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What does locking the header do? Locking the header keeps one or more top rows visible while you scroll the worksheet, so column headings remain on screen. 

How do I lock the top (header) row — Windows?

To lock the top (header) row on Windows, follow these steps:

1. Select the worksheet you want to lock the header in.

2. Click the View tab on the ribbon.

3. Click Freeze Panes in the Window group.

4. Choose Freeze Top Row from the dropdown.

5. Verify that a thin, darker line appears below row 1; that line marks the frozen area. 

How do I lock the top (header) row — Mac?

To lock the top (header) row on a Mac, follow these steps:

1. Open the worksheet.

2. On the menu ribbon, click View.

3. Click Freeze Panes.

4. Choose Freeze Top Row.

5. Confirm that a thin, darker line appears below row 1 as the visual indicator. 

Are the steps different on Windows and Mac?

Yes. Windows and Mac use the same View → Freeze Panes concept, but menus and wording can differ slightly, and some views can disable Freeze Panes. On Mac, Freeze Panes may be unavailable when the workbook is in Page Layout or Full Screen view; switch to Normal view to re-enable it. 

How to freeze multiple header rows or columns

How do I freeze multiple rows or columns? To freeze more than the single top row, select the cell below and/or to the right of the area you want frozen, then use Freeze Panes. Use these steps:

1. To freeze the top N rows: select the cell in column A on row N+1.

2. To freeze the leftmost M columns: select the cell on column M+1 in row 1.

3. To freeze both rows and columns (a block): select the cell immediately below the last row to freeze and immediately to the right of the last column to freeze (for example, to freeze rows 1–4 and columns A–C select cell D5).

4. Click View → Freeze Panes → Freeze Panes.

5. Excel draws thicker lines showing where the frozen area begins. 

How to unfreeze the header

How do I unfreeze the header? To remove any frozen rows or columns:

1. Click the View tab.

2. Click Freeze Panes.

3. Select Unfreeze Panes.

   Keyboard shortcuts and quick access

What keyboard shortcuts can I use? There is no single universal one-key shortcut; use the ribbon accelerator sequence:

1. On Windows press Alt, then W, then F, then:

   1. R to freeze the top row.

   2. C to freeze the first column.

   3. F to freeze panes based on the active cell.

2. On Mac, you can add Freeze Panes to the Quick Access Toolbar or assign a custom keyboard shortcut using macOS system preferences or Excel’s menus.

   Common problems and fixes

What if Freeze Panes is grayed out? Resolve the following conditions in order:

1. Workbook view is Page Layout or Full Screen; switch to Normal view.

2. The worksheet is protected or shared; unprotect or unshare the worksheet before freezing. 

   You have multiple panes already split; go to View → Split to remove splits, then try Freeze Panes.(Microsoft Support) Visual indicator of success

How do I know the header is locked? A slightly thicker grey line appears just below the frozen rows and to the right of frozen columns; the frozen rows remain visible while you scroll. 

Extra tip: freeze and hide rows for a custom header

How can I create a custom header area above the frozen header? Select the cell beneath the rows you want visible as the header area, use Freeze Panes, then hide any rows above the header if you need them out of view. This preserves the frozen area while keeping other rows hidden. 

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