You can freeze a row (horizontal) or column (vertical) on Google Sheets to allow you to scroll down or to the left with the other row or column remaining in view. Here’s how you can do it.
Google Sheets—the Microsoft Excel of web-based or cloud-based Google Editor apps—is quite dependable when it comes to the storage and management of huge mounts of data in a single online spreadsheet. It’s accessible on any device with a browser and an Internet connection to boot!
It can store a whopping 40,000 rows of data at a time, before you even need to make a separate spreadsheet! So in regards to using Google Sheets, let’s talk about how to freeze a row in google sheets. We’ll also cover how to freeze a column and unfreeze both.
Why Would You Want to Freeze a Row?
You might want to have a persistent header for your spreadsheet or perhaps a reminder that remains there no matter how far down you scroll on the sheet. As for frozen columns, you can keep one column containing products frozen in order to scroll infinitely on an extra-large table of specs.
In other words, you want to freeze rows (or columns) in Google Sheets because:
- You want to keep locked headers in place to identify key rows of your spreadsheet data.
- You want to compare specific data with other data many rows or columns below it.
- You want to remind yourself of key data while scrolling through the spreadsheet that you don’t want to forget.
- You want a persistent reminder for your workers using the spreadsheet as a task scheduler or to do list.
Long story short, the frozen row or column represents something you want to stick on the screen or window no matter how far you scroll like it’s part of the menu or something.
Method 1: View Menu
Step 1: Open your spreadsheet then decide which row or rows you want to keep frozen. In this instance, we’ve decided to keep the first 3 rows frozen to remind workers to keep their articles at 500 words in length or to serve as the main header of the spreadsheet.
Step 2: Click on the “View” menu then select the “Freeze” option. You’ll be given 3 options—1 row, 2 rows, or up to Row 3. You can go all the way to Row 12 even, but no more than that because it leaves too small a window below.
Step 3: You’ve successfully frozen up to 3 rows. You can infinitely scroll down below while the header or the cells featured in row 3 remains fixed.
Method 2: Drag & Drop
Step 1: Do you see the gray lines or panes on the left-hand corner of your spreadsheet. You can use those to drag & drop to how far you wish to freeze or how many rows you wish to get frozen.
Step 2: Hover your cursor (mouse arrow) over the bottom gray pane until it turns into a small hand. Afterwards, click on the pane until the hand icon “grabs” hold of it.
Step 3: You can now drag the gray pane all the way to the third row. If you wish to drag the top gray pane vertically to freeze some columns, you can do that as well.
How to Unfreeze Rows or Columns
Step 1: Press Ctrl-Z. That’s the “Undo” shortcut. You can also “Undo” your actions by going to the “Edit” menu and selecting “Undo” if you want.
Step 2: Undo using the “View” menu method. In other words, go to the “View” menu, select “Freeze”, and select “No rows” to unfreeze any existing frozen rows. Do the same with “No columns” for frozen columns.
Step 3: Use the drag & drop method. Hover your cursor over the gray line or pane you placed on a specific row earlier until the arrow turns into a hand.
Click on the pane so that the hand grabs unto it then move it back to the top left-hand corner of your spreadsheet.
To Conclude
When some of these columns or rows are too important but you need to scroll through endless data, you can keep them frozen unto your screen in constant view as you scroll sideward or downward through all your data points.
Use the View menu or the Drag & Drop method to keep a row or rows (or column/s) frozen in case you’re viewing an extra-large table or something.
References:
- “How can I freeze rows and columns in Google Sheets?“, Sheetgo.com Blog, Retrieved June 10, 2022
- “Freeze or merge rows & columns – Google Docs Editors Help“, Google.com Support, Retrieved June 10, 2022