Before you start
- Microsoft Excel (Windows, Mac or web) or Google Sheets
Method 1 Freeze the top row or first column in Excel
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Step 1: Open the View tab
Open your workbook and click the View tab on the ribbon.
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Step 2: Choose what to freeze
Click Freeze Panes and choose Freeze Top Row to keep your headings visible, or Freeze First Column to keep the first column visible.
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Step 3: Check it
Scroll down or right. A thin line marks where the frozen area ends.
Method 2 Freeze several rows and columns in Excel
These steps are the same in Excel for Windows, Mac and Excel for the web.
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Step 1: Select the right cell
Click the cell just below the last row and just right of the last column you want to freeze. For example, to freeze rows 1–2 and column A, click B3.
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Step 2: Freeze
Go to View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes.
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Step 3: Freeze rows only
To freeze only rows (for example the top three), select the whole row underneath them (row 4) by clicking its number, then choose Freeze Panes. Do the same with a column letter to freeze columns only.
Method 3 Freeze rows and columns in Google Sheets
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Step 1: Open View > Freeze
On a computer, click View > Freeze.
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Step 2: Pick rows or columns
Choose 1 row, 2 rows or Up to row X (the row you have selected). Use the same menu for 1 column, 2 columns or Up to column X.
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Step 3: Or drag the bar
Drag the thick grey bar at the top-left corner of the sheet down or across to freeze as many rows or columns as you like.
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Step 4: On a phone
In the Google Sheets app, tap a row number or column letter, tap the more menu and choose Freeze.
Method 4 Unfreeze
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Step 1: Excel
Go to View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes.
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Step 2: Google Sheets
Go to View > Freeze > No rows and No columns.
Troubleshooting
Freeze Panes is greyed out
You’re probably editing a cell, or in Page Layout view. Press Esc and switch to View > Normal. Unprotect the sheet if it’s protected.
The wrong rows froze
Excel freezes everything above and to the left of the selected cell. Unfreeze, select the correct cell and freeze again. Scroll to the top first so the rows you want are visible.
Frequently asked questions
Can I freeze a row in the middle of the sheet?
No. Frozen rows are always the top rows and frozen columns are always the left columns. To compare distant parts of a sheet, use View > Split in Excel.
Does freezing change my data?
No. It only changes what stays on screen while scrolling, and it’s saved with the file.
Summary
In Excel, use View > Freeze Panes: Freeze Top Row for headers, or select the cell below and right of what you want locked and choose Freeze Panes. In Google Sheets, use View > Freeze or drag the grey bar.
