diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.py
index 22b58b62ff8e..47c32f701729 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.py
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@
     MatplotlibDeprecationWarning)
 
 
+# A sentinel value for optional arguments, when None cannot be used as
+# default because we need to distinguish between None passed explicitly
+# and parameter not given. Usage: def foo(arg=_api.UNSET):
+class _Unset:
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "<UNSET>"
+UNSET = _Unset()
+
+
 class classproperty:
     """
     Like `property`, but also triggers on access via the class, and it is the
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.pyi b/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.pyi
index ea7076feac3c..9bf67110bb54 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.pyi
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/_api/__init__.pyi
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ from .deprecation import (  # noqa: F401, re-exported API
 
 _T = TypeVar("_T")
 
+class _Unset: ...
+
 class classproperty(Any):
     def __init__(
         self,
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
index c87c789048c4..376eeb00b04d 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/artist.py
@@ -107,12 +107,6 @@ def _stale_axes_callback(self, val):
 _XYPair = namedtuple("_XYPair", "x y")
 
 
-class _Unset:
-    def __repr__(self):
-        return "<UNSET>"
-_UNSET = _Unset()
-
-
 class Artist:
     """
     Abstract base class for objects that render into a FigureCanvas.
@@ -166,7 +160,7 @@ def _update_set_signature_and_docstring(cls):
         """
         cls.set.__signature__ = Signature(
             [Parameter("self", Parameter.POSITIONAL_OR_KEYWORD),
-             *[Parameter(prop, Parameter.KEYWORD_ONLY, default=_UNSET)
+             *[Parameter(prop, Parameter.KEYWORD_ONLY, default=_api.UNSET)
                for prop in ArtistInspector(cls).get_setters()
                if prop not in Artist._PROPERTIES_EXCLUDED_FROM_SET]])
         cls.set._autogenerated_signature = True
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/artist.pyi b/lib/matplotlib/artist.pyi
index be23f69d44a6..7b8b0c36be69 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/artist.pyi
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/artist.pyi
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ class _XYPair(NamedTuple):
     x: ArrayLike
     y: ArrayLike
 
-class _Unset: ...
-
 class Artist:
     zorder: float
     stale_callback: Callable[[Artist, bool], None] | None
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.py b/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.py
index 06f0b2f7f781..de2406dd21ef 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 import matplotlib as mpl
 from matplotlib import _api, _pylab_helpers, _tight_layout
+from matplotlib._api import UNSET as _UNSET
 from matplotlib.transforms import Bbox
 
 _log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -366,7 +367,8 @@ def __init__(self, nrows, ncols, figure=None,
 
     _AllowedKeys = ["left", "bottom", "right", "top", "wspace", "hspace"]
 
-    def update(self, **kwargs):
+    def update(self, *, left=_UNSET, bottom=_UNSET, right=_UNSET, top=_UNSET,
+               wspace=_UNSET, hspace=_UNSET):
         """
         Update the subplot parameters of the grid.
 
@@ -377,15 +379,23 @@ def update(self, **kwargs):
         ----------
         left, right, top, bottom : float or None, optional
             Extent of the subplots as a fraction of figure width or height.
-        wspace, hspace : float, optional
+        wspace, hspace : float or None, optional
             Spacing between the subplots as a fraction of the average subplot
             width / height.
         """
-        for k, v in kwargs.items():
-            if k in self._AllowedKeys:
-                setattr(self, k, v)
-            else:
-                raise AttributeError(f"{k} is an unknown keyword")
+        if left is not _UNSET:
+            self.left = left
+        if bottom is not _UNSET:
+            self.bottom = bottom
+        if right is not _UNSET:
+            self.right = right
+        if top is not _UNSET:
+            self.top = top
+        if wspace is not _UNSET:
+            self.wspace = wspace
+        if hspace is not _UNSET:
+            self.hspace = hspace
+
         for figmanager in _pylab_helpers.Gcf.figs.values():
             for ax in figmanager.canvas.figure.axes:
                 if ax.get_subplotspec() is not None:
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.pyi b/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.pyi
index 3bf13ee17c4e..a1dc5deaa62c 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.pyi
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.pyi
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from typing import Any, Literal, overload
 from numpy.typing import ArrayLike
 import numpy as np
 
+from matplotlib._api import _Unset
 from matplotlib.axes import Axes
 from matplotlib.backend_bases import RendererBase
 from matplotlib.figure import Figure
@@ -78,7 +79,16 @@ class GridSpec(GridSpecBase):
         width_ratios: ArrayLike | None = ...,
         height_ratios: ArrayLike | None = ...,
     ) -> None: ...
-    def update(self, **kwargs: float | None) -> None: ...
+    def update(
+        self,
+        *,
+        left: float | None | _Unset = ...,
+        bottom: float | None | _Unset = ...,
+        right: float | None | _Unset = ...,
+        top: float | None | _Unset = ...,
+        wspace: float | None | _Unset = ...,
+        hspace: float | None | _Unset = ...,
+    ) -> None: ...
     def locally_modified_subplot_params(self) -> list[str]: ...
     def tight_layout(
         self,