How to make a gantt chart
- Enter each task with a start date and end date. YYYY-MM-DD is safest, but formats like “Mar 3 2026” also work.
- Optionally add progress (0–100%) and a phase or owner to color the bars.
- For a milestone, make the start and end the same date and leave Progress blank.
- In Customize → Chart options, sort tasks, choose the text shown on bars, and add a marker line for today or a deadline.
- Download as PNG, SVG or PDF. Use a wide aspect ratio for long projects.
Data format
| Column | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Task | Text | Required |
| Start date | Date | Required |
| End date | Date | Required |
| Progress % | Number (zero or positive) (max 100) | Optional |
| Phase / owner (optional) | Text | Optional |
Up to 200 rows. One row per task. Dates are calendar days (YYYY-MM-DD is safest); the end date is inclusive, so a task from Mar 3 to Mar 3 lasts one day. Make start and end the same and leave Progress blank for a one-day milestone. Phase / owner colors the bars.
Customization options
- Progress fill inside each bar.
- Milestones drawn as diamonds.
- Phase colors with a legend.
- Bar text: progress, duration in days, or dates.
- Marker line for any date (today, a deadline or a review).
- Automatic date axis that switches between days, weeks, months, quarters and years as needed.
Downloading and exporting
- PNG: best for slides, documents and the web. It supports transparent backgrounds, and you can choose standard, 2×, 4× or slide-sized (1920 × 1080) output.
- JPEG: a smaller file with a solid background.
- SVG: a true vector file. It stays sharp at any size and can be edited in Illustrator, Inkscape or Figma.
- PDF: vector PDF sized to the chart, A4 or US Letter. If your labels use characters outside the standard PDF fonts (for example Chinese, Arabic or emoji), the PDF uses a high-resolution image instead and tells you.
- CSV and .json: your data, or the whole chart with its settings, to re-open later.
When to use a gantt chart
- Project plans with tasks that overlap or depend on each other in time.
- Status updates showing what is done, in progress and upcoming.
- Event or campaign schedules.
When to choose a different chart
- You are listing historical events. A timeline is more readable.
- You need to manage dependencies, resources or critical paths. Use dedicated project-management software; this tool is for communicating a plan visually.
Common mistakes to avoid
Ambiguous dates
Is 03/04/2026 March 4th or April 3rd? Use YYYY-MM-DD to avoid ambiguity. Slash dates are read as month/day unless the day is greater than 12.
End before start
Tasks whose end date is earlier than their start date are rejected with an error rather than drawn backwards.
Too much detail
Gantt charts for presentations work best with 5–20 tasks. Summarise sub-tasks into phases.
Practical examples
Website redesign
Requirements, design, frontend and backend builds, testing and launch, with design sign-off and launch as milestones.
Event planning
Venue booking, speaker confirmations, marketing waves and the event day itself.
Course schedule
Weekly modules with assignment deadlines as milestones.
How dates and durations work
Dates are treated as calendar days in UTC, so your chart never shifts by a day because of your time zone. End dates are inclusive: a task from Jan 5 to Jan 16 lasts 12 days and its bar covers the whole of Jan 16. Durations count calendar days, not working days.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Gantt chart maker free?
Yes. It is completely free, with no account and no watermark.
How do I add a milestone?
Use the same date for start and end and leave Progress blank. It is drawn as a diamond.
Can I import tasks from Excel?
Yes. Import an .xlsx or CSV file with columns Task, Start date, End date, Progress, Phase. Excel date cells are converted automatically.
Does it support task dependencies?
Not as arrows. Order tasks logically, and use phases and the marker line to communicate sequence.
Can I show today’s date?
Type today’s date in YYYY-MM-DD format into “Marker line date”.
Your data stays private
Charts are drawn by your browser. Your data isn’t uploaded to our servers; it is kept only in this browser’s storage, for autosave and saved charts, until you clear it. See our privacy policy.