Within Microsoft Excel, users possess the ability to ensure a particular portion of their sheet remains in view at all times. This comes in 3 forms and is referred to as freezing.
| Method | Description |
| Freeze panes | Freeze all above selected row/all behind selected column |
| Freeze top row | Freeze the top row of sheet |
| Freeze first column | Freeze the first column of sheet |
Below you’ll find information regarding the 3 ways to freeze columns and rows in Excel as well as an image example of each method in use.
Quick links:
Freezing methods overview
Freeze panes
The freeze panes default option is the most useful, yet difficult method. Due to granting you the ability to freeze columns or rows within one tool. The tool works by freezing columns above a selected column, or alternatively, freezing columns to the left of a selected column.
Freeze top row
The freeze top row option is responsible for freezing the upmost row in your sheet. This would be ideal for large lists/tables where your headers are far from new entries/elements. As such, freezing it would allow it to be visible no matter how low you must scroll.
Freeze first column
The freeze first column option takes care of keeping the first column of your table/list visible when you scroll left or right too.
Freeze panes demo
Step 1 – Select the boundary
- Anything above a selected row or to the left of a selected column will be froze, while items to the right or beneath the selection will be left as they were.
Step 2 – Freeze your zone
- Open Freeze Panes within the View tab and select Freeze Panes.
Step 3 – Scroll to test your freeze
- If you froze columns, try scrolling horizontally, or vertically if you froze a row.
Freeze top row demo
Step 1 – Select freeze top row from the freeze panes dropdown
- From the ribbon navigate to the view tab and click Freeze panes to activate its dropdown. From the list select Freeze top row.
Step 2 – Scroll to test your freeze
- Scroll vertically to ensure the freeze occurred correctly
Freeze first column demo
Step 1 – Select freeze first column from the freeze panes dropdown
- From the ribbon navigate to the view tab and click Freeze panes to activate its dropdown. From the list select Freeze first column.
Step 2 – Scroll to test your freeze
- Scroll horizontally to ensure the freeze occurred correctly.
End note
Recap
Excel rows and columns can be frozen to ensure part of your sheet remains in view at all times. This is done via the freeze panes button in the view tab. The freeze panes button provides 3 options. Freeze panes which will freeze a number of columns or rows based on your selection. Free top row operates by freezing the top row of your sheet, while freeze first column will free the first column in your sheet.
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