To make the data in a chart easier to read, you can display horizontal and vertical chart gridlines that extend from any horizontal and vertical axes across the plot area of the chart. You can also display depth gridlines in 3-D charts. Gridlines can be displayed for major and minor units, and they align with major and minor tick marks on the axes when those are displayed.

  1. Click the chart to which you want to add chart gridlines.

    This displays the Chart Tools, adding the Design, Layout, and Format tabs.

  2. On the Layout tab, in the Axes group, click Gridlines.

    excel ribbon image

  3. Do the following:
    • To add horizontal gridlines to the chart, point to Primary Horizontal Gridlines, and then click the option that you want. If the chart has a secondary horizontal axis, you can also click Secondary Horizontal Gridlines.
    • To add vertical gridlines to the chart, point to Primary Vertical Gridlines, and then click the option that you want. If the chart has a secondary vertical axis, you can also click Secondary Vertical Gridlines.
    • To add depth gridlines to a 3-D chart, point to Depth Gridlines, and then click the option that you want. This option is only available when the selected chart is a true 3-D chart, such as a 3-D column chart.
    • To hide chart gridlines, point to Primary Horizontal Gridlines, Primary Vertical Gridlines, or Depth Gridlines (on a 3-D chart), and then click None. If the chart has a secondary axes, you can also click Secondary Horizontal Gridlines or Secondary Vertical Gridlines, and then click None.
    • To quickly remove chart gridlines, select them, and then press DELETE.

      Tip You can also right-click the gridlines, and then click Delete on the shortcut menu.