Freeze Panes keeps selected rows or columns visible while the rest of the worksheet scrolls. It is perfect for header rows, ID columns, and wide data tables.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, Excel 2019, and Excel for the web when labels disappear as soon as you scroll down or sideways.
Freeze the top row or first column
Use the shortcuts for the most common layouts.
- Open the View tab.
- Click Freeze Panes.
- Choose Freeze Top Row to lock row 1.
- Choose Freeze First Column to lock column A.
- Scroll to confirm the frozen row or column stays visible.
To undo it, return to View > Freeze Panes and choose Unfreeze Panes. That option appears only after something is frozen.
Freeze a custom set of rows and columns
Select the cell just below and just right of everything that should stay visible.
- To freeze the top two rows and first column, click B3.
- Open View > Freeze Panes.
- Choose Freeze Panes, not the Top Row or First Column shortcut.
- Look for the thin boundary lines.
- Scroll down and across to test the result.
More control
Fix the wrong freeze area
If the wrong rows or columns froze, unfreeze panes and try again. The selected cell controls the boundary: rows above it and columns to the left of it stay locked.
Split is different
View > Split creates independently scrollable panes for comparing distant parts of the same sheet. Freeze Panes locks headers; Split divides the window.
Freeze each worksheet separately
A freeze setting on one tab does not apply to other worksheets in the workbook. Set it separately on each sheet.
Use Print Titles for paper
Freezing panes affects only the screen. To repeat headers on printed pages, use Page Layout > Print Titles.
Sources
- Microsoft Support – Freeze panes to lock rows and columns (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Split panes to lock rows and columns in separate worksheet areas (2025)