The columnar grains in additively manufactured alloys increase tendency to form solidification cracks and cause anisotropy. Studying the effect of process parameters on microstructure development helps to guide the manufacturing of the equiaxed grain microstructure. We firstly studied the effect of process condition on the melt pool dimensions using in‐situ synchrotron X‐ray imaging; and thermal profile and solidification condition using finite element simulation and calculation of thermodynamics phase diagrams of CrMnFeCoNi High‐Entropy Alloy (HEA) fabricated by directed energy deposition (DED). Increasing the laser power reduced the thermal gradient to solidification rate ratio, pushing the solidification closer to the columnar‐equiaxed transition. Nevertheless, the simulations still indicated the columnar microstructure for all scan conditions in contrast to experimental observation that showed single‐wall samples built at 200 W consisted of dominantly equiaxed grains, whereas columnar grains were dominant in samples built at 100 W. It was believed that in addition to the effect of thermal gradient and solidification rate, the chemical segregation (Mn and Ni) during solidification might promote dendrite detachment, hence assisting the transition to equiaxed grains. The multi‐track deposition results in more solid beneath a new melt pool, increasing the thermal gradient that promotes more columnar grains in comparison to single‐tracks.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.