How to Freeze a Row in Google Sheets

While working on a longer spreadsheet, it can be helpful to see the first row with the information that identifies the contents of each column. By freezing the row, it will stay visible at the top of the screen as you scroll through the rest of the spreadsheet. You can freeze a row in Google Sheets if you need to reference the row's header while you examine the data further down the page. 

In this tutorial, you will learn how to freeze a row or column in Google Sheets and how to unfreeze it. 

How to freeze a row in Google Sheets

You will be able to freeze the first rows of the spreadsheet. You can freeze more than one, but they must be at the beginning edge of the rows. If this poses an issue, you can re-sort your spreadsheet to get the appropriate row at the top. 

To freeze a row in Google Sheets, select the row, click View > Freeze, and select the number of items you want to freeze. Let’s examine each of these steps in more detail. 

Step 1: Select the row. 

Click on the row you wish to select. To ensure you select the entire row, click on the numbered box of the row. 

Step 2: Click 'View' and 'Freeze.'

Click View > Freeze. 

Step 3: Select how many rows to freeze.

Choose how many rows to freeze. 

How to unfreeze a row in Google Sheets

The process is very similar if you change your mind and need to unfreeze a row or column. To unfreeze a row in Google Sheets, you would return to the View menu and select Freeze > No rows. You can complete the same steps for frozen columns. 

You may also need to unfreeze a row or column if you change the spreadsheet while editing, such as by removing or adding additional rows or columns. 

Troubleshooting

• Frozen rows won’t stay put: When you freeze multiple rows, the program creates a scroll bar to scroll through the rows you’ve frozen. If your frozen rows seem to move around, check to ensure you haven’t scrolled through them. 

• Frozen rows won’t print: To ensure frozen rows appear on printed documents, check your print and export settings. Look for an option similar to “Include frozen rows.” 

Learn more about Google Sheets.

To learn more about Google Sheets and working with data, consider earning your Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. This beginner-level, eight-course series can help you learn skills in Google Sheets, data analysis, data cleansing, sample size determination, and more. After earning your certificate, you can connect with over 150 companies that recognize the certificate in Google’s Employer Consortium.