How to Unfreeze Panes in Excel: A Step-by-Step Guide

The freeze panes feature in Excel is invaluable for keeping key rows or columns visible while scrolling through large datasets. However, there are times when frozen panes can hinder flexibility, such as when you need to view your entire spreadsheet without locked rows or columns. Knowing how to unfreeze panes in Excel ensures you can switch between static and dynamic views effortlessly. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the simple steps to remove locked rows in Excel, whether you’re using the Excel View tab options or a shortcut for unfreezing panes in Excel.

How to Unfreeze Panes in Excel

To Excel Unfreeze Rows and Columns, you can use both the manual method and the Shortcut for Unfreezing Panes in Excel. Here’s how:

Step 1: Open the Excel Spreadsheet with Freeze Panes

Open the Excel sheet where you want to unfreeze rows. In the example below, freeze panes have been applied to rows 1 through 5.

Step 2: Navigate to the View Tab and Unfreeze Panes

Open the View tab in the Ribbon, Select the Freeze Panes dropdown menu and Click on Unfreeze Panes to remove all locked rows.

Shortcut for Unfreezing Panes in Excel

On Windows: Press Alt + W + F + U to quickly unfreeze rows.

 Note: Microsoft Excel for Mac does not have a direct keyboard shortcut to unfreeze panes.

Step 3: Preview Results

Scroll through the worksheet to confirm that all previously frozen rows are now unlocked and the entire sheet scrolls freely.

How to Troubleshoot Unfreezing Panes

If you’re unable to unlock frozen rows in Excel, here are some simple steps to troubleshoot:

1. Unfreeze Panes Option is Grayed Out

• Cause: The worksheet may be protected, or there might be no panes currently frozen.
• Solution:
• Check if the sheet is protected by going to Review > Unprotect Sheet.
• Verify if any rows or columns are frozen by scrolling through the sheet.

2. Unable to Unfreeze Across Multiple Sheets

• Cause: Excel does not support batch unfreezing for multiple sheets.
• Solution: Unfreeze panes individually by navigating to each sheet and selecting View > Freeze Panes > Unfreeze Panes.

3. Panes Still Appear Frozen After Unfreezing

• Cause: Split panes may be active instead of frozen panes.
• Solution: Go to View > Split and deselect the option to remove split panes.

4. Freezing Panes Behaves Unexpectedly After Unfreezing

• Cause: Residual settings or accidental selection of wrong rows/columns.
• Solution: Ensure no additional splits are active and carefully reapply the freeze panes setting as needed.

By addressing these scenarios, users can effectively troubleshoot and resolve issues when unfreezing panes in Excel.

Also Read:

• How to Freeze Panes in Excel: Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Split Panes in Excel
• How to Freeze Top Row and First Column in Excel (2025 Updated)

Conclusion

Unfreezing panes in Excel is a straightforward process that can restore full visibility and flexibility to your spreadsheets. Whether you need to unlock frozen rows in Excel or adjust your view for different tasks, mastering this feature ensures smooth and efficient data handling. With these steps, you’ll easily transition between focused and complete spreadsheet views, optimizing your workflow for any project.