Freezing Panes

If you create a large spreadsheet, then as you scroll to more distant columns or rows, informative labels that you entered will no longer be visible. It is a bother to have to repeatedly scroll back to the first few columns or rows. For example, perhaps you have a label in cell C3 to describe Row 3 as "Year-to-date Expenses", and another label in cell C6 to describe Row 6 "Last-Year's Expenses".

Freezing panes will keep certain rows and columns visible, even as you scroll to more distant cells.

To freeze columns:

  1. Click on the cell in row 1 that is just to the right of the column you want to freeze. For example, to freeze column A, select cell B1.

  2. Go to the Window menu, and click Freeze Panes.

  3. All columns to the left of your selected cell will be frozen. For example, if you selected cell D1, then columns A, B, and C will be frozen. As you scroll to distant cells, these columns will still be visible.

 

To freeze rows:

  1. Click on the cell in column A that is just below the row you want to freeze. For example, to freeze row 1, select cell A2.

  2. Go to the Window menu, and click Freeze Panes.

  3. All rows above your selected cell will be frozen. For example, if you selected cell A4, then rows 1, 2, and 3 will be frozen. As you scroll to distant cells, these rows will still be visible.

 

To freeze columns and rows:

  1. Click on the cell that is just below, and to the right of the rows and columns you want to freeze. For example. to freeze column A and row 1, select cell B2.

  2. Go to the Window menu, and click Freeze Panes.

  3. All the rows above your selected cell, and all the columns to the left of your selected cell, will be frozen. For example, if you selected cell C2, then columns A and B, and row 1 will be frozen. As you scroll to distant cells, these columns and rows will still be visible.

 

To unfreeze columns and/or rows:

  1. Go to Windows menu at the top of your screen.

  2. Click Unfreeze Panes. (Note: If you see Freeze Panes instead, then no panes are frozen.)