Productivity Tools

How Do You Freeze Rows And Columns In Excel - A Comprehensive Guide

Abhishek Rai

Dec 5, 2023 • 10 min read

Did you know that around 66% of professionals worldwide use Excel at least once an hour, and 38% of their time is spent entirely in Excel? But only 48% of people have received any form of Excel training!

Do you also need help losing track of the vital information as you scroll through the rows and columns?

Don't sweat it; you've got the hang of things! Picture this: the freezing cell options step into the limelight and work their magic, making everything smoother.

This blog will make your Excel experience smoother by freezing the rows and columns in MS Excel and how to make the most out of it.

Undoubtedly, Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool for organizing and manipulating data, but working with a large data set can sometimes be challenging.

So here's a step-by-step guide to freezing the rows and columns in Excel: Basics of Freezing in Excel/Google Spreadsheets/Any Other Spreadsheets.

Let's begin this blog with a famous quote, which says:

"When you start to EXCEL. People start to SPREADSHEET."

~Keneilwe Mosupye, Twitter

How to freeze rows in Excel

Freezing cells allows you to keep specific rows or columns in view even if you scroll down through your Excel spreadsheet. This tool is useful when working with a larger dataset too big to fit on one screen.

Ensure that all the critical information remains in view constantly by just freezing the rows in your Excel. This simple step facilitates smoother navigation through your data and safeguards against errors, saving you valuable time and simplifying the information analysis.

*This important information can be the column header(s) or row label(s)*.

Now, let's harness the power of freezing the Row(s) in Excel.

But how?

What are the steps of doing it?

You are about to find out how!

Here's a step-by-step process for doing that:

Select the row cell(s) that you want to freeze.
Click on the "View" tab in the top menu.
Select "Freeze Panes" from the "Window" group.
Select the "Freeze Panes" option to freeze the selected cells.

And Voila - It's done!

You've learned it so quickly!

But wait, why stop at rows when columns deserve the spotlight, too?

Do you know how to freeze only the top row, the entire column, multiple rows, multiple columns, or rows and columns together?

No?

Hold tight because we are moving on to our upcoming topics, which will also solve this problem.

How to freeze the top Row in Excel

To freeze the top Row in Excel, follow the steps given below:

Go to the "View" tab
Select the "Window" group
And click on the "Freeze Panes" option
Then select "Freeze Top Row."

This will help you freeze the top row of your spreadsheet to remain visible even when you navigate through the rest of your worksheet.

How to freeze multiple rows in Excel

To freeze multiple rows in Excel, follow the steps given below:

Select the various rows that you would like to freeze.
Go to the "View" tab in the top menu
Click on the "Freeze Panes" dropdown option from the "Windows" group
Then select the "Freeze Panes" option.

This will help you to freeze multiple rows of your spreadsheet so that it remains static even when you navigate through the rest of your worksheet.

How do you freeze Excel Columns?

Freezing Excel columns is done similarly by using the "Freeze Panes" dropdown commands. By freezing the column(s), you can scroll through the rest of the worksheet while having a constant view of the values in the first column, making it easier to compare the data and identify the patterns.

Cool feature, right?

Now, let's quickly get into the steps of freezing the column(s) in Excel/Spreadsheet.

Select the column cell(s) that you want to freeze.
Click on the "View" tab from the menu.
Select the "Freeze Panes" dropdown option from the "Window" group.
Select the first option of "Freeze Panes" to freeze the selected columns.

This will help you freeze the selected columns of your MS Excel so that they can be seen even if you navigate through the rest of your worksheet.

Stick with me here, because now we're going to jump into the steps of freezing the first column in Excel.

How to lock the first column

To freeze the first column in Excel, follow the steps given below:

Go to the "View" tab
Select the "Window" group
And click on the "Freeze Panes" option
Then select "Freeze First Column".

This will freeze the leftmost column freeze in your worksheet so that it remains visible even when you navigate through the rest of your worksheet.

It's so simple, right?

Great, let's move further!

How to freeze multiple columns in Excel

To freeze multiple columns in Excel, follow the steps given below:

Select the column cell(s) that you want to freeze.
Go to the "View" tab
Select the "Window" group
And click on the "Freeze Panes" option
Then select "Freeze Panes."

For example,

To freeze the dataset's first two columns, select column C or cell C1 and click the "Freeze Panes" option under the "View" tab.

This will freeze multiple rows of your dataset to remain visible even when you navigate through the rest of your worksheet.

So it's never too much to gather knowledge,

Don't stop reading now!

Here comes the fantastic thing: Freezing both rows and columns!

Freezing rows and columns together

Apart from freezing the columns and rows separately, Microsoft Excel allows you to freeze both rows and columns simultaneously. Here's how you can do it:

Select one below the last row and to the right of the last column if you want to freeze a cell in your workbook.

Click on the "View" tab.
Select the "Freeze Panes"
Choose the "Freeze Panes" option.

↓

Yep, it's that easy!

For example, to freeze the top Row and First Column in one step, select cell B2 and click on the "Freeze Panes."

Unlocking rows and columns

If you want to unfreeze the frozen cells in Excel, you can follow some easy steps. Doing this will release all the fixed cells in the spreadsheet.

It's necessary to note that freezing cell(s) in Excel can be an accessible tool for keeping some specific rows or columns visible even while scrolling through a large set of data in Excel. However, if you accidentally freeze cell(s) that you didn't plan to, or if you no longer need specific cells to stay frozen, then you can easily unfreeze them using the steps given below:

Select the Row (s) and column(s) you want to unfreeze.
Go to the "View" tab
Select the "Window" group.
And click on the "Freeze Panes" option
Then select "Unfreeze Panes."

↓

Now that you're an expert at freezing rows and columns, let's uplift your Excel game.

We'll explore advanced techniques beyond the basics, allowing you to navigate multiple sheets simultaneously.

Alternate ways for locking columns and rows in Excel

Apart from freezing the cell(s), MS Excel provides some other ways to freeze certain areas of a sheet. If you are looking for an alternative to locking columns and rows in Excel, consider the methods below.

If the "Freeze Panes" option is disabled or greyed out in your Excel sheet, then most likely it's because of the following reasons:

If you are in cell editing mode, you're entering a formula or editing the data in a cell. Press the "Enter" or "Esc" to exit cell editing mode.
If your worksheet is protected, please remove the workbook protection first and then freeze the Row (s) and column(s).

Hey, don't worry. If this method seems complicated, you can follow some other techniques.

Split panes rather than freezing panes

Another way to freeze the cell(s) in Excel is to split/divide a worksheet area into several parts.

Let's briefly see what's the difference between the two methods:

Freezing panes: It allows you to keep certain Row (s) and column(s) visible even when scrolling across the worksheet in your system.
Splitting panes: It divides the Excel sheet window into two or four areas, which can be scrolled individually. Even if you scroll within an area, the cells in the other areas remain fixed or unchanged.

To split Excel's window, follow the steps below:

Select a cell below the Row where you want to break or to the right of the column where you want the split.
Now, click the "Split button" on the "View" tab
- Select "Window" group.
- To undo a split, click "Split" button again.

↓

Tables to secure the top Row

If you want the header row to remain fixed at the top of the worksheet while you scroll down, you can convert a range of data sets to a fully functional MS Excel table.

The swiftest way to create a fully functional table in MS Excel is by choosing the "Ctrl + T" shortcut.

Header rows

If you'd like to repeat the top Row (s) on every printed page, then

Switch to the "Page Layout" tab
Select the "Page Setup" group
Click on the "Print Titles" button
Then go to the "Sheet tab."
Select the Row (s) to repeat at the top.

You could freeze a row(s)/column(s)/both rows and columns in Microsoft Excel.

Although this information is accessible, some people still need help handling a vast data set.

Here are some points where a virtual assistant can be enormously advantageous using Excel/Spreadsheet.

Virtual assistance for Freezing Rows and Columns

Are you a startup?

Or an established business?

Or someone looking for brainstorming ideas to start your entrepreneurship journey?

But do you often get stuck and frustrated when managing tasks out of your expertise?

Hiring a virtual assistant is a strategic solution to enhance productivity and concentrate more on your core strengths.

From handling accounting, research, calendar management, and appointment setting to organizing the data and creating insightful presentations, a virtual assistant can lessen your burden.

A virtual assistant can even help you respond to emails on your behalf and provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels of support to your clients so that you can relax and get more creative in expanding your business.

If you manage a lot of data sets and find it difficult to keep track of your data, then a virtual assistant will help you organize your data along with freezing the panes as per your requirement so that it's easy for the users to navigate properly through the dataset and get the proper information without losing track of information in the row(s) and column(s).

If you deal with a lot of data sets regularly, here's how a virtual assistant can help you easily understand your data without losing track:

They review and prepare data for freezing.
They can assist you in freezing Row(s) and column(s).
Virtual Assistants implement advanced techniques, such as splitting the panes.
They guide you in unfreezing the data whenever needed.
They share the best practices for the effective utilization of freezing features.
A VA can offer shortcuts and tips for efficient MS Excel workflow.

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Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed some of the crucial features of MS Excel, such as freezing the rows and columns. If you are not freezing the cell(s), you can also use other alternatives, boosting up your analytics. Such functions provide the users with different tools for their analysis and data management.

However, it's worth noting that alternative methods are available if freezing isn't the preferred approach for your specific needs. These options offer flexibility in organizing and viewing your data and open up opportunities for its users to enhance your analytics capabilities.

Moreover, this article suggests leveraging the expertise of Virtual Assistants as a strategic avenue for maximizing the potential of Microsoft Excel. Virtual Assistants who are well-versed in Microsoft Excel tools can play a vital role in elevating your analytics career.

Feel free to ask us; our experts will promptly answer them!

You can contact us via a free consultation or email us at [email protected].

FAQs For How To Freeze Rows And Columns In Excel

Q: How do I freeze panes vertically and horizontally simultaneously?

Here's how you can freeze panes vertically and horizontally at the same time:

You can freeze a cell in your workbook by selecting it below the last row and to the right of the previous column.

Click on the "View" tab.
Select the "Freeze Panes"
Choose the "Freeze Panes" option.

And voila! It's done.

Q: What is the shortcut key to freeze rows and columns in Excel?

Here's the shortcut key to freeze rows and columns in Excel:

" Alt + W + F "