Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Controlling Chart Gridlines.
When you create a chart from your data, Excel automatically takes care of many of the actual details related to how a specific chart appears. One of the elements that can be included on many of the charts is gridlines. Gridlines are helpful for easily determining the height or width of graphic elements used in your chart.
Excel allows you to specifically control which gridlines are displayed or if any are displayed at all. You can do so by following these steps if you are using Excel 2007 or Excel 2010:
You can't use the above steps in Excel 2013 because Microsoft decided, in their wisdom, to remove the Layout tab entirely. Instead, you can control the gridlines by following these steps:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9902) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Controlling Chart Gridlines.
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2017-05-23 23:28:29
Eric Soergel
My horizontal gridlines are double spaced in Excel 2016. How do I remedy this?
2016-08-28 22:38:49
Ken Pare
My horizontal grid lines are double spaced (Excel 2016). How do I remedy this please?
2016-01-28 06:28:13
carlo
Just wanted to thank you for this tip, it saved me a lot of time and grief.
2015-10-21 12:53:57
Luprec
Is there a way to control which major gridlines appear? My X axis is dates. I want to only display the gridline on one day of the week (EG Monday only) is this even possible?
2015-10-13 13:30:59
P B
Solution for xl 2010 doesn't work - groups and dropdown lists don't list minor gridlines
2015-08-12 12:38:28
Gary W
In Excel 2013 to show every other grid line go to Chart Elements, Axes, More Options, Format Axis, Tick Marks, Major Type = Inside or Outside, Interval between tick marks = 2
2015-04-21 10:57:02
Bill Hull
I want to find out how to control horizontal axis gridline period (placement). I don't see that as an option.
Also I thought you used to be able to select the max and min for the horizontal axis and I can't do that now either.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
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