How to fix row in excel


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Freezing panes versus splitting panes

When you freeze panes, Microsoft Excel keeps specific rows or columns visible when you scroll in the worksheet. For example, if the first row in your spreadsheet contains headers, you might freeze that row to make sure that the column headers remain visible as you scroll down in your spreadsheet.

How to fix row in excel

A solid line under row 1 indicates that the row is frozen to keep column headers in place when you scroll.

Splitting panes is a variation on freezing panes, in that when you split panes, Excel creates either two or four separate worksheet areas that you can scroll within, while rows or columns in the non-scrolled area remain visible.

How to fix row in excel

Note: You cannot freeze panes and split panes at the same time. You can enable only one of the two.

Before you choose to freeze rows or columns in a worksheet, it’s important to consider the following:

  • You can freeze only rows at the top and columns on the left side of the worksheet. You cannot freeze rows and columns in the middle of the worksheet.

  • The Freeze Panes command is not available when you're in cell editing mode (that is, you're entering a formula or data in a cell) or when a worksheet is protected. To cancel cell editing mode, press Enter or Esc.

You can choose to freeze just the top row of your worksheet, just the left column of your worksheet, or multiple rows and columns simultaneously. For example, if you freeze row 1 and then decide to freeze column A, row 1 will no longer be frozen. If you want to freeze both rows and columns, you need to freeze them at the same time.

  1. Do one of the following:

    • To lock one row only, choose the View tab, and then click Freeze Top Row.

    • To lock one column only, choose the View tab, and then click Freeze First Column.

    • To lock more than one row or column, or to lock both rows and columns at the same time, choose the View tab, and then click Freeze Panes. You will want your cursor to be below the row(s) you want to freeze and to the right of any column(s) you want to freeze.

    • To lock multiple rows (starting with row 1), select the row below the last row you want frozen, choose the View tab, and then click Freeze Panes.

    • To lock multiple columns, select the column to the right of the last column you want frozen, choose the View tab, and then click Freeze Panes.

Note: If you don’t see the View tab, it’s likely that you are using Excel Starter. 

To freeze the top row and the first column at the same time, click the View tab > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes.

How to fix row in excel

How to fix row in excel

Notice that the border under row 1 is a little darker than other borders, meaning that the row above it is frozen.

How to fix row in excel

If you'd rather freeze the leftmost column instead, click the View tab > Freeze Panes > Freeze First Column.

How to fix row in excel

Now, the line to the right of column A is a little darker than the other lines, meaning that the column to its left is frozen.

How to fix row in excel

  • On the View tab > Window > Unfreeze Panes.

    How to fix row in excel

If you have any questions, come by the Help Desk at Hardman & Jacobs Undergraduate Learning Center Room 105, call 646-1840, or email us at .

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Introduction

Whenever you're working with a lot of data, it can be difficult to compare information in your workbook. Fortunately, Excel includes several tools that make it easier to view content from different parts of your workbook at the same time, such as the ability to freeze panes and split your worksheet


Optional: Download our practice workbook.

You may want to see certain rows or columns all the time in your worksheet, especially header cells. By freezing rows or columns in place, you'll be able to scroll through your content while continuing to view the frozen cells.

  1. Select the row below the row(s) you want to freeze. In our example, we want to freeze rows 1 and 2, so we'll select row 3.

    How to fix row in excel
    Selecting row 3

  2. Click the View tab on the Ribbon.
  3. Select the Freeze Panes command, then choose Freeze Panes from the drop-down menu.

    How to fix row in excel
    Clicking Freeze Panes

  4. The rows will be frozen in place, as indicated by the gray line. You can scroll down the worksheet while continuing to view the frozen rows at the top. In our example, we've scrolled down to row 18.

    How to fix row in excel
    The frozen rows

To freeze columns:

  1. Select the column to the right of the column(s) you want to freeze. In our example, we want to freeze column A, so we'll select column B.

    How to fix row in excel
    Selecting column B

  2. Click the View tab on the Ribbon.
  3. Select the Freeze Panes command, then choose Freeze Panes from the drop-down menu.

    How to fix row in excel
    Clicking Freeze Panes

  4. The column will be frozen in place, as indicated by the gray line. You can scroll across the worksheet while continuing to view the frozen column on the left. In our example, we've scrolled across to column E.

    How to fix row in excel
    The frozen column

To unfreeze rows or columns, click the Freeze Panes command, then select Unfreeze Panes from the drop-down menu.

How to fix row in excel
Unfreezing a row

If you only need to freeze the top row (row 1) or first column (column A) in the worksheet, you can simply select Freeze Top Row or Freeze First Column from the drop-down menu.

How to fix row in excel
Freezing only the top row of a workbook

Other view options

If your workbook contains a lot of content, it can sometimes be difficult to compare different sections. Excel includes additional options to make your workbooks easier to view and compare. For example, you can choose to open a new window for your workbook or split a worksheet into separate panes.

To open a new window for the current workbook:

Excel allows you to open multiple windows for a single workbook at the same time. In our example, we'll use this feature to compare two different worksheets from the same workbook.

  1. Click the View tab on the Ribbon, then select the New Window command.

    How to fix row in excel
    Clicking the New Window command

  2. A new window for the workbook will appear.

    How to fix row in excel
    The same workbook open in two separate windows

  3. You can now compare different worksheets from the same workbook across windows. In our example, we'll select the 2013 Sales Detailed View worksheet to compare the 2012 and 2013 sales.

    How to fix row in excel
    Selecting a worksheet in a new window

If you have several windows open at the same time, you can use the Arrange All command to rearrange them quickly.

How to fix row in excel
Clicking Arrange All

To split a worksheet:

Sometimes you may want to compare different sections of the same workbook without creating a new window. The Split command allows you to divide the worksheet into multiple panes that scroll separately.

  1. Select the cell where you want to split the worksheet. In our example, we'll select cell C7.

    How to fix row in excel
    Selecting cell C7

  2. Click the View tab on the Ribbon, then select the Split command.

    How to fix row in excel
    Clicking the Split command

  3. The workbook will be split into different panes. You can scroll through each pane separately using the scroll bars, allowing you to compare different sections of the workbook.

    How to fix row in excel
    The split worksheet

After creating a split, you can click and drag the vertical and horizontal dividers to change the size of each section.

To remove the split, click the Split command again.

Challenge!

  1. Open an existing Excel workbook. If you want, you can use our practice workbook.
  2. Try freezing a row or column in place. If you are using the example, freeze the top two rows (rows 1 and 2).
  3. Try opening a new window for your workbook.
  4. Use the Split command to split your worksheet into multiple panes.

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