How to Create a Nested Donut Chart in Google Slides to Visualize Hierarchical Data

March 5, 2026

Let’s be honest: standard pie charts get a bad rap. And usually, they deserve it. They are often cluttered, hard to read, and terrible at showing complex relationships.

But what if you need to show hierarchical data? For example, you want to display Global Sales (the big picture) broken down by Region, and then immediately show the specific Countries within those regions.

A standard pie chart can't do that. You end up making two separate charts on two separate slides, forcing your audience to flip back and forth to understand the context.

Enter the Nested Donut Chart (sometimes called a multi-level donut or a simplified Sunburst chart). It’s a brilliant way to visualize layers of data in a single, compact graphic. The outer ring represents your parent categories, and the inner ring (or vice versa) breaks them down into sub-categories.

Here is the problem: Google Slides doesn't have a native Nested Donut Chart.

If you try to build one using the native tools, you’re in for a rough afternoon. You have to create two separate charts, try to make their backgrounds transparent (which often breaks the legend), and then spend hours dragging corners trying to align them perfectly so one sits inside the other without looking like an egg.

There is a better way. I use ExtraChart to handle this because it gives me something native Google Slides doesn't: precise control over the Inner Radius.

Here is how you can create a professional nested donut chart right inside your presentation workflow.

The Strategy: The Layered Approach

Since we are visualizing hierarchy, we are going to build this chart in two "layers" using ExtraChart’s Donut Chart type. Because ExtraChart generates high-resolution images with precise layout controls, we can align them perfectly.

Step 1: Fire Up ExtraChart

First, open your Google Slides presentation. Go to Extensions -> ExtraChart -> Create & Edit Charts.

The sidebar will open up. Scroll down to the Pie & Donut Charts section and select the Donut Chart.

Sidebar menu: Selecting the Donut Chart icon

Step 2: Create the Outer Ring (Parent Categories)

This first chart will represent your main categories (e.g., "North America", "Europe", "Asia").

  1. Enter your data in the Data Tab.
  2. Switch to the Settings Tab.
  3. The Secret Sauce: Look for the Inner Radius setting.
    • For the outer ring, you want a thin band. Set the Inner Radius to something high, like 70% or 80%.
    • This creates a large "hole" in the middle, leaving plenty of room for our second chart.
  4. Customize your colors and fonts to match your brand.
  5. Click Create to insert it into the slide.

Step 3: Create the Inner Ring (Sub-Categories)

Now, select the Donut Chart icon again to start a fresh chart. This one will hold your detailed data (e.g., "USA", "Canada", "UK", "Germany").

  1. Enter your sub-category data.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Adjust the Inner Radius: Set this one smaller, perhaps 40%.
  4. Adjust the Outer Radius (Padding): This is where ExtraChart shines. You can adjust the padding/margins so the chart itself renders slightly smaller, or you can simply resize the final image on the slide.
  5. Color Coding: A pro tip is to use shades of the same color. If "North America" is dark blue in the outer ring, make "USA" and "Canada" lighter shades of blue in the inner ring. ExtraChart’s Color Palette Manager lets you save these hex codes so you don't have to memorize them.

Step 4: Stack and Align

Now that you have both charts on your slide:

  1. Drag the Inner Ring image to the center of the Outer Ring image.
  2. Select both images.
  3. Go to the Google Slides menu: Arrange -> Align -> Center and Arrange -> Align -> Middle.

Because you controlled the Inner Radius in the editor, they won't overlap awkwardly. The inner chart fits snugly inside the void of the outer chart.

Why This Works Better Than Native Charts

If you look at the video below, you'll see the level of control ExtraChart gives you over the specific elements of circular charts. Native Google Slides charts simply don't offer this granularity regarding spacing and radius size.

1. Data Integrity

When you need to update next month's sales figures, you don't have to rebuild the whole stack. Just click the outer ring, open ExtraChart, update the numbers, and hit save. Do the same for the inner ring. The alignment stays perfect.

2. Visual Clarity

By removing the "noise" of native charts (like unremovable white backgrounds or clunky borders), your data takes center stage.

3. Workflow Speed

I used to build these in Adobe Illustrator and import them as static JPEGs. If a number changed, I had to go back to Illustrator, re-export, and re-upload. With ExtraChart, the data lives right there in the slide metadata.

Final Thoughts

Hierarchical data is complex, but your visualization shouldn't be. By using a nested donut approach, you respect your audience's time by giving them the context and the detail in a single glance.

If you haven't installed ExtraChart yet, you can find it in the Google Workspace Marketplace. It’s free to start, and for this kind of custom layering work, it is an absolute lifesaver.