How to Freeze Column B in Excel and Keep It Visible

To keep column B visible while you scroll horizontally in Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select cell C1, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. Excel freezes every column to the left of the selected cell, so this keeps both columns A and B visible. Excel cannot freeze B by itself while allowing A to scroll independently.

What You’ll Need

A workbook open in Excel for Microsoft 365, with the worksheet you want to adjust selected.
A sheet with data in columns A and B, or at least a reason to keep those columns in view while moving across other columns.
Permission to change the worksheet view. You do not need to edit the cell contents or add a formula.

Step-by-Step

Open the correct worksheet. If the workbook has several sheet tabs, click the tab where you want the columns to remain visible. Freeze settings apply to the active worksheet, not automatically to every sheet in the workbook. If you want the same view on another sheet, you will need to set it there separately.
Check that columns A and B are the columns you want to retain. Freeze Panes works from the left edge of the worksheet up to the selected cell. If your table starts in column C, or if columns are hidden, check the column letters at the top so you know which columns are on the left side of your selection. The rule is based on worksheet position, not on the labels or data inside the columns.
Select cell C1. Click the cell at the intersection of column C and row 1. Do not select the B column heading, a range of cells, or a cell in the data rows. C1 is the key selection because the columns to its left are A and B, and there are no rows above row 1 to freeze. If you also want to retain a header row, use C2 instead; Excel will then freeze row 1 as well as columns A and B.
Open the View tab. On the Excel ribbon, click View. Make sure you are not actively editing a cell. If a text cursor is visible in the formula bar or cell, press Enter or Esc to finish or cancel editing before opening the freeze command.
Choose Freeze Panes. In the Window group on the View tab, click Freeze Panes, then choose Freeze Panes from the menu. The top menu choice is the general command that freezes rows above and columns to the left of the active cell. Do not choose Freeze First Column for this task: that option freezes only column A.
Check the result by scrolling right. Use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the worksheet, or Shift+mouse wheel if your mouse supports horizontal scrolling. Columns A and B should stay in place while columns C and onward move. If you scroll down, the rows will move normally because you selected C1 and did not freeze a row.
Save the workbook if you want to keep the view. Use Ctrl+S on Windows. Freeze settings are part of the worksheet view and are normally saved with the workbook, so reopening the saved file should restore that view. If you are working in a shared workbook, other people may have different views or may be able to change the sheet view depending on how the file is shared.

To freeze columns A and B and also keep a heading row visible, select C2 before choosing View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. Excel freezes everything above and to the left of the selection: in this example, row 1 and columns A:B. Selecting a cell farther down or farther right freezes more rows or columns, so choose the cell that sits immediately below the rows and immediately to the right of the columns you want to lock in place.

On Excel for Mac, select C1 or C2 as appropriate, then use the View tab and Freeze Panes command; the menu wording may vary slightly by release, but choose the command that freezes panes at the current selection, not Freeze First Column. In Excel for the web, select the worksheet cell and use View > Freeze Panes if that command is available in your current ribbon layout. The principle is the same: a selection in C freezes columns A and B. If you do not see the command, expand the ribbon or open the desktop app.

Common Mistakes

Choosing Freeze First Column. This quick option locks only A. It does not include B. To hold A and B in place, select C1 and use the general Freeze Panes command.
Selecting B1 when you mean to keep B visible. Excel freezes columns to the left of the selected cell, not the selected column itself. Selecting B1 freezes only A. To freeze through B, select a cell in column C.
Expecting column B alone to stay fixed. Freeze Panes creates a fixed block that begins at the top-left of the sheet. It cannot leave column A scrollable while B remains fixed. If you only need B’s information, consider moving or copying that key information into column A, or use a different layout.
Using the wrong row in the selection. Selecting C2 freezes row 1 in addition to A:B; selecting C5 freezes rows 1 through 4 and columns A:B. If extra rows stop moving, check whether you selected below row 1.
Confusing Freeze Panes with Split. Split divides the worksheet into independently scrolling panes. It does not simply keep a set of columns fixed in the same way. Use Freeze Panes for a stable identifier column block.

Tips

Keep row and column goals separate. If you only need A:B fixed, use C1. If you need A:B plus the header in row 1, use C2. This small change in the selected cell determines whether a row is frozen as well.
Use a clear identifier in the frozen area. Names, product IDs, dates, or account numbers can help you understand values in distant columns. If those identifiers are spread across A and B, freezing both can make a wide table much easier to read.
Test in both directions. Scroll horizontally to confirm the columns remain visible, then scroll vertically to confirm the rows behave as intended. This catches an accidental row freeze before you continue working.
Remember that frozen does not mean protected. Freeze Panes affects what stays on screen; it does not prevent editing, deleting, sorting, or changing the data in those columns. Use worksheet protection separately if you need to restrict edits.
Use the same selection logic for other layouts. For example, selecting D2 freezes columns A:C and row 1. The selected cell marks the boundary: everything above and to the left stays fixed.

Troubleshooting

Only column A stays visible. The likely cause is that you chose Freeze First Column. First remove the existing freeze with View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. Then click C1 and choose the general Freeze Panes command. Confirm by scrolling to the right; both A and B should remain on screen.

The wrong columns or too many rows are frozen. Unfreeze the current setting, then select the correct boundary cell before applying it again. C1 freezes A:B only. C2 freezes row 1 and A:B. D1 freezes A:C. If the result seems off, check the row number and column letter of the active cell in the Name Box, which is usually to the left of the formula bar.

The Freeze Panes option is unavailable or appears disabled. Finish editing the current cell by pressing Enter or Esc, then select a normal worksheet cell and try again. If the sheet is protected, shared in a restricted mode, or displayed in a view that limits the command, check the workbook’s protection and view settings. In Excel for the web, expand the ribbon or open the workbook in the desktop app if the command is not shown.

The columns do not seem to move when you scroll. A freeze is easiest to verify by dragging the horizontal scroll bar; a narrow sheet may not have enough columns to scroll. If the sheet is already scrolled far to the right, use the horizontal scroll bar to move back to the left edge, then test again. Also check whether the worksheet is split into panes: choose View > Split to turn off an active split, or use Unfreeze Panes to remove a freeze before setting the layout again.

The view changes after switching sheets or reopening the file. Freeze settings apply to individual worksheets, so repeat the steps on each sheet where you need the same behavior. Save the workbook after setting the view. If another person is editing a shared file, their sheet view may be separate or they may change the workbook’s view, so confirm the result in the saved file you plan to use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze column B without freezing column A?
No. Excel freezes a continuous block starting at column A, so freezing through B means A and B stay visible together. You cannot make B fixed while A scrolls independently with Freeze Panes.

Why do I select C1 instead of B1?
Excel freezes the columns to the left of the active cell. C1 has columns A and B to its left, so it freezes both. B1 has only column A to its left, so it freezes A alone.

How do I freeze columns A and B and the top row?
Select C2, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. The row above the selection and the columns to its left stay visible.

How do I undo freezing column B?
Choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. This removes the current frozen panes on the active sheet. You can then select the right cell and apply the freeze again.

Does freezing columns change or lock my data?
No. It changes the worksheet display only. The cells remain editable, and the freeze does not stop other users from changing data. It also does not alter printed page settings.

Will the freeze work on Excel for Mac or in a browser?
Yes, current Excel for Mac and Excel for the web support freezing panes, although ribbon placement and menu appearance can differ. Use the current-selection Freeze Panes command after selecting C1; if the browser ribbon does not show it, expand the ribbon or open the file in desktop Excel.

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

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