How to Freeze the Bottom Row in Excel While Scrolling

Excel does not have a built-in command to freeze the bottom row of a worksheet. In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, you can use View > Split to create a small lower pane for the row you want to keep visible, then scroll the upper pane independently. This is a practical workaround, not a true bottom-row freeze.

What You’ll Need

The desktop version of Excel for Microsoft 365. The instructions below are for Windows; Excel for Mac has a similar Split command, while Excel for the web may not offer the same split-pane controls.
The worksheet row you want to keep visible. For example, identify the row number for a totals row or a table’s final row before you start.
A saved copy of your workbook if you are changing a complex worksheet view. This is not required, but it makes it easy to return to the original setup.

Step-by-Step

Choose the row to keep in view. Decide which exact worksheet row should appear in the lower strip while you scroll the rest of the sheet. For example, if your totals are on row 500, the target is row 500. Excel’s split is based on worksheet position, so it will not automatically follow a total row if you insert or remove rows above it. If you mean the worksheet’s final row, that is row 1,048,576; most people instead mean the last row of their data or a particular summary row.
Go to the target row. Use the vertical scroll bar, or click the Name Box to the left of the formula bar, type a cell address in column A on the target row, such as A500, and press Enter. Selecting a cell in column A is useful because it creates a horizontal split without dividing the worksheet into left and right panes.
Create the split. With the target cell selected, open the View tab and choose Split. Excel places a horizontal split above the selected row. The worksheet now has an upper pane and a lower pane, each with its own scrolling position. If a vertical divider appears too, remove the split and repeat after selecting a cell in column A.
Make the lower pane a narrow strip. Find the horizontal split bar between the two panes. Drag it down close to the bottom of the Excel window, leaving enough room below it to show the target row. Aim for about one row of height if you want only that row visible; leave more space if you also want nearby rows in the lower pane. The exact height depends on your row height and display size.
Check which row appears below the split. The lower pane should show the row you chose, ideally at the top of the narrow strip. If it shows a different part of the worksheet, click inside the lower pane and scroll that pane until the target row is visible. Take care to scroll within the lower pane, not the upper one. The panes have separate scroll positions.
Scroll the upper pane to use the sheet. Click a cell in the upper pane, then use the mouse wheel, trackpad, or vertical scroll bar to move through the worksheet. The lower pane stays on its own view, so the target row remains visible while you browse the upper pane. If you scroll while the lower pane is active, you will move that pane instead; click back in the upper pane to continue.
Adjust the view for comfortable reading. If the top area is too short, drag the split bar slightly lower or higher to change the space available to each pane. You can also adjust the target row’s height using Home > Format > Row Height, but changing its height affects the worksheet itself, not just the view. Avoid changing row height unless you want that formatting change to remain.
Remove the split when you are finished. Choose View > Split again to turn the split off. If the command does not remove it on the first try, click in the worksheet and check whether a split bar is still displayed; selecting the Split command toggles the split setting. You can then save the workbook with the normal worksheet view.

Example: Suppose a report has transaction rows 2 through 499 and a total on row 500. Select A500, choose View > Split, and drag the divider down until the lower pane is a short strip showing row 500. Scroll the upper pane to inspect earlier transactions. The total row remains visible below, although the split setup is not as simple or as robust as a built-in freeze command.

On a Mac: Excel for Mac also provides a Split control on the View tab. The general approach is the same: select a cell in column A on the target row, apply the split, resize the divider, and scroll the upper pane. Ribbon placement and how you drag the divider can vary slightly by Excel version and window size. On Excel for the web, if you do not see a Split option, use the desktop app for this workaround; the web app’s Freeze Panes options do not provide a direct freeze-bottom-row command.

Common Mistakes

Looking for a Freeze Bottom Row button. Excel provides options such as Freeze Top Row and Freeze Panes, but no command that pins the bottom row. A split is the workaround described above.
Choosing Freeze Panes with the target row selected. Freeze Panes locks rows above the active cell, not rows below it. Selecting A500 and choosing View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes can lock a large block of rows above row 500, which is usually not what you want. If that happens, choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes and use Split instead.
Selecting a cell outside column A. A selection such as C500 can produce a vertical split as well as a horizontal one. That extra divider can make the sheet confusing. Turn off the split and start again with a cell in column A.
Scrolling the wrong pane. The lower pane is not locked by a freeze setting; it simply keeps its own scroll position. If the target row disappears, you may have scrolled the lower pane. Click in the upper pane before scrolling through the main data.
Assuming the setup follows a changing table. The split is tied to a worksheet row number, not to a table’s current last row. If rows are inserted, deleted, or sorted in a way that moves the target, reposition the lower pane or recreate the split for the new row.

Tips

Use Split for viewing two distant parts of a sheet. The feature is useful when a bottom summary, reference row, or worksheet endpoint needs to stay visible while you inspect another area. Each pane can be navigated independently, which is also helpful for comparing distant sections.
Choose the smallest useful lower pane. A short pane makes the target row feel like a footer and leaves most of the window for the data. If you need to see a label and a total together, make the strip tall enough for both rows rather than squeezing text into one line.
Keep the target row visually distinct. Apply a fill color, bold text, or a top border to a totals row so it is easy to recognize in the narrow pane. Use normal cell formatting; do not rely on formatting to hold the row in place.
Try Freeze Top Row if you meant the header. Many people say “bottom row” when they mean the row at the bottom of a table or window, but need the column headings to stay visible at the top. For a header in row 1, choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row.
Use the keyboard to navigate carefully. On Windows, Ctrl+Home moves to the beginning of the worksheet, but it does not create or control a split. Excel for Mac uses Command+Home in many keyboard layouts; shortcut behavior can depend on the keyboard and Mac settings. For this task, the Name Box is a reliable way to jump to a known target row.
Save after arranging a view you want to keep. A workbook may retain its window and pane arrangement when saved, but another user can change it, and layout behavior can vary across versions. If the split is only for temporary inspection, remove it before saving or sharing the file.

Troubleshooting

The target row will not stay visible. Confirm that you are scrolling in the upper pane. Click somewhere above the split bar and scroll there. Then click the lower pane only when you need to reposition the target row. A split does not protect the lower pane from being scrolled; it separates the panes’ viewing positions.

I see two split lines. Excel likely added a vertical split because the selected cell was not in column A. Choose View > Split to remove the split, select a cell such as A500 on the desired row, and apply Split again. The worksheet should then have only a horizontal divider.

The lower pane is blank or shows the wrong rows. Click inside the lower pane and use its scroll bar or mouse wheel to find the target. Make the pane taller temporarily if it is too small to navigate, position the target row, and then drag the divider back down. A narrow pane can be difficult to scroll accurately.

Freeze Panes locked too much of the worksheet. Choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes to clear that setting. Freeze Panes is intended to keep rows above and columns to the left of a selected cell visible; it cannot pin a row at the bottom. Recreate the view using Split.

I cannot find Split. Make sure you are using the desktop Excel app and have opened the View tab. If you are in Excel for the web or using a simplified ribbon, switch to the desktop app or expand the ribbon to check for the control. If you are on Mac, look for Split on the View tab; menu and ribbon layout can differ from Windows.

The target moved after editing the worksheet. If rows were inserted, deleted, or moved, the old split position may no longer align with the intended total or footer. Identify its new row number, remove the old split, select a cell in column A on the new target row, and set up the split again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze the bottom row in Excel with one command?

No. Excel’s Freeze Panes commands do not pin a row to the bottom of the window. Use View > Split to keep a separate lower pane positioned on the row you want to see.

Does Freeze Panes work if I select the last row?

Not for freezing that row at the bottom. Freeze Panes locks rows above the selected cell and columns to its left. Selecting a cell far down the sheet can freeze many rows above it, so unfreeze them if that was accidental.

Will the split keep the last row of a table visible automatically?

No. The split is positioned by worksheet row, not by a table’s changing boundaries. If the table grows or its final row moves, reset the split and reposition the lower pane on the new row.

Can I freeze the bottom row in Excel for the web?

There is no built-in bottom-row freeze command in the web app. Split-pane controls may not be available there, so open the workbook in desktop Excel to try the workaround. The available controls can vary by web version.

How do I stop showing the split panes?

Choose View > Split to toggle the split off. If you also used Freeze Panes, clear that separately with View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes.

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

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