On a computer, open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets and choose View → Freeze, then choose one row to keep the first row visible as you scroll.
Start with the labels you need
Google's freeze guide explains that freezing pins rows or columns in place while the rest of the sheet scrolls. The menu lets you choose how many rows or columns to freeze.
For a simple list, put clear column labels at the top: Item, Owner, Due date and Status, for example. Keeping those labels visible helps you interpret a value further down without returning to the beginning.
If your first row is a decorative title and the actual labels are below it, plan the frozen area around the labels. Our recommendation is to keep this area small, especially when readers will use a laptop screen.
Check it by scrolling
After choosing the freeze setting, scroll down and make sure the intended labels remain in view. If the result takes up too much room, reduce the number of frozen rows.
For a wide comparison sheet, consider whether a left-hand identifying column also needs to remain visible. A product name or person's name can provide context when you scroll across to later columns. This is a layout suggestion, not a rule that every sheet needs both directions frozen.
Undo it without rearranging your data
Google documents View → Freeze → No rows to remove the row setting. Use No columns for frozen columns. You do not need to rebuild the table to change which labels stay visible.
Freezing is not editing protection
If your goal is to stop someone changing a header or formula, look instead at protected sheets and ranges. Google treats that as a separate feature and warns that protection is not a security measure.
Keep the two decisions separate: freezing helps people read the sheet; protection controls certain edits. For a team checklist, you might want stable labels at the top and a clear agreement about which fields each person updates. Decide that collaboration pattern before adding restrictions.
Keep exploring: Recover an earlier draft · Check your word count.
