How to freeze rows in Google Sheets
Learn how to freeze rows in Google Sheets so headers stay visible while scrolling, plus how to adjust or remove frozen rows.
Quick answer
To freeze rows in Google Sheets, open your spreadsheet, click the row you want to freeze up to, then go to View > Freeze, and select how many rows to freeze from the menu. Frozen rows stay visible at the top as you scroll, keeping headers in view on desktop and mobile.
Steps at a glance
- Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets
- Click the row number where freezing should stop
- Click View in the top toolbar
- Hover over Freeze in the dropdown menu
- Select 1 row, 2 rows, or up to the selected row
- Scroll down to confirm the rows stay in place
- Repeat via View > Freeze > No rows to undo
Summary
Freezing rows in Google Sheets locks specific rows, usually headers, in place so they remain visible no matter how far you scroll down a spreadsheet. This makes it much easier to read and enter data in large datasets without losing track of column labels.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Open your spreadsheet
Go to Google Sheets and open the spreadsheet you want to work with. This works the same whether the file was created in Sheets or came from an /guides/google-sheets/open-csv-file import — freezing applies to any sheet regardless of its data source.
Step 2
Select the row to freeze up to
Click the row number on the left side of the sheet for the last row you want frozen. If you only want to freeze the header row, click row 1. Google Sheets only lets you freeze a continuous block starting from the top, not rows in the middle of the sheet.
Step 3
Open the View menu
Click View in the toolbar at the top of the screen. A dropdown menu will appear with several display options for the spreadsheet.
Step 4
Choose Freeze and select row count
Hover over Freeze in the dropdown to reveal a submenu. Click 1 row, 2 rows, or Up to current row, depending on how much of the top of the sheet you want locked in place.
Step 5
Use the freeze handle for a faster method
As a shortcut, look for the thick gray bar just below the row numbers near the top-left corner of the sheet. Click and drag that bar down to the row you want frozen — this achieves the same result as the View menu without opening any dropdowns.
Step 6
Test the frozen rows
Scroll down through your data to confirm the frozen rows stay fixed at the top while the rest of the sheet moves. This is especially useful if you plan to /guides/google-sheets/sort-a-table or filter results, since headers stay visible throughout.
Step 7
Unfreeze rows when no longer needed
To remove frozen rows, click View, hover over Freeze, and select No rows. You can also drag the gray freeze handle back up to the very top of the sheet.
Why this matters
You're scrolling through hundreds of rows of sales or survey data and keep losing track of what each column means. Freezing the header row keeps labels visible at all times, so you can enter, review, or check data accurately without constantly scrolling back to the top.
Frequently asked questions
Can I freeze more than one row in Google Sheets?
Yes. Select the row that marks the last one you want frozen, then go to View > Freeze and choose Up to current row, or use the number of rows shown in the submenu.
Does freezing rows affect how the sheet prints?
No, freezing only affects on-screen scrolling behavior. If you want frozen headers to repeat on every printed page, set that separately in the print settings menu.
Can I freeze rows on the Google Sheets mobile app?
Mobile freeze options are limited. For reliable control, make the freeze change in a desktop browser first — it will apply automatically the next time you open the file on mobile.
Will freezing rows change my data or formulas?
No. Freezing is purely a visual display setting. It doesn't move, hide, or alter any cell values, formulas, or formatting in your spreadsheet.
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