When dealing with large amounts of data in an Excel workbook, you often need to use the Freeze Panes item on the ribbon. This option allows you to keep a certain area visible as you scroll to other parts of your worksheet. You can freeze rows, columns or both rows and columns. Be sure to click on each video to view the tutorial!

Freeze Top Row (Only)

For example if you have a worksheet with column titles across the top and several rows of data, as you scroll to the bottom of the data you would not be able to see the column titles unless you freeze the top row. You would do this by simply going to the View tab and selecting Freeze Panes\Freeze Top Row. 

 

 

Freeze Left Column A (Only)

If you do not want to freeze the top row, but want to freeze the first column of your worksheet, go to View\Freeze Panes\Freeze First Column. By freezing column A, as you scroll to the right you will be able to see the data in column A no matter how far to the right you scroll.

 

Freeze Both Top Row and Left Column A

If you want to freeze both the top row and column A, select cell B2 and go to View\Freeze Panes\Freeze Panes. This will freeze Row 1 and Column A so that as you scroll through your worksheet, you will always be able to see the titles across the top and the data in column A. 

 

Freeze More Than One Column and/or Row 

If you want to freeze more than one column or row at a time to lock them in place as you scroll through your worksheet, you can do this by selecting the cell that is directly below the rows you want to freeze and/or directly to the right of the columns you want to freeze. After you have made this selection, go to View\Freeze Panes\Freeze Panes. In this case, I started by clicking cell C2 before selecting the Freeze Panes option:

 

Unfreeze Panes

To unfreeze panes, simply go to View\Freeze Panes\Unfreeze Panes:

 

If you need assistance on any other Microsoft Office ribbon item please feel free to Contact Us - and don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook! Thanks and I hope this has been helpful. Arlene

 

Arlene Dickerson

CEO & Co-Founder

Technical Resource Solutions, LLC

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.