Custom Freeze Panes in Excel: How to Set Them

To create custom freeze panes in Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select the cell immediately below the rows and to the right of the columns you want to keep visible, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. Excel locks the rows above and columns to the left of that cell while you scroll; it does not let you freeze separate, nonadjacent rows or columns.

How custom freeze panes work

Freeze Panes divides a worksheet into a fixed area and a scrolling area. The fixed area stays on screen as you move down or across the worksheet. Your choice is based on the active cell when you apply the command: Excel freezes the rows above that cell and the columns to its left. The selected cell itself is part of the scrolling area.

For example, if you select C4 and choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes, rows 1 through 3 and columns A and B remain visible. The rest of the sheet can scroll vertically and horizontally. This is useful when a table has several heading rows and identifying columns, such as a report with a title, a row of field names, and employee names at the left.

There are two preset commands in the same menu:

Freeze Top Row keeps row 1 visible while you scroll down.
Freeze First Column keeps column A visible while you scroll sideways.

These presets are convenient when you need only one row or one column. Choose the general Freeze Panes command after selecting a cell when you need both, or when you need more than one top row or left column.

Set up a custom freeze in Excel for Windows

Open the worksheet and identify the rows and columns that should stay in view.
Select the cell one row below the last row to keep and one column to the right of the last column to keep.
On the ribbon, choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes.
Scroll down or across to confirm that the intended headings remain visible.

Suppose a data table has two heading rows and the first column contains product names. Select B3 before applying Freeze Panes: Excel keeps rows 1 and 2 and column A fixed. If you also want the first two columns fixed, select C3 instead. In general, selecting D5 freezes rows 1 through 4 and columns A through C.

To change the arrangement, first choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. Then select the new boundary cell and apply Freeze Panes again. Excel allows one frozen-pane arrangement per worksheet at a time; applying another setup replaces the previous one rather than adding a second independent set.

Choose the right boundary cell

The most common mistake is selecting the cell where the scrolling data begins instead of checking which rows and columns lie above and to its left. A reliable way to decide is to write down the intended fixed areas first. If rows 1–3 and columns A–B should stay visible, the boundary cell is C4. If only row 1 and column A should stay visible, use B2.

Several header rows: Select a cell in row 2 or lower, immediately beneath the last header row.
Several identifying columns: Select a cell in column B or farther right, immediately after the last column to keep.
Both rows and columns: Use a cell that is below the desired rows and right of the desired columns.
Only a top row or first column: Use the corresponding preset if the default boundary is suitable.

Freeze Panes works from the top-left corner of the worksheet. It cannot keep a middle row fixed while allowing earlier rows to scroll away, nor can it freeze column C while columns A and B scroll independently. If you select a cell far down or far right by mistake, Excel can freeze a larger area than intended, so check the selection before choosing the command.

What Freeze Panes cannot customize

The word custom refers to choosing the number of consecutive top rows and leftmost columns—not to freely positioning movable panels anywhere on the sheet. Excel’s freeze feature creates fixed horizontal and vertical boundaries that start at the top and left edges. It cannot freeze nonadjacent areas, such as rows 1 and 3 but not row 2, or columns A and C but not B.

It also does not lock cells against editing. Freezing changes what remains visible during scrolling; it does not protect data, prevent selection, or control which cells users can change. To restrict editing, use worksheet protection separately, and understand that protection settings serve a different purpose.

Another frequent misunderstanding is that frozen headings will repeat on printed pages. Freeze Panes affects the worksheet view on screen, not the printed page layout. To repeat headings when printing, use Page Layout > Print Titles and specify rows to repeat at the top or columns to repeat at the left. Check Print Preview because page breaks and print-area settings can affect the result.

Freeze Panes, Split, and hidden rows

Freeze Panes is usually the right choice for a long list or wide table: it holds selected top rows and left columns in place while the rest of the worksheet scrolls. Split, found under View > Split, divides the worksheet into independently scrollable sections. A split is useful when you want to compare distant parts of the same sheet, but it is not the same as fixing headings at the edge of the worksheet.

Freeze Panes is also different from hiding rows or columns. Hidden content is removed from view until it is unhidden; frozen content remains visible while other parts of the sheet move. Hiding a column is not a substitute for keeping it on screen as a reference.

For example, a monthly sales table with customer names in column A and month labels in row 1 is a good candidate for freezing. A review where you need to compare the first and last sections of a worksheet at once may be better served by Split or by opening another window of the workbook. The right choice depends on whether you need a persistent reference area or two independently navigable views.

Common problems and fixes

The wrong rows or columns stay visible: Unfreeze, select the correct boundary cell, and apply Freeze Panes again. Remember that Excel freezes everything above and to the left of the selection.
Freeze Panes appears unavailable: Check whether you are editing a cell or a dialog is open, then return to the worksheet and select a cell. Also check whether the worksheet is protected or the workbook is in a mode that restricts changes.
Only one row or column is frozen: You may have chosen Freeze Top Row or Freeze First Column. Unfreeze and use the general Freeze Panes command with an appropriate boundary cell.
The frozen area takes up too much screen space: Freeze fewer rows or columns. A large fixed area can leave little room to view the scrolling data, especially on a small display.
Headers do not repeat on paper: Set Print Titles separately; frozen panes are a screen-view setting, not a print setting.

When a worksheet is already scrolled far down or across, the active cell may be harder to judge. You can return to the top-left area, select the boundary cell deliberately, and then apply the command. If the sheet contains merged cells near the intended boundary, Excel may not behave as expected with the selected position; adjust the layout or choose a boundary that does not cut through a merged range.

Excel on Mac and Excel for the web

In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Mac, select the boundary cell and use View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes, or choose the top-row and first-column presets from the Freeze Panes menu. The underlying rule is the same: rows above and columns to the left of the active cell stay fixed. Ribbon arrangement can look different from Windows, but the command is under View.

Excel for the web also provides Freeze Panes commands on the View tab. The selected-cell approach is the same when the general Freeze Panes option is available. Because browser features can change and some workbook operations are more limited online, use the desktop app if a command is unavailable or if you need to inspect a complex workbook carefully. In all versions, confirm the result by scrolling rather than assuming the selected cell produced the intended boundary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze multiple rows and columns in Excel?
Yes. Select the cell below the last row and to the right of the last column you want fixed, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. For example, selecting C4 freezes rows 1–3 and columns A–B.

How do I freeze the top two rows?
Select a cell in row 3, such as A3, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. The two rows above the selection remain visible. The Freeze Top Row preset freezes only row 1.

Can I freeze a row that is not at the top?
Not with Freeze Panes. The feature keeps consecutive rows starting at row 1 and columns starting at column A. For a different comparison, consider Split or a second workbook window.

How do I remove frozen panes?
Choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. You can then select a different boundary cell and apply a new arrangement.

Will frozen rows repeat when I print?
No. Set repeating print headings separately through Page Layout > Print Titles. Freeze Panes keeps rows or columns visible while scrolling on screen; it does not set print titles.

Does freezing panes stop other people from changing the cells?
No. It affects the worksheet’s display, not editing permissions. Use worksheet protection if you need to limit changes, and configure that independently from Freeze Panes.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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