Skip to content
Reading settings
ExcelBeginner~20 min practiceLesson 6 of 34

Keep headers visible and organize rows safely

Keep headers and item codes visible while scrolling.

Content reviewed · How we check lessons

Loading your progress…

In this lesson

Freeze row 1 and column A, adjust widths and hide a row without removing its data.

Example

Keep inventory columns in view

Enter Code, Item, Ordered and OnHand in A1:D1, then K01 Keyboard 10 8, M01 Monitor 6 5, D01 Dock 4 3 and H01 Headset 12 12. Keep the headers visible so you can tell Ordered from OnHand while reviewing the list.

How it works

Freeze Panes keeps rows above and columns to the left of the selected cell in view. On desktop, selecting B2 freezes row 1 and column A together.

A hidden row is still in the worksheet. Freezing and hiding change the view; deleting a row removes cells and can change formulas or totals.

Steps

  1. Enter the four inventory records. Calculate Ordered total 32 and OnHand total 28 below them so you can check that the layout changes leave the data intact.

  2. Select B2 and choose View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Panes on desktop. In web Excel, use the available top-row and first-column freeze controls. Look for the boundary lines.

  3. Scroll down and to the right. Check that the header row stays at the top and Code stays on the left.

  4. Use Home > Format to adjust column widths. Apply Wrap Text to a long header so it remains readable without changing the label.

  5. Hide the row containing D01 Dock with the row-header menu. Notice the skipped row number, then unhide it and check that the record is still there.

  6. Unfreeze the panes, then select the boundary and freeze them again. Save the file and note in Readme that row 1 and column A are frozen.

Try it yourself

  1. Insert a new item S01 Stand with Ordered 3 and OnHand 2 before the totals. Update or inspect the SUM ranges and confirm all five records are included.
  2. On desktop, test View > Split as a separate viewing option, then remove the split and return to the frozen layout. Explain how a split differs from a permanent data transformation.
Show expected result
  • Original totals remain Ordered 32 and OnHand 28 after freezing, hiding and unhiding; those actions do not alter the four records.
  • After adding the stand, totals become Ordered 35 and OnHand 30, with row 1 and column A available while scrolling.

If something goes wrong

Too many rows stay frozen.
Choose Unfreeze Panes, select B2 and apply Freeze Panes again. Check the boundary lines before scrolling.
An item seems to have vanished.
Look for skipped row numbers and unhide the range. Compare the full totals before adding a replacement row that could duplicate the hidden item.

Quick check

Try these questions after the exercise. Check the result in your app before marking the lesson complete.

1. On desktop, selecting B2 before Freeze Panes normally retains which boundaries?
2. What happens to stored values when a row is hidden?
3. What is the OnHand total after adding two stands?

Choose an answer for all 3 questions to check your understanding.

Optional: try it with Copilot

If you have Copilot, try this after the exercise. Keep the original file and compare its suggestions with your own result.

Suggest a layout that keeps Code and the inventory headers visible. Explain how freezing, hiding and deleting a row affect this sheet.

More from Microsoft

These Microsoft guides cover the tools used in this lesson.

Loading your progress…