How to Freeze Rows and Columns in Microsoft Excel? 5 Easy Steps

In this tutorial, you will learn the step-by-step process on how to freeze rows and columns in Excel sheet. It makes it easy for you to navigate within large data sets with accuracy and ease. Whether you are working with finance or account records, databases, or any data, knowing the skill of freezing rows and columns will enhance your technical skills and improve the overall performance of your Excel workbook.

Freezing rows and columns in Microsoft Excel are important features that increase efficiency when working with large spreadsheets. This feature allows you to keep specific rows and columns visible while scrolling through large spreadsheets. It ensures that important headers or labels are always visible. By freezing rows and columns, you maintain context, making data analysis, comparison, and editing tasks significantly more manageable.

How to Freeze Rows and Columns in Excel Sheet?

Below are the steps on how to freeze panes, rows, or columns in an Excel sheet:

How to Freeze Panes in Excel Sheet?

Freezing panes in Microsoft Excel is an important technique for maintaining the visibility of specific rows and columns while navigating through large spreadsheets. This feature is especially useful when working on extensive datasets. If you want to lock headers, labels, or important data while you scroll in the Excel sheet. Freezing panes enhances the efficiency of data analysis, comparison, and management, ensuring that essential information stays readily accessible.

Below are the steps to freeze panes in Excel sheet.

1. Open Your Excel Workbook:
   Launch Microsoft Excel and open the workbook containing the worksheet where you want to freeze a panes.
2. Select the Desired Location :
   Click on the desired location in Excel sheet you want to freeze panes (both rows and columns). For example, if you want to freeze Row 3 and Column 3, click in the cell “C3” in of the worksheet.
3. Go to the View Tab:
   Navigate to the “View” tab located on the Excel ribbon. This tab contains various options related to how you view your worksheet.
4. Click on Freeze Panes:
   In the “View” tab, click on “Freeze Panes“.
5. Verify the Freeze:
   Scroll down through your worksheet. You’ll notice that the top row and left column (you selected) remain fixed at the Excel window.

How to Freeze Rows in Excel Sheet?

Below are the steps to freeze a row in Excel, allowing you to keep specific rows visible while scrolling through your spreadsheet:

1. Open Your Excel Workbook:
   Launch Microsoft Excel and open the workbook containing the worksheet where you want to freeze a row.
2. Select the Row:
   Click on the row number just below the row you want to freeze. For example, if you want to freeze Row 1, click on the number “2” on the left side of the worksheet.
3. Go to the View Tab:
   Navigate to the “View” tab located on the Excel ribbon. This tab contains various options related to how you view your worksheet.
4. Click on Freeze Panes:
   In the “Window” group within the “View” tab, you’ll find the “Freeze Panes” button.
5. Choose “Freeze Top Row”:
   Click on “Freeze Top Row” from the dropdown menu. Excel will insert a horizontal line below the row you selected in Step 2. This line indicates that the rows above it are frozen and will remain visible while scrolling.
6. Verify the Freeze:
   Scroll down through your worksheet. You’ll notice that the top row (the one you selected) remains fixed at the top of the Excel window, allowing you to see your header row while working with data further down the sheet.

By following these steps, you can effectively freeze rows in Excel, ensuring essential headers or labels stay visible even when dealing with extensive datasets

How do I unfreeze the row in Excel sheet?

Follow the steps below to unfreeze the row in Excel:

1. Go to the “View” tab.
2. Click on “Freeze Panes“.
3. Select “Unfreeze Panes” from the dropdown menu.

This action removes the frozen status of the Excel sheet, allowing your rows to scroll freely again.

How to Freeze Columns in Excel Sheet?

Here are the steps to freeze columns in Excel, allowing you to keep specific columns visible while scrolling through your spreadsheet:

1. Open Your Excel Workbook:
   Launch Microsoft Excel and open the workbook containing the worksheet where you want to freeze columns.
2. Select the Column:
   Click on the column you want to freeze. For example, if you want to freeze Column “A“, click on the label of Column “B” at the top of the worksheet.
3. Go to the View Tab:
   Navigate to the “View” tab at the Excel ribbon.
4. Click on Freeze Panes:
   In the “View” tab, you’ll find the “Freeze Panes” button.
5. Choose “Freeze First Column”:
   Click on “Freeze First Column” from the dropdown menu. Excel will insert a vertical line to the left of the column you selected in Step 2. This line indicates that the columns to its left are frozen and will remain visible while scrolling.
6. Verify the Freeze:
   Scroll horizontally through your worksheet. You’ll notice that the leftmost column (the one you selected) remains fixed at the left side of the Excel window, allowing you to see your specified column while working with data further to the right.

By following these steps, you can effectively freeze columns in Excel, ensuring specific columns stay visible even when working with extensive datasets.

How do I unfreeze the columns?

To unfreeze the columns in the Excel sheet, follow the below steps:

1. Go to the “View” tab.
2. Click on “Freeze Panes“.
3. Select “Unfreeze Panes” from the dropdown menu.

This action removes the frozen status, allowing your columns to scroll freely again in the Excel sheet.

Congratulations:
You have learned how to freeze rows and columns in Excel application. Try it yourself and explore this important feature of Microsoft Excel.