What you will build
You will freeze row 1 so the Task, Owner and Status headings stay visible while you scroll. You will also learn the matching command for freezing column A when the first column contains labels you need to keep on screen.
Learning objective
Use the exact Google Sheets menu path View > Freeze > 1 row, verify the frozen boundary by scrolling, then identify View > Freeze > 1 column for wide sheets. You will also learn how to return the sheet to an unfrozen state.
Open the practice workbook
The example table is A1:C5. Row 1 contains Task, Owner and Status; rows 2–5 contain four example tasks. Open the workbook below or paste the TSV into A1 on a new sheet.
Practice in your own copy
Make your own Google Sheets copy with the same data, formulas, formatting, filter and frozen header. The original remains unchanged.
Sign in to Google. If the original is not publicly shared, download the full workbook and import it into Google Sheets, or paste the example data into your own sheet.
Open the sample workbook in Google Drive (access required) ↗
Hands-on practice
Step 1: Confirm the full table A1:C5 is visible and row 1 contains the headings Task, Owner and Status. Freezing works on sheet position, so you do not need to select A1:C5 first.
Step 2: Open View > Freeze. In the row section, choose 1 row. This keeps row 1 pinned to the top of the grid while lower rows move underneath it.
Step 3: Scroll down in the sheet. Row 1 should remain visible above the scrolling rows. The thicker freeze boundary marks the edge between the fixed row and the scrollable area.
Step 4: To freeze the first column on a wide sheet, use View > Freeze > 1 column. Column A then stays visible when you scroll horizontally. You can keep both 1 row and 1 column frozen at the same time.
Step 5: To remove freezing, return to View > Freeze and choose No rows and No columns. Removing a freeze changes only navigation; it does not delete, move or protect any cells.
Checkpoint
Common mistakes and fixes
If the wrong rows stay visible, remove the current freeze with View > Freeze > No rows, then apply 1 row again. If too many columns stay fixed, choose View > Freeze > No columns and then apply 1 column only.
Independent practice
Freeze row 1 and column A together. Scroll down and then horizontally to the right. Verify that the header row and Task column remain visible while the rest of the grid moves.
Key takeaways
- ✓Use View > Freeze > 1 row to keep the header row visible during vertical scrolling.
- ✓Use View > Freeze > 1 column to keep column A visible during horizontal scrolling.
- ✓Rows and columns can be frozen at the same time.
- ✓Use No rows and No columns to return to normal scrolling.
- ✓Freezing changes navigation only; it does not lock cells or change permissions.
Check your understanding
Answer four questions about the practice sheet.
Continue learning
Previous lesson: Filter a spreadsheet; Next lesson: Share a Google Sheet safely.