How to Freeze the Top Two Rows in Excel

Here is how to freeze the top two rows in Excel: click cell A3 (or select the whole of row 3), then go to View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes. Excel locks every row above the selected cell, so rows 1 and 2 stay on screen while you scroll. Don't use Freeze Top Row for this, because that option only ever locks row 1.

How Do You Freeze the Top Two Rows in Excel on Windows?

Select the cell directly below the rows you want to lock, in column A, and apply Freeze Panes. As Microsoft's Freeze Panes guide puts it, Excel freezes the rows above the selected cell and the columns to its left, so choosing A3 locks rows 1–2 and no columns.

1. Scroll to the very top of the sheet so row 1 is visible. Freeze Panes locks what is on screen, so if row 1 is scrolled out of view it stays hidden.
2. Click cell A3, or click the row header 3 to select the whole row.
3. Go to View → Freeze Panes and choose Freeze Panes from the drop-down.
4. Scroll down. A thin line appears under row 2, and both rows stay in place.

On Windows you can also reach the command from the keyboard: select A3, press Alt to show the ribbon key tips, then follow the letters shown for View and Freeze Panes.

Which Freeze Option Should You Use?

Use Freeze Panes whenever you need more than one row or column locked; the other two options lock exactly one row or one column. The table shows which cell to select for the most common layouts.

The rule behind every row in that table is the same: rows above and columns left of the selected cell are frozen. Once that clicks, you can lock any combination without looking it up again.

How Do You Freeze the Top 2 Rows in Excel for Mac and Excel for the Web?

Excel for Mac and Excel for the web use the same logic: select the row just below the rows you want locked, then choose Freeze Panes from the View tab.

1. Select row 3 by clicking its row header (or click cell A3).
2. On a Mac, go to View → Freeze Panes. In Excel for the web, go to View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes.
3. Scroll to confirm rows 1 and 2 stay put.

Why Is Freeze Panes Greyed Out or Not Working?

Freeze Panes is usually greyed out because you are in Page Layout view or in the middle of editing a cell. Fix those two first; the rest of the causes below are less common.

• Page Layout view: go to View → Normal. Freeze Panes does not work in Page Layout view.
• Cell edit mode: if you are typing in a cell, press Enter or Esc first. Most ribbon commands are disabled while a cell is being edited.
• The wrong rows are frozen: you selected a cell lower down, or row 1 was scrolled out of view. Choose Unfreeze Panes, scroll to the top, select A3 and freeze again.
• Freeze Top Row only locks one row: that is expected behaviour. Use Freeze Panes with A3 selected instead.
• No View tab at all: Microsoft notes this can happen in Excel Starter, a cut-down edition that does not include every feature.

What Is the Difference Between Freeze Panes and Split?

Freeze Panes locks rows or columns in place, while View → Split divides the window into separate panes that each scroll on their own. Excel uses one or the other on a sheet, not both at once.

Split is useful when you need to compare row 10 with row 5,000 side by side. Freeze is better for keeping a header visible, which is what most people mean when they search "excel freeze top two rows". If your sheet suddenly shows a thick grey bar that moves with your mouse, you have probably turned on Split by accident; click View → Split again to remove it.

Do Frozen Rows Print on Every Page?

No. Freeze Panes only affects what you see on screen. To print rows 1 and 2 at the top of every page, set them as print titles.

1. Go to Page Layout → Print Titles.
2. On the Sheet tab, click in Rows to repeat at top.
3. Type $1:$2, or select rows 1 and 2 on the sheet.
4. Click OK and check the result in File → Print.

Many people want both: frozen headers while editing and repeated headers on paper. They are independent settings, so set each one once and the workbook remembers both.

A Common Mistake We See

The mistake we see most is selecting row 2 because "I want two rows". Excel then freezes only row 1, since it locks the rows above your selection. Thinking of it as "click the first row that should scroll" avoids the problem.

The second is a two-row header where row 1 is a merged title across many columns. Freezing works fine, but merged cells make sorting and filtering awkward. A cleaner layout puts the title in the sheet name or a header, keeps a single row of column labels, and freezes just that row. The same heading-first thinking applies in Word, where our guide to adding a table of contents in Word shows how proper headings make long reports easy to navigate.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I freeze the top 2 rows in Excel?

Click cell A3, then choose View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes. Excel freezes everything above the selected cell, so rows 1 and 2 stay visible while you scroll. Make sure row 1 is on screen before you start, otherwise it will be locked out of view.

Why does Freeze Top Row only freeze one row?

Freeze Top Row is a shortcut that locks only row 1 and nothing else, whichever cell you have selected. To lock two or more rows, use the plain Freeze Panes option with the cell below your header selected, for example A3 for two rows or A4 for three.

How do I freeze the top two rows and the first column?

Select cell B3 and choose View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes. Rows 1 and 2 are above that cell and column A is to its left, so all three areas stay fixed while you scroll down or across. Use the same rule for any other combination.

How do I unfreeze rows in Excel?

Go to View → Freeze Panes → Unfreeze Panes. You do not need to select anything first. The command only appears when panes are frozen, and it removes every frozen row and column in that sheet at once, so you can then set a new freeze point.

Does freezing rows apply to every sheet in the workbook?

No. Freeze Panes is set separately for each worksheet. If you need the top two rows locked on several sheets, repeat the steps on each one. The setting is saved with the workbook, so it is normally still in place the next time you or anyone else opens the file.

Can I freeze rows in the middle of a sheet?

Not on their own. Freeze Panes locks rows starting from the top of what is visible. To keep a row from the middle visible, scroll so it sits at the top of the window before freezing, or use View → Split to compare two separate areas of the sheet.

Conclusion

Knowing how to freeze the top two rows in Excel comes down to one rule: select the first cell that should scroll, which is A3, and use Freeze Panes rather than Freeze Top Row. Add Print Titles if the headers also need to appear on paper. If you're still choosing a version of Excel, see our Microsoft Office collection, or compare Office and Microsoft 365 to decide between a one-time purchase and a subscription. A desktop suite such as Office 2024 Professional Plus includes the full version of Excel.

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