Freeze One Row and One Column in Excel at the Same Time

To freeze the top row and first column together in Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select cell B2, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. The row above and the column to the left of the selected cell stay visible as you scroll. You can use the same method for a different row and column by selecting the cell immediately below and to the right of the areas you want to keep on screen.

This is useful when a worksheet is wide or long and you need its headings and row labels for context. For example, you can keep employee names visible while moving across monthly figures, or keep product names and column headings in view while scrolling through a catalog. The key is choosing the right cell before applying Freeze Panes.

What You’ll Need

A workbook open in the Excel desktop app. These instructions use Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows.
A worksheet with the row and column you want to keep visible. For the top row and first column, the worksheet should have headings in row 1 and labels in column A.
A moment to check the worksheet layout. Freeze Panes uses the active cell as its boundary, so the selected cell matters.

You do not need to select the whole row or column, change a setting in Excel Options, or save a special copy of the workbook. Freezing panes changes how the worksheet is displayed; it does not change, move, or protect the data.

Step-by-Step

Open the worksheet you want to work on. If the workbook contains several sheets, click the sheet tab with the data. Freeze settings apply to the active worksheet, so check that you are on the correct tab before proceeding.
Identify the row and column that should remain visible. If you want the first row and first column, those are row 1 and column A. If you want row 3 and column B to stay visible, note that you will need to select the cell just below and to the right of them.
Click the boundary cell. For the top row and first column, click B2. Excel freezes all rows above the selected cell and all columns to its left. B2 is therefore the correct choice: row 1 is above it, and column A is to its left. Do not select A1, because there are no rows above or columns to the left of that cell.
Open the View tab. On the Excel ribbon, click View. Find the Freeze Panes command, usually in the Window group. If the ribbon is collapsed, click the tab to show its commands.
Open the Freeze Panes menu. Click Freeze Panes to display its options. In addition to the general command, the menu may show Freeze Top Row and Freeze First Column. Those two preset commands are useful separately, but they do not combine the first row and first column when used one after the other.
Choose the general Freeze Panes command. In the menu, click Freeze Panes (the menu item with that same name). Excel freezes the rows above and columns to the left of your active cell. With B2 selected, that means row 1 and column A are both held in place.
Check the freeze boundary. Look for a thin line beneath the frozen row and another line to the right of the frozen column. Depending on your theme and Excel window size, the lines may be subtle. They indicate where the scrolling area begins.
Test it by scrolling down and across. Use the vertical scrollbar or mouse wheel to move down, then use the horizontal scrollbar to move right. Row 1 and column A should remain visible while the rest of the worksheet moves. If the sheet is too small to scroll in one direction, test the other direction or zoom out temporarily.
Use a different boundary when needed. To keep rows 1 through 3 and columns A through B visible, select C4 before choosing View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. Everything above C4 (rows 1–3) and to its left (columns A–B) becomes frozen. This selection rule works for any contiguous block of top rows and left columns.
Change or remove the freeze if necessary. To clear the current arrangement, choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. Then click the correct boundary cell and apply Freeze Panes again. Excel does not stack a second freeze arrangement on top of the first; unfreeze the existing panes before setting a different boundary.

On Excel for Mac, the Freeze Panes command is also on the View tab/menu; select the boundary cell first, then choose the Freeze Panes option. The precise ribbon layout can vary by Excel release. In Excel for the web, use the View tab and its Freeze Panes options; if the command is not available in your current browser layout, open the workbook in the desktop app. The same boundary-cell principle applies across versions.

Common Mistakes

Choosing the wrong cell. Selecting A1 and then freezing will not hold the first row and column because nothing is above or left of A1. For the top row and first column, select B2. For a larger block, select the cell just outside its lower-right corner.
Using the two preset options as if they combine. Freeze Top Row freezes the top row, and Freeze First Column freezes the first column. Selecting the second preset does not reliably add it to the first as a combined setup. Clear the existing freeze if needed, select B2, and use the general Freeze Panes command once.
Forgetting which cell is active. Excel applies the command to the active cell, not necessarily the cell you meant to select earlier. Click the intended boundary cell immediately before opening the menu.
Expecting a row or column in the middle of the sheet to stay visible. Freeze Panes keeps rows above and columns left of the boundary; it cannot freeze an arbitrary middle row while allowing rows above it to scroll independently. Arrange the worksheet or use a different view if that is essential.
Thinking the data has been locked. Freezing panes affects scrolling only. It does not prevent editing, deleting, or sorting cells. Use worksheet protection separately if you need to restrict changes.

Tips

Keep the frozen area modest. Freezing many rows or columns reduces the space available for scrolling data, especially on a laptop. Freeze only the labels you need to interpret the visible cells.
Give headings clear labels. A frozen row is most helpful when it contains concise column names. If your headings occupy rows 1 and 2, select B3 to keep both rows and column A visible.
Use Freeze Panes for a two-way reference point. When you scroll down, the frozen row preserves column labels; when you scroll right, the frozen column preserves row labels. Both remain in place while the main grid moves.
Check the layout before sharing. Freeze settings are saved with the workbook view. Reopen the file or switch away and back to the worksheet to confirm the arrangement is still useful and that enough of the data area remains visible.
Distinguish frozen panes from split panes. Freeze Panes keeps the designated top and left areas stationary. Split divides the worksheet into independently scrollable sections, which behaves differently and is usually not what you want for fixed labels.
Use the menu rather than hunting for a shortcut. Excel does not provide a simple, universal one-key Windows shortcut for this action. The View menu is the dependable route, and it makes the selected freeze option clear.

Troubleshooting

The row or column I wanted still scrolls. First choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes, then click the correct boundary cell and apply the general Freeze Panes command. For row 1 plus column A, verify that B2 is active. For other rows or columns, the boundary must be immediately below the last row and immediately right of the last column you want to keep visible.

I can see only one frozen line. The line can be faint, and one edge may be less noticeable at certain zoom levels. Test both directions: scroll down to check the row and right to check the column. If one direction does not stay fixed, unfreeze and repeat the selection carefully. Also confirm that you clicked the general Freeze Panes option rather than one of the single-area presets.

The Freeze Panes command is unavailable or appears different. Make sure the workbook is open in Excel rather than a read-only preview, and that a worksheet cell is selected. If the workbook is in a protected view or an interface with a simplified ribbon, enable editing if appropriate or expand the ribbon. Excel for the web and Mac may arrange commands differently from Windows, but look under View for the freeze controls. If the browser version does not offer the needed option, open the workbook in the desktop app.

The frozen area takes up too much of the screen. Remove the freeze, then select a cell that freezes fewer rows or columns. For instance, select B2 to freeze only the first row and first column rather than C5, which freezes four rows and two columns. You can also collapse the ribbon or adjust zoom, but reducing the frozen area is usually the clearest fix.

I want to freeze a different row or column, but the old one remains. Excel allows one freeze arrangement per worksheet view. Choose Unfreeze Panes first; then select the new boundary cell and apply Freeze Panes. If you are working with multiple sheets, verify which sheet is active, because each worksheet can have its own freeze setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze the first row and first column at the same time?
Yes. Select B2, then choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes. This holds row 1 and column A in place together.

Why do I select B2 instead of A1?
Excel freezes rows above and columns to the left of the selected cell. B2 has row 1 above it and column A to its left; A1 has neither.

Can I freeze more than one row and one column?
Yes. Select the cell below the last row and to the right of the last column you want frozen. For example, select D4 to hold rows 1–3 and columns A–C, then choose the general Freeze Panes command.

Can I freeze a row that is not at the top?
Not as an isolated row while the rows above it scroll independently. Freeze Panes always holds the rows above the selected boundary, starting from the top, and the columns to its left, starting from the left edge.

How do I unfreeze the row and column?
Choose View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes. The worksheet returns to normal scrolling; your cell contents and formatting are unchanged.

Will the frozen row and column appear when I print?
Freezing panes is a screen-scrolling feature, not a print setting. To repeat headings on printed pages, use the separate print-title settings on the Page Layout tab and check Print Preview.

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

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