Excel spreadsheets can quickly get unruly and hard to navigate and scroll through, especially if there are a lot of rows and columns involved. But there are ways to take charge of the situation and make them easier to read.
Here’s how to freeze a row in Excel in just a few clicks, so they stick with you while you scroll.
How to freeze a row in Excel
Step 1: Pick out the row or rows you want to freeze. These will be the rows that will stay with you as you scroll through the spreadsheet. Select the row immediately below the row you want to freeze. So if you want to freeze rows 1-3, you need to select row 4.
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Step 2: Then select the View tab from the ribbon menu at the top of the screen. Then click on Freeze Panes.
Step 3: From the drop-down menu that appears, select Freeze Panes.
Alternatively, if all you want to do is freeze the top row of your spreadsheet, you don’t have to select any rows beforehand. You can just click on the View tab and then Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row.
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Step 4: To unfreeze your frozen rows: Go to the View tab again, select Freeze Panes, and then choose Unfreeze Panes from the drop-down menu.
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How to freeze a column in Excel
Step 1: Pick the columns you want to freeze. Then select the column that is immediately to the right of the column or columns you want to freeze. For example, if you need to freeze columns A, B, and C: You should select column D.
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Step 2: Then select the View tab from the ribbon menu at the top of the screen. Then choose Freeze Panes.
Step 3: From the drop down menu that appears, select Freeze Panes.
Alternatively, if all you want to do is freeze the first column of your spreadsheet, you can just click on the View tab, and then select Freeze Panes > Freeze First Column.
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Step 4: To unfreeze your frozen columns, just click on the View tab, and select Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes.
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Editors’ Note: Article was checked on March 1, 2023, and confirmed that the steps and information included are still accurate.
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