2 Easy Ways to Freeze a Row in Google Sheets [Columns Too]

Watch Video – How to Freeze a Row on Google Sheets (Lock a Row in Google Sheets)

You may want to freeze or lock rows in Google Sheets to keep a row on top if you’re working with a large dataset that requires you to scroll up and down a lot.

Freezing rows at the top would make those rows visible all the time so that you always keep track of what column represents what metrics. This can help you be more efficient.

Read on to find out how to freeze a row in Google Sheets.

Freezing a Row in Google Sheets

Freezing is one way you can learn how to lock cells in Google Sheets when scrolling. You would want to freeze a cell in Google Sheets for many reasons. It helps you keep the cells or panes in view while scrolling through your worksheet.

This is useful when you want to compare data or keep track of information without scrolling back and forth. It also helps you to enhance the look of your spreadsheets, like hiding rows and columns.

Freezing rows is also a way to set a header row or page titles on Google Sheets. If you print the sheets, then each page will have the frozen row as the header. We will show you two ways you can learn how to make the top row of Google Sheets always visible.

How to Freeze a Row on Google Sheets

Google Sheets can make the top row always visible:

In the above example, Google Sheets’ top row is always visible because the first row has been frozen. When you go down the data set, you’re still able to see what you’re working on.

In this tutorial, I will show you two ways how to pin rows in Google Sheets.

#1 How to Freeze Top Row in Google Sheets Using the Mouse

This is a super quick way that a Google spreadsheet can freeze rows. This also works When you want Google Sheets to Freeze Multiple Rows.

1. Go to the top left part of the sheet where you’ll see an empty gray box. Note that there are two thick gray lines in that box (on the right and to the left).
2. All you need to do is hover your mouse on the gray line, and when you see the hand icon, left-click and drag it down.

This will instantly let you freeze a row in Google Sheets above the gray line to make a Google Sheets sticky row(s) – as shown below:

You can’t use this method in Google Sheets to freeze a row in the middle. You can only freeze from the top down.

How to Freeze Columns in Google Sheets

Both of the above-mentioned methods also work to freeze columns in Google Sheets. All you have to do is move the horizontal gray line instead of the vertical one or select the column options from the view options menu, discussed in the next method.

2. 

#2 How to Lock a Row in Google Sheets Using the View Options

While the mouse trick (shown above) is super handy, there is another way to freeze rows in Google Sheets.

Here are the steps:

1. Select the cell in the column till which you want the rows to be frozen. For example, if you want the top five rows to be frozen, select the cell in row 5.
2. Go to View –> Freeze –> Up to Current Row (5). Note that the number in the parenthesis would change based on what cell you have selected.
   

   

This would freeze all the rows including and above the one selected. This is a useful method if you want to freeze more than two rows.

If you are wondering how to freeze the top row in Google Sheets, there are 2 default options — Freeze the top row or freeze the top two rows.

Using the same process above, you can also have a Google spreadsheet freeze column. In the view menu you have the same options for rows and columns. If you want to freeze one column, then just select 1 column in the view menu.

The frozen column should remain on the screen when you scroll down. If you want to freeze multiple columns, use the up to current column option. This is another way to freeze column Google Sheets.

If you want to unfreeze columns, go back to the view menu and select no columns under the freeze option.

How to Freeze Multiple Rows

Both of the above methods work for freezing more than one row. Just make sure the gray line is over all the rows you want to have frozen. The same applies to columns.

How to Freeze Panes in Google Sheets

A pane is a combination of rows and columns in Google Sheets. If you’d like to learn how to freeze rows and columns in Google Sheets, all you have to do is both freeze the rows and freeze the columns with either of the methods we discuss in this article.

How to Freeze and Unfreeze Rows and Columns on Mobile

You can also freeze rows in sheets on your mobile phone, whether on Android or IOS. This will require you to download the Google Sheets app on your respective app store if you don’t already have it.

Android

1. Touch and hold the row or column you want to freeze

2. Tap Freeze or unfreeze on the menu that pops ups

iOS

1. Tap the row number or the column letter
2. Tap the right arrow that appears
3. Tap freeze or unfreeze

How to Unfreeze Rows in Google Sheets

Again, there are two ways to unfreeze after you freeze a row in Google Sheets:

• Using a Mouse: Hover the mouse over the thick gray line that appears right below the last row that has been frozen. Left-click and drag it to bring it to the top. This will unfreeze all the frozen rows.
• Using View Options: Go to View –> Freeze –> No Rows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Freeze a Single Cell in Google Sheets?

Yes, here’s how to freeze cells in Google Sheets. You simply have to freeze the row and the columns. But this will only allow you to freeze cell A1. You can’t freeze a random cell.

How Do I Freeze a Specific Row in Google Sheets?

You can freeze a specific row in Google Sheets by selecting the row and going to view then freeze then choosing 1 row in the menu. Your frozen row should remain on the screen when you scroll down.

Can You Freeze Panes on Google Sheets?

Yes, you can freeze panes on Google Sheets to lock rows and columns. This is by freezing the specific rows and columns in the pane.

Conclusion

Freezing rows in Google Sheets is a simple solution to a number of problems. There are two paths to freezing a row in Google Sheets: using the mouse and using the view option. This is just one of the many other tips and tricks for Google Sheets we have for you. We hope this tutorial was helpful for you, and that you are now an expert on how to freeze rows in Google Sheets, as well as how to freeze columns. You might also be interested in how to delete every other row in Google Sheets.

Want to become a Google Sheets expert? We highly recommend checking out Udemy’s Google Sheets Comprehensive Masterclass and the Complete Google Sheets Course.

Related reading:

10 Google Sheets Tips that’ll Help You Get Work Done Faster

Name Ranges in Google Sheets

Copy Values but Not Formulas In Google Sheets

How to Rename Columns In Google Sheets