Logarithmic scale in Excel with major scale less than 10

Question

I would like to have a logarithmic scale on a scatter chart, but when I select that option for the x-axis, the lowest number I can enter on the major scale is 10.  If the range for my x-axis is 1 to 10 then I get no vertical scale lines at all.  

I can set the base of the logarithmic scale to 2 but Then the graph starts at 1 and goes to 16 with vertical grid lines at 1,2,4,8,16, and the graph I want to plot ends at 10 leaving a large gap on the righ from 10 to 16.

Is there any way to get around this problem?

Answer 1

Hi Dan,

Glad to hear that the method above works. I will make a summary below about this scenario so that you and other community members who may face the same question in the future can refer easily.

Description:

Add gridlines to logarithmic scale chart on X-axis and Y-axis after create a scatter chart in Excel

Environment:

Excel desktop application/Windows 10

Suggestion:

To add gridline to logarithmic scale chart:

X-axis:

• Select X-axis > Right click on the X-axis > Select Add Minor Gridlines/Major Gridlines to add

Y-axis:

• Select Y-axis > Right click on the Y-axis > Select Add Minor Gridlines/Major Gridlines to add

To adjust/format the Major Gridlines/Minor Gridlines:

• Select X-axis/Y-axis >Right click on the axis>Select Format Minor Gridlines/Format Minor Gridlines to open Format Axis dialog.

Additional information: Display or hide chart gridlines

Hope it is much clearer to add gridline in the chart.

Best regards,

Dihao

Answer 2

Hi Dan,

Thank you for posting your question in this community. From your description, you have created a logarithmic scale based on the scatter chart. It seems that the axis scale is not working as you expected when you are trying to adjust the axis in the chart.

To further assistant you, could you please share more detail about how the chart look like currently and the result you would like to achieve? You can also share some sample data without any confidential information and screenshots with us here at your convenience. It can let us have a better understanding on it. Thank you.

Best regards,

Dihao

Answer 3

Hi Dan, 

Regarding to this question, is there any updates from you? Please feel free to post back here and share details at your convenience.

Best regards,

Dihao

Answer 4

Here is a sample spreadsheet with a graph that shows how Excel graphs with a logarithmic x-axis scale

There are no vertical lines on the x-axis.  If the x-axis goes to a number larger than 10 you get vertical lines on the x-axis like this:

But when my data does not span more than a factor of 10x, there are no lines.   Most log scales have lines like this:

The vertical lines between the dark lines are missing in excel.

Answer 5

Hi Dan,

Thank you for sharing more details and screenshots with me. You can try to add minor and major Gridlines on X-axis and Y-axis to for the Excel logarithmic scale to get vertical lines and horizontal lines and format the gridline from Gridline option to achieve it.

You can right click on X-axis and Y-axis and select add major/minor Gridlines.

 

Then go to Axis option for format the major gridline/ minor gridline option to adjust color, line type, width based on your requirement,

 

After that, you can get an Excel logarithmic scale chart with the vertical lines and horizontal lines like below.

 

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Dihao