To keep the top row visible in Excel while you scroll, click the View tab, click Freeze Panes, and choose Freeze Top Row. A thin line appears under row 1, and it stays on screen as you scroll down. To freeze more than one row, click the row below the rows you want to keep (for example, row 3 to keep rows 1 and 2), then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. To undo it, choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes.
This guide covers freezing the top row, multiple rows, columns, and both at once, plus Excel for Mac, Excel for the web, and the mobile apps, and fixes when freezing doesn’t work.
Freeze the top row
- Open the worksheet.
- Click the View tab.
- Click Freeze Panes in the Window group.
- Choose Freeze Top Row.
Freeze several rows
- Select the row directly below the last row you want to keep visible. Click its row number.
- Click View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes.
Freeze rows and columns together
Click the cell below the rows and to the right of the columns you want to freeze (for example, B2 to freeze row 1 and column A), then choose Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes.
Freeze the first column
Choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze First Column to keep column A visible when scrolling right.
Unfreeze
Click View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. You need to unfreeze before choosing a different freeze option.
Other Excel versions
- Excel for Mac – View tab > Freeze Top Row, Freeze First Column, or Freeze Panes.
- Excel for the web – View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row.
- Excel for iPhone, iPad, and Android – tap a cell, open the View menu (or tap the … menu > View), and choose Freeze Panes or Freeze Top Row.
Print the top row on every page
Freezing only affects the screen. To repeat the top row on printed pages, use Page Layout > Print Titles and set Rows to repeat at top.
Troubleshooting
- Freeze Panes is grayed out – press Esc to stop editing a cell, switch from Page Layout view to Normal view, and make sure the workbook isn’t protected.
- The wrong row freezes – you were scrolled down when you froze. Unfreeze, press Ctrl + Home to go to the top, and freeze again.
- Freeze line is in a strange place – choose Unfreeze Panes and select the correct cell before freezing.
- Want a split instead – View > Split divides the window into scrollable panes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I freeze a row that’s not at the top?
Excel always freezes from the top down. To keep row 5 visible, rows 1 to 4 must be frozen too. You can hide rows above it if needed.
Does freezing apply to other sheets?
No. Freeze panes is set separately for each worksheet.
Does freezing the top row work in tables?
Yes. Excel tables also replace column letters with header names when you scroll, even without freezing.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He is an IT specialist with over 20 years of experience, from a university help desk to small-business IT, IT management and his own consulting practice, and has written tech guides full time since 2020. Steps are checked against the current software on a real device or the maker’s official documentation. More about Kermit.