How to Freeze Rows and Columns in Excel
Last updated June 2026
Quick answer
To freeze rows and columns in Excel, go to the View tab and click Freeze Panes. Pick Freeze Top Row to lock row 1, Freeze First Column to lock column A, or select the cell below-and-right of everything you want pinned and choose Freeze Panes — selecting B2 freezes both row 1 and column A so your headers stay visible while you scroll.
How do you freeze rows and columns?
Lock just the top row
Go to View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Top Row. Row 1 stays pinned while everything below scrolls. A thin line appears under row 1 to show the split — no need to select a cell first.
Lock just the first column
Go to View → Freeze Panes → Freeze First Column. Column A stays pinned as you scroll right. Use this for tables where the left-hand labels (names, dates, IDs) need to stay in view.
Freeze rows and columns together
Click the cell directly below-and-right of what you want to keep visible, then choose View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes. Selecting
B2pins row 1 and column A; selectingC3pins rows 1–2 and columns A–B.Unfreeze when you're done
Go to View → Freeze Panes → Unfreeze Panes. The split lines disappear and the whole sheet scrolls normally again. The option only appears once a freeze is active.
| What you want pinned | Select first | Command |
|---|---|---|
| Top row only | Nothing | Freeze Panes → Freeze Top Row |
| First column only | Nothing | Freeze Panes → Freeze First Column |
| Row 1 and column A | Cell B2 | Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes |
| Rows 1–2 and columns A–B | Cell C3 | Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes |
| Nothing (release) | — | Freeze Panes → Unfreeze Panes |
To freeze multiple rows, the trick is the selection, not a separate command: click the cell in column A of the first row you want to scroll. To keep rows 1–3 visible, select A4, then Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I freeze more than one row at a time?
- Select the cell in column A of the first row you want to keep scrollable, then choose View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes. To freeze the top three rows, select
A4before clicking — everything above the selected cell stays pinned. - Why is the Freeze Panes option grayed out?
- Two common causes: you're mid-edit in a cell (press
EscorEnterto finish first), or the sheet is in Page Layout view. Switch to View → Normal and Freeze Panes becomes available again. - What's the difference between Split and Freeze Panes?
- Freeze Panes locks rows or columns so they never move while you scroll the rest. Split divides the window into independently scrollable panes, letting you view two distant parts of the same sheet side by side without pinning anything.
- Does freezing rows affect printing?
- No — frozen panes are screen-only and don't print at all. To repeat a header row on every printed page, use Page Layout → Print Titles → Rows to repeat at top instead, which is a separate print setting.