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Freeze and unfreeze one panel or multiple at a time
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When you freeze a column or a row, it will stay visible when you're scrolling through that worksheet, which is a useful tool when you're comparing data. You can freeze a single panel or multiple panels. When you freeze columns or rows, they are referred to as "panes." This wikiHow will show you how to freeze and unfreeze panes to lock rows and columns in Excel.

How to Freeze a Single Pane in Excel

  1. Open your project in Excel.
  2. Click a cell to the right of the column you want to freeze.
  3. Click View at the top of the screen.
  4. Click Freeze Panes.
  5. Select Freeze Panes from the dropdown menu.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Freezing a Single Panel

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  1. You can either open the program within Excel by clicking File > Open, or you can right-click the file in your file explorer.
    • This will work for Windows and Macs using Excel for Office 365, Excel for the web, Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, Excel 2007.[1]
  2. The frozen columns will remain visible when you scroll through the worksheet.
    • You can press Ctrl or Cmd as you click a cell to select more than one, or you can freeze each column individually.
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  3. You'll see this either in the editing ribbon above the document space or at the top of your screen.
  4. A menu will drop-down.
  5. This will freeze the panes in the columns next to what you have selected.[2]
    • You'll notice when you freeze panes if you scroll away and a column or row stays on the screen.
    • We'll show you how to unfreeze panes further down.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Freezing Multiple Panels

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  1. You can either open the program within Excel by clicking File > Open, or you can right-click the file in your file explorer.
    • This will work for Windows and Macs using Excel for Office 365, Excel for the web, Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, Excel 2007.[3]
  2. The frozen columns will remain visible when you scroll through the worksheet.
  3. All the cells you click will be added to your selection when you have that key pressed.
    • You can release the key when you are done making your selections.
  4. You'll see this either in the editing ribbon above the document space or at the top of your screen.
  5. A menu will dropdown.
  6. This will freeze the panes in the columns next to what you have selected.[4]
    • You'll notice when you freeze panes if you scroll away and a column or row stays on the screen.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Unfreezing Panes

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  1. You can either open the program within Excel by clicking File > Open, or you can right-click the file in your file explorer.
  2. You'll see a drop-down menu.
  3. It's next to Arrange All and Split/Hide towards the right side of the toolbar.
  4. This will unfreeze all the cells that you have frozen on the screen.
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About This Article

Darlene Antonelli, MA
Written by:
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Darlene has been writing and editing tech content at wikiHow since 2019. She previously worked for AppleCare, served as a writing tutor, volunteered in IT at an animal rescue, and taught as an adjunct professor for EN101 and EN102. Darlene has completed Coursera courses on technology, writing, and language. She holds both a BA (2011) and an MA (2012) from Rowan University in Writing, with a focus on workplace communication. With her extensive experience, academic background, and ongoing learning, Darlene has become the go-to grammar expert for her friends and family, as well as a skilled wordsmith for anyone in need. This article has been viewed 54,972 times.
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Co-authors: 5
Updated: May 9, 2025
Views: 54,972
Article SummaryX

1. Open your project in Excel.
2. Select cell to the right of the column you want to freeze.
3. Click View.
4. Click Freeze Panes.
5. Click Freeze Panes.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 54,972 times.

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