diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axis.py b/lib/matplotlib/axis.py
index 07f15a87b1bc..94e030556229 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axis.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axis.py
@@ -1823,9 +1823,17 @@ def set_ticks(self, ticks, labels=None, *, minor=False, **kwargs):
         Parameters
         ----------
         ticks : list of floats
-            List of tick locations.
+            List of tick locations.  The axis `.Locator` is replaced by a
+            `~.ticker.FixedLocator`.
+
+            Some tick formatters will not label arbitrary tick positions;
+            e.g. log formatters only label decade ticks by default. In
+            such a case you can set a formatter explicitly on the axis
+            using `.Axis.set_major_formatter` or provide formatted
+            *labels* yourself.
         labels : list of str, optional
-            List of tick labels. If not set, the labels show the data value.
+            List of tick labels. If not set, the labels are generated with
+            the axis tick `.Formatter`.
         minor : bool, default: False
             If ``False``, set the major ticks; if ``True``, the minor ticks.
         **kwargs