How to Freeze Panes in Excel

To freeze panes in Excel, go to the View tab, click Freeze Panes, and choose Freeze Top Row, Freeze First Column, or Freeze Panes. Freeze Top Row keeps your header row visible as you scroll down. To lock several rows or columns, select the cell just below and to the right of them first, then choose Freeze Panes.

Freezing only changes what you see on screen. It doesn’t move or change your data, and it doesn’t affect printing.

In this article:

• Freeze the top row
• Freeze the first column
• Freeze multiple rows or columns
• Unfreeze panes
• Split panes instead
• Mac, web and mobile
• Why Freeze Panes is grayed out
• FAQs

How to Freeze the Top Row in Excel

1. Open your worksheet.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Click Freeze Panes in the Window group.
4. Choose Freeze Top Row.

A thin line appears under row 1. When you scroll down, row 1 stays in place above the rest of the sheet.

How to Freeze the First Column

1. Click the View tab.
2. Click Freeze Panes.
3. Choose Freeze First Column.

Column A now stays visible when you scroll to the right, which helps when names or IDs are in the first column.

How to Freeze Multiple Rows or Columns

Microsoft explains that Freeze Panes locks the rows above and the columns to the left of the cell you select. So the cell you click decides what stays put.

1. Click the cell below the last row and to the right of the last column you want to freeze. For example, click A4 to freeze rows 1 to 3, or B2 to freeze row 1 and column A.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Click Freeze Panes, then choose Freeze Panes.

Result: Every row above and every column to the left of the cell you selected stays on screen while you scroll.

How to Unfreeze Panes

Click View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. The first option in the menu changes to Unfreeze Panes whenever something is frozen, as shown in the screenshot above.

Result: The freeze lines disappear and the whole sheet scrolls normally again.

How to Split Panes Instead of Freezing Them

Splitting gives you two or four scrollable areas of the same sheet, which is handy for comparing rows that are far apart. Microsoft’s Split panes to lock rows or columns in separate worksheet areas article explains:

1. Select the row below where you want the split, or the column to the right of it. To split both ways, select the cell below and to the right of the split point.
2. On the ribbon, select View > Window > Split.
3. To remove the split, select Split again.

Result: The sheet divides into panes you can scroll separately, so you can keep one area in view while you look at another.

Freeze Panes on Excel for Mac, the Web, and Mobile

• Excel for Mac: the same View > Freeze Panes options are available.
• Excel for the web: select View > Freeze Panes and choose an option.
• Excel on iPhone, iPad, or Android: tap View, tap Freeze Panes, then pick top row, first column, or panes.

Why Freeze Panes Is Grayed Out

• You are editing a cell: press Enter or Esc first.
• Page Layout view is on: switch to View > Normal.
• The sheet is protected: unprotect it from the Review tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will frozen rows repeat when I print?

No. Freezing only affects the screen. To print headers on every page, see how to repeat rows in Excel when you print.

Can I freeze a row in the middle of the sheet?

Freeze Panes always locks from the top row and first column. To compare two distant parts of a sheet, use View > Split instead.

How do I freeze rows in Google Sheets?

Google Sheets uses View > Freeze. Here’s how to freeze columns or rows in Google Sheets.

Does the cell cursor glide or lag when you scroll? Here’s how to fix a slow cursor in Excel.