# Quick Excel question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809 "2011-04-26T19:15:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/1 "2011-04-26T19:15:04Z")
I want a setting such that I can see the titles for the columns [which I’ve entered as the first line in the spreadsheet], so that they are at the head of the column regardless of where I am in the spreadsheet. In google docs you can do this by freezing that line, so that the titles stay put, even in a long spreadsheet. Is there something similar in Excel? How do I do it? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/2 "2011-04-26T19:17:12Z")
It’s called Freeze Panes. Where the command is located depends on what version of Excel you are using. In Excel 2007/2010 it’s on the View tab. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/3 "2011-04-26T19:18:47Z")
I’ve clicked on that, but how do you tell it _where_ to freeze? It seems to pick its own place. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/4 "2011-04-26T19:24:15Z")
It’s based on the currently-selected cell. The rows above and the columns to the left of the selected cell will be frozen. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/5 "2011-04-26T19:25:52Z")
In 2007/2010, there are autochoices for just the top row or just the left column. To use the general command, or to use the command in previous versions, select the cell below where you want the freezing to take place. So, if you want to freeze the top two rows, select the first cell in the 3rd row, then choose the command. To freeze both the top row and the left column, select the 2nd cell in the 2nd row. Etc. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/6 "2011-04-26T19:33:01Z")
In 2007, go to View-\>Freeze Panes-\>Freeze Top Row. In earlier versions, you’d do something like “split panes”, drag the split lines to between rows 1 and 2 and to the left of column A, then hit the “freeze panes” option. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/7 "2011-04-26T19:57:09Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > In earlier versions, you’d do something like “split panes”, drag the split lines to between rows 1 and 2 and to the left of column A, then hit the “freeze panes” option. This worked for me. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/8 "2011-04-26T20:41:31Z")
I’ve got a Mac with Microsoft Office 2008 (?) – “freeze pane” is in “Window.” But freeze pane did the job – thanks, everyone! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/9 "2011-04-26T20:48:32Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’ve got a Mac with Microsoft Office 2008 (?) (?) indeed! I don’t understand why MS would put out so many different versions of one of their more complicated/menu-dependent products in so quick a period of time. It really hurts people’s ability to get help from others. Glad you could find the right option. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/10 "2011-04-26T20:50:13Z")
FWIW, Freeze Pane is in Window on Excel 2003 on my work PC as well. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/11 "2011-04-26T20:52:50Z")
SWEET!!! Feature applied to my daily worklist! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/12 "2011-04-27T00:08:48Z")
Yeah, I went through and did it to about six different spreadsheets. (I loves me a good spreadsheet.) ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/13 "2011-04-27T00:28:50Z")
i prefer a split to freeze. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/14 "2011-04-27T08:39:09Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > (?) indeed! I don’t understand why MS would put out so many different versions of one of their more complicated/menu-dependent products in so quick a period of time. It really hurts people’s ability to get help from others. Glad you could find the right option. Because they always put out a new version one year later for Mac, and the ribbon interface for Mac wasn’t ready yet. (They didn’t even finish it for 2007). They are including it in 2012. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question/579809/15 "2011-04-27T19:36:29Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > (?) indeed! I don’t understand why MS would put out so many different versions of one of their more complicated/menu-dependent products in so quick a period of time. It really hurts people’s ability to get help from others. So people (especially in business settings) pay money for MS Certified consultants or training courses. And they paid money to Microsoft to get certified. So more profits for Microsoft.