Learn how to lock specific rows and columns in place while you scroll through your data in Excel. Freezing panes is essential for keeping headers visible in large spreadsheets, making your data much easier to read and analyze.
This is the most important step. Click the cell that is below the row(s) you want to freeze and to the right of the column(s) you want to freeze. For example, to freeze the top row and the first column, select cell B2.
In the Excel ribbon at the top of the window, click on the View tab to access display options.
In the Window group, click the Freeze Panes dropdown button. A menu with three options will appear.
Select Freeze Panes from the menu. Excel will lock the rows above and the columns to the left of your selected cell. You can also choose Freeze Top Row or Freeze First Column for quick, common scenarios.
To remove the freeze, go back to the View tab, click the Freeze Panes dropdown, and select Unfreeze Panes. This option replaces the others when a freeze is active.
Helpful Tips for Freezing Panes
Remember: Excel freezes everything *above* and to the *left* of your active cell. Selecting cell A1 will not freeze anything.
A thin, solid gray line will appear on your worksheet to show you exactly where the rows and columns are frozen.
Don't confuse Freeze Panes with the Split feature. Split creates separate scrollable windows of the same sheet, while Freeze Panes is designed to keep headers visible.
Freezing panes only affects your on-screen view. To repeat headers on printed pages, go to Page Layout > Print Titles.
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