How to Show Table Header in Multiple Pages in Excel and Word?

Sometimes you need to create larger tables in Microsoft Excel that spread across multiple pages. The problem is obvious that you cannot see the header across pages thus having difficulty in editing the content. Excel has an easy way to fix the header and show across the pages. Let us explain how you can do this in Excel and other Office applications like Word.

Show Table Header in Multiple Pages in Excel

Follow the below instructions to fix the top header row in Excel.

Open the Excel workbook you want to fix the header row.
Make sure you have the first row as a header and contains the title for the columns.
Go to “View” menu and click on “Freeze Panes”.
Select “Freeze Top Row” option from the dropdown.

Excel will instantly show a thin line below the first row on your content.

Now scroll down or press page down key. You will still see the headings in the first row as fixed when scrolling vertically across multiple pages. This will help you to know the column titles and edit the table content quickly.

Fixing First Column of Table in Excel

Similar to freezing first row, you can also free the first column to show it as fixed. Go to “Freeze Panes” menu and click on “Freeze First Column” option. Now, Excel will apply a thin line at the first column. You can scroll to the right using arrow keys or pressing and holding the right arrow in the horizontal scroll bar. Excel will freeze the first column and show it when scrolling through the sheet.

Unfreezing Top Row and First Column

Whenever you decide to remove the freezing of row or column, simply go to “Freeze Panes” menu. Click on “Unfreeze Panes” option to remove the freezing.

Freezing Multiple Rows and Columns

It is also possible you have multiple rows as header or want to fix few rows and columns together. “Freeze Top row” and “Free First Column” will not help in these cases as you can freeze either a top row or first column using these two options. For example, if you try to freeze first column after freezing a top row, Excel remove the previous freeze and apply the last selection. Therefore, you can either apply “Freeze Top Row” or apply “Freeze First Column” option, and not both at a time.

However, you can use the first option “Freeze Panes” to fix multiple rows and columns.

Freezing Multiple Rows

Let us say you want to freeze first three rows. In this case, place your cursor in A4 cell (that is in fourth row first cell). Now, go to “View” menu and click on “Freeze Panes” option. Again, select “Freeze Panes” to freeze the first three rows.

Freeze Row and Columns

If you want to freeze first row and first column, place the cursor in cell B2 and click on “Freeze Panes” option.

Similarly, you can free rows and columns together by placing the cursor in the required position. For example, placing cursor in C4 will free the first two rows and first two columns.

Freezing Table Header in Word

You can also freeze the top row in Word tables to show across multiple pages.

Place your cursor in any of the first header row cells.
Right click and choose “Table Properties” option.
Go to “Row” tab and check “Repeat as header row at the top of each page” option.

Click “OK” button to apply your changes.
Scroll down your table and see the first row is repeated.

Limitations in Freezing

As you can see, Excel does not allow you to freeze multiple columns. You can either freeze multiple rows or rows and columns together.

Similarly, Word has the following restrictions.

You can only freeze the top row in Word table. There are no options for freezing multiple rows or columns.
Repeating header row will be disabled when you change the table style from “Table Tools”.
Repeat header option is open only when you right click on the header cell. It will be frozen and un-selectable when you right click in other table cells and choose “Table Properties” option.

Freeze Panes Excel Keyboard Shortcuts

If you are using the freeze panes option frequently in Excel, here are the keyboard shortcuts:

Shortcut	Function
Alt W F F	Freeze or unfreeze panes
Alt W F R	Freeze top row
Alt W F C	Freeze first column

How to Show Table Header in Multiple Pages in Excel and Word?