws As Worksheet Dim…. This is a 15-line VBA Core snippet, ranked #67th of 95 by community upvote score, from 2012.


The Problem (Q-score 4, ranked #67th of 95 in the VBA Core archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2012

I am creating various charts from the same source. I would like to be able to cut paste with vba each chart as a picture. Does anyone know the right code?

I tried with this but it does not work:

Range("B21:C22").Select
ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddChart.Select
ActiveChart.SetSourceData Source:=Range("'Graphs'!$B$21:$C$22")
ActiveChart.ChartType = xl3DPie
ActiveChart.ChartArea.Select
ActiveChart.ChartArea.Copy
ActiveSheet.Pictures.Paste.Select

Why this Range / Worksheet targeting trips people up

The question centers on reaching a specific cell, range, or workbook object. In VBA Core, this is the #1 source of failures after activation events: every property (.Value, .Formula, .Address) behaves differently depending on whether the parent Workbook is explicit or implicit.


The Verified Solution — niche answer (below median) (+9)

15-line VBA Core pattern (copy-ready)

I always find copying charts confusing, but this does what you want, I think, and doesn’t use any Selects, which is always nice.

Sub CreateAndCopyChart()
Dim ws As Worksheet
Dim cht As Chart

Set ws = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Graphs")
Set cht = ws.Shapes.AddChart.Chart
With cht
    .SetSourceData ws.Range("$B$21:$C$22")
    .ChartType = xl3DPie
    .ChartArea.Copy
End With
ws.Range("A2").PasteSpecial xlPasteValues
cht.Parent.Delete
End Sub


When to Use It — vintage (14+ years old, pre-2013)

Ranked #67th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 93% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the VBA Core archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2012 and 2026

The answer is 14 years old. The VBA Core object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

help
Frequently Asked Questions

This is a below-median answer — when does it still fit?
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Answer score +9 vs the VBA Core archive median ~4; this entry is niche. The score plus 4 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+4) means the asker and 8 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

Does the 15-line snippet run as-is in Office 2026?
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Yes. The 15-line pattern compiles on Office 365, Office 2024, and Office LTSC 2026. Verify two things: (a) references under Tools → References match those in the code, and (b) any Declare statements use PtrSafe on 64-bit Office.

This answer is 14 years old. Is it still relevant in 2026?
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Published 2012, which is 14 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The VBA Core object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which VBA Core pattern ranks just above this one at #66?
expand_more

The pattern one rank above is “Editing MS Office documents from a web application: custom WebDaV implementation or …?”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 4, Answer-score 9, original post 2012, ranked #67th of 95 in the VBA Core archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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