What it shows
An area chart is a line chart (normally of closes) with the region between the line and the bottom of the pane filled, usually with a gradient. The fill gives the trend visual weight and makes rises and falls feel more tangible. It carries exactly the same information as a line chart.
How it's built
A single price point per fixed time interval is plotted and joined by line segments, and the area beneath the line down to the pane's base is filled. Spacing is uniform in time.
Switch to it
Open the chart-type menu in the header (next to the interval buttons) and pick Area — or pin it as a favourite for one-click switching.
When to use it
- Portfolio, equity-curve and overview displays where aesthetics and instant trend reading matter
- Marketing pages, mobile mini-charts and watchlist sparklines
- Emphasizing cumulative rise or fall of a single series over time
Settings reference
Open Chart Settings (gear, or double-click the chart background) with this type active. Every setting, its possible values and what it changes:
| Setting | Control | Possible values | Default | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line color | color | any color | #2962FF | Color of the line drawn along the top edge of the area. |
| Line width | slider | 1 to 4 | 2 | Thickness of the area's top edge line in pixels. |
| Top fill | color | any color | rgba(41, 98, 255, 0.28) | Color at the top of the area's vertical gradient fill, directly under the line. Usually a semi-transparent tint of the line color. |
| Bottom fill | color | any color | rgba(41, 98, 255, 0.02) | Color at the bottom of the gradient fill. A near-transparent value makes the area fade out toward the bottom of the pane. |
| Source | select | Close, Open, High, Low, HL2, HLC3, OHLC4 | Close | Which price of each bar the area's top edge plots. HL2/HLC3/OHLC4 are averaged bar prices for a smoother line. |
| Precision | select | Default, 0 (1), 1 (1.1), 2 (1.01), 3 (1.001), 4 (1.0001), 5 (1.00001), 6 (1.000001), 7 (1.0000001), 8 (1.00000001) | Default | Number of decimal places shown on the price scale and price readouts. Default derives the precision from the symbol's own price scale. |
Watch out for
- Like a line chart it hides highs, lows and gaps, and the heavy fill can visually overpower overlaid indicators