diff --git a/doc/users/next_whats_new/plt_xyticks_support_minor.rst b/doc/users/next_whats_new/plt_xyticks_support_minor.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fef2ce764113
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/users/next_whats_new/plt_xyticks_support_minor.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+``plt.xticks`` and ``plt.yticks`` support *minor* keyword argument
+------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+It is now possible to set or get minor ticks using `.pyplot.xticks` and
+`.pyplot.yticks` by setting ``minor=True``.
+
+.. plot::
+    :include-source: true
+
+    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+    plt.figure()
+    plt.plot([1, 2, 3, 3.5], [2, 1, 0, -0.5])
+    plt.xticks([1, 2, 3], ["One", "Zwei", "Trois"])
+    plt.xticks([1.414, 2.5, 3.142],
+               [r"$\sqrt{2}$", r"$\frac{5}{2}$", r"$\pi$"], minor=True)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
index 951e6e09b2fe..dac36d55089d 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -1751,7 +1751,7 @@ def ylim(*args, **kwargs):
     return ret
 
 
-def xticks(ticks=None, labels=None, **kwargs):
+def xticks(ticks=None, labels=None, *, minor=False, **kwargs):
     """
     Get or set the current tick locations and labels of the x-axis.
 
@@ -1764,6 +1764,9 @@ def xticks(ticks=None, labels=None, **kwargs):
     labels : array-like, optional
         The labels to place at the given *ticks* locations.  This argument can
         only be passed if *ticks* is passed as well.
+    minor : bool, default: False
+        If ``False``, get/set the major ticks/labels; if ``True``, the minor
+        ticks/labels.
     **kwargs
         `.Text` properties can be used to control the appearance of the labels.
 
@@ -1794,24 +1797,24 @@ def xticks(ticks=None, labels=None, **kwargs):
     ax = gca()
 
     if ticks is None:
-        locs = ax.get_xticks()
+        locs = ax.get_xticks(minor=minor)
         if labels is not None:
             raise TypeError("xticks(): Parameter 'labels' can't be set "
                             "without setting 'ticks'")
     else:
-        locs = ax.set_xticks(ticks)
+        locs = ax.set_xticks(ticks, minor=minor)
 
     if labels is None:
-        labels = ax.get_xticklabels()
+        labels = ax.get_xticklabels(minor=minor)
         for l in labels:
             l._internal_update(kwargs)
     else:
-        labels = ax.set_xticklabels(labels, **kwargs)
+        labels = ax.set_xticklabels(labels, minor=minor, **kwargs)
 
     return locs, labels
 
 
-def yticks(ticks=None, labels=None, **kwargs):
+def yticks(ticks=None, labels=None, *, minor=False, **kwargs):
     """
     Get or set the current tick locations and labels of the y-axis.
 
@@ -1824,6 +1827,9 @@ def yticks(ticks=None, labels=None, **kwargs):
     labels : array-like, optional
         The labels to place at the given *ticks* locations.  This argument can
         only be passed if *ticks* is passed as well.
+    minor : bool, default: False
+        If ``False``, get/set the major ticks/labels; if ``True``, the minor
+        ticks/labels.
     **kwargs
         `.Text` properties can be used to control the appearance of the labels.
 
@@ -1854,19 +1860,19 @@ def yticks(ticks=None, labels=None, **kwargs):
     ax = gca()
 
     if ticks is None:
-        locs = ax.get_yticks()
+        locs = ax.get_yticks(minor=minor)
         if labels is not None:
             raise TypeError("yticks(): Parameter 'labels' can't be set "
                             "without setting 'ticks'")
     else:
-        locs = ax.set_yticks(ticks)
+        locs = ax.set_yticks(ticks, minor=minor)
 
     if labels is None:
-        labels = ax.get_yticklabels()
+        labels = ax.get_yticklabels(minor=minor)
         for l in labels:
             l._internal_update(kwargs)
     else:
-        labels = ax.set_yticklabels(labels, **kwargs)
+        labels = ax.set_yticklabels(labels, minor=minor, **kwargs)
 
     return locs, labels
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_pyplot.py
index f824df490c5f..2e51af54ea88 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_pyplot.py
@@ -383,3 +383,18 @@ def test_doc_pyplot_summary():
             f"The following functions are listed in the pyplot documentation, "
             f"but they do not exist in pyplot. "
             f"Please remove them from doc/api/pyplot_summary.rst: {extra!r}")
+
+
+def test_minor_ticks():
+    plt.figure()
+    plt.plot(np.arange(1, 10))
+    tick_pos, tick_labels = plt.xticks(minor=True)
+    assert np.all(tick_labels == np.array([], dtype=np.float64))
+    assert tick_labels == []
+
+    plt.yticks(ticks=[3.5, 6.5], labels=["a", "b"], minor=True)
+    ax = plt.gca()
+    tick_pos = ax.get_yticks(minor=True)
+    tick_labels = ax.get_yticklabels(minor=True)
+    assert np.all(tick_pos == np.array([3.5, 6.5]))
+    assert [l.get_text() for l in tick_labels] == ['a', 'b']