How to Freeze Rows in Google Sheets (Computer and Phone)

Scroll down a long spreadsheet and the column headings vanish. Ten rows later you're squinting at a column of numbers wondering whether it was quantity or delivery date. Freezing the top row fixes that, and it takes about four clicks.

Google's help page covers freezing on a computer, Android and iPhone or iPad, and the steps differ slightly on each, so I've laid them out device by device.

Freezing the top rows in Google Sheets on a computer

1. Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets in your browser.
2. Select a row or column to freeze (or unfreeze).
3. Click View at the top, then Freeze.
4. Choose how many rows or columns you want to freeze.

Everything above the line stays put while the rest of the sheet scrolls beneath it. If your headings sit in row one, freeze one row. If you've got a title in row one and headings in row two, freeze two.

Unfreezing rows in Google Sheets

Changed your mind? Per Google's help, select a row or column, go to View, then Freeze, and choose No rows or No columns. The frozen divider disappears and the whole sheet scrolls normally again.

Freezing rows in the Google Sheets app on Android

1. Open the spreadsheet in the Sheets app on your Android device.
2. Touch and hold a row or column.
3. In the menu that appears, tap Freeze (or Unfreeze to undo it).

Freezing rows in the Google Sheets app on iPhone and iPad

1. Open the spreadsheet in the Google Sheets app.
2. Tap the row number or column letter.
3. In the menu, use the right arrow to find Freeze (or Unfreeze), and tap it.

On a small screen, frozen rows can take up a lot of room. If you freeze a lot of rows on a phone, you may find you can hardly see the data below them, so keep it to the heading row where you can.

Freezing columns as well as rows in Google Sheets

Google's help treats rows and columns together, and the same menu handles both. Freezing the first column is handy for wide sheets, such as a content calendar with a column of dates followed by many columns of channels. The date column stays visible as you scroll right.

Google's Workspace cheat sheet describes the idea neatly: freezing header rows and columns keeps them in place while you scroll. It's the same View menu, Freeze option on a computer.

Why freezing rows in Google Sheets helps small business owners

Most business spreadsheets only grow. A stock list, a customer tracker or a content plan starts at a dozen rows and ends up hundreds long. Frozen headings mean you, your assistant or a freelancer always know which column you're typing into, which cuts down on the "wrong column" mistakes that quietly wreck a report.

• Customer tracker: freeze the header row so status and follow-up date stay visible.
• Content calendar: freeze the first column of dates and the heading row.
• Order or stock list: freeze the headings and the product name column.
• Team rota: freeze the names column so you can scroll through the week.

If you like to start from a ready-made layout, my thoughts on choosing a productivity template for your business might help you decide what to keep. And if you build documents from templates, filling in a Google Docs template correctly covers a similar tidy-up job.

Choosing which rows to freeze in Google Sheets

The number you pick in the Freeze menu depends on how your sheet is laid out. Look at the top of your data and ask what you'd want to see after scrolling a long way down.

• A single heading row: freeze one row, and that's it.
• A title row, then headings: freeze two rows so both stay put.
• A summary block at the top, such as running totals: freeze down to the last row of that block, as long as it doesn't swamp the screen.
• No headings at all: add a heading row first, because frozen blank rows help nobody.

It's worth checking the result on a smaller screen too. A freeze that looks neat on a big monitor can leave very little room on a laptop or a phone, which is where the temptation to freeze less comes in. Reset it any time through View, then Freeze, then No rows.

If you can't freeze rows in Google Sheets

1. Check you're signed in with edit access. A view-only file won't let you change the layout.
2. Select a row or column first, then go to View and Freeze.
3. On a phone, touch and hold (Android) or tap (iPhone and iPad) the row number or column letter to bring up the menu.
4. If the Freeze option looks greyed out, reload the page or reopen the app.
5. Google's help page doesn't list a maximum number of rows you can freeze, so if it still won't work, try freezing fewer.

Freezing rows in Google Sheets at a glance

Device	Where to find Freeze
Computer	View, then Freeze, then choose how many rows or columns
Android	Touch and hold a row or column, then tap Freeze
iPhone and iPad	Tap the row number or column letter, then use the menu arrow to choose Freeze
Undo on a computer	View, then Freeze, then No rows or No columns

Frequently asked questions

How do I freeze the top row in Google Sheets?

On a computer, select the row, click View, then Freeze, and choose 1 row. On Android, touch and hold the row and tap Freeze. On iPhone and iPad, tap the row number and choose Freeze from the menu.

How do I unfreeze rows in Google Sheets?

On a computer, go to View, then Freeze, and choose No rows or No columns. On phones, use the same row menu and tap Unfreeze.

Can I freeze columns too?

Yes. The same View, then Freeze menu handles columns, and the phone menus offer Freeze for a column as well.

Is there a limit to how many rows I can freeze?

Google's help page doesn't state a limit. In practice, keep it to the heading rows so you still have room to see your data.

Why is Freeze missing?

You may only have view access, or the menu hasn't opened because no row or column is selected. Select one first, or ask the owner for edit access.