When working with a large spreadsheet, your column headers will eventually scroll off the top of the screen as you move down through the data. The same problem happens with row labels when scrolling horizontally. Google Sheets solves this with the Freeze feature, which locks rows or columns in place so they remain visible no matter how far you scroll.
How to Freeze Rows or Columns on a Computer
There are two methods available on the desktop version of Google Sheets.
Method 1: Using the View Menu
- Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
- Click the View menu in the top navigation bar.
- Hover over Freeze in the dropdown menu.
- A sub-menu will appear with options such as 1 row, 2 rows, Up to current row, 1 column, 2 columns, and Up to current column.
- Select your preferred option. A thick grey line will appear across the spreadsheet, indicating which rows or columns are frozen.
Method 2: Using the Drag-and-Drop Handle
- Look at the very top-left corner of your spreadsheet, where the row numbers and column letters meet.
- You will see a small, thick grey bar along the top edge (above row 1) and along the left edge (to the left of column A).
- Hover your cursor over the thick bar at the top until it turns into a hand icon.
- Click and drag it downward to freeze the desired number of rows. Drag the left-edge bar to the right to freeze columns.
How to Freeze Rows or Columns on Mobile
- Open your spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app on your Android or iPhone.
- Tap the row number or column letter you want to freeze. This will highlight the entire row or column.
- Tap the highlighted row or column header again to open a context menu.
- Scroll through the menu options and tap Freeze.
How to Unfreeze
To remove a freeze on a computer, go to View > Freeze and select No rows or No columns. Alternatively, drag the thick freeze line back to the top or far-left edge of the grid using the handle. On mobile, tap the frozen row or column header, open the context menu, and tap Unfreeze.