{"id":2793,"date":"2026-10-12T11:37:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T00:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/?p=2793"},"modified":"2026-10-12T11:37:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T00:37:59","slug":"how-to-freeze-panes-in-excel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dynamicwebtraining.com.au\/blog\/how-to-freeze-panes-in-excel","title":{"rendered":"How to Freeze Panes in Excel (Rows & Columns)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To freeze panes in Excel, go to the View tab and click Freeze Panes in the Window group. Choose Freeze Top Row to keep your headings visible, or Freeze First Column to keep the left column visible. To freeze several rows and columns at once, select the cell immediately below and to the right of the rows and columns you want to lock (for example C3 to lock rows 1 to 2 and columns A to B), then choose Freeze Panes. To undo it, click Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

When you scroll down a long spreadsheet, the headings disappear and you lose track of which column is which. Freeze Panes fixes that by locking rows or columns in place while the rest of the sheet scrolls. This guide shows you how to freeze the top row, the first column, multiple rows and columns together, how to unfreeze, and what to do when Freeze Panes does not behave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What does Freeze Panes do in Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Freeze Panes keeps selected rows at the top, or columns on the left, visible while you scroll through the rest of the worksheet. It changes only what you see on screen; it does not move, protect or change any data. Each worksheet has its own frozen panes, so freezing one sheet does not affect the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you freeze the top row in Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Go to the View<\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. In the Window<\/strong> group, click Freeze Panes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Choose Freeze Top Row<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    A thin grey line appears under row 1, and the row stays in place as you scroll down. To lock column A instead, choose Freeze First Column<\/strong> from the same menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"The
    View tab > Window group > Freeze Panes. Freeze Top Row and Freeze First Column are the one-click options.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    On a Mac, Freeze Panes, Freeze Top Row and Freeze First Column appear on the View<\/strong> tab. In Excel for the web, use View > Freeze Panes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How do you freeze multiple rows in Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Freeze Top Row only locks row 1. If your headings take up more than one row (for example a title in row 1 and column headings in row 3), freeze them all:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Select the row directly below<\/strong> the last row you want to freeze. To freeze rows 1 to 3, click the row 4 heading (or cell A4).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Go to View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Everything above the selected row stays visible as you scroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How do you freeze columns in Excel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The same logic works sideways. To freeze columns A and B, select the column C heading (or cell C1), then go to View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes<\/strong>. Everything to the left of the selected column stays in place as you scroll right. This is handy for keeping names or ID numbers visible in wide spreadsheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How do you freeze rows and columns at the same time?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Select the cell that is one row below and one column to the right<\/strong> of the area you want to lock, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes<\/strong>. Excel freezes every row above that cell and every column to its left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n