WPS Freeze helps keep the top row, first column, or the area above and to the left of the active cell visible in WPS Spreadsheet on Windows; there are 4 core tasks, 4 available without membership, and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 4 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 4 | Matches the number of Free rows in the index |
| Membership-related items | 0 | Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index |
About This Feature
Overview
Freeze is a view control feature in WPS Spreadsheet for Windows. It keeps key header areas visible while you scroll through large worksheets, which helps when reviewing long tables, wide sheets, or shared data.
Core tasks include:
- Freeze Top Row: keeps the header row visible during vertical scrolling.
- Freeze First Column: keeps the key identifier column visible during horizontal scrolling.
- Freeze to Active Cell: freezes the rows above and columns to the left of the selected cell.
- Unfreeze Panes: removes the current freeze effect and restores normal scrolling.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Windows device that can run WPS Office |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office |
| Network | No mandatory internet connection is required for local freeze actions; internet access is needed for download and account-related actions |
| Other | Open a WPS Spreadsheet file before using the feature; it is most useful for worksheets with multiple rows or columns |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Post-install check | Launch WPS Office, open a spreadsheet, and confirm that the Freeze Panes entry is available on the View tab |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | Supports freezing the top row, first column, and the area above and to the left of the active cell from the View tab, and also supports unfreezing. | Excel supports freezing rows above and columns to the left of the selected cell from the View tab, and also supports unfreezing. | Google Sheets supports freezing selected rows or columns from View > Freeze, and also supports unfreezing. | Notion databases support locking a database to prevent changes to properties and views, but this is not a spreadsheet pane-freezing feature for scrolling. | Acrobat focuses on zoom, pan, and page display controls for PDFs, rather than spreadsheet row or column freezing. |
| WPS Advantages | Distinct: WPS provides Freeze Top Row, Freeze First Column, Freeze to Active Cell, and Unfreeze Panes in one menu path for spreadsheet viewing tasks. | Compared with WPS: offers a closely comparable freeze panes workflow for Excel worksheets. | Compared with WPS: supports row and column freezing, with the official workflow centered on Google Sheets menu actions. | Compared with WPS: focuses more on database structure and view locking than on keeping spreadsheet headers visible while scrolling. | Compared with WPS: focuses on PDF page viewing rather than spreadsheet pane control. |
| Official Source | — | Freeze panes to lock rows and columns | Freeze, group, hide, or merge rows & columns | Intro to databases | Adjusting PDF views |
Overall Conclusion: If your main goal is to keep headers or key reference areas visible while scrolling through a worksheet, WPS Freeze covers the same core use case as mainstream spreadsheet tools. Notion and Adobe Acrobat serve different product scenarios, so they are less aligned with spreadsheet pane-freezing tasks.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable For | Main Pain Point | Recommended Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reviewing long tables | Data staff | Field names disappear when scrolling down | Use Freeze Top Row to keep headers visible |
| 2 | Reviewing wide sheets | Finance and operations teams | Record identifiers disappear when scrolling sideways | Use Freeze First Column to keep the key column visible |
| 3 | Keeping multi-row and multi-column headers visible | Project collaborators | It is hard to match row and column headers in large sheets | Select the target cell and use Freeze to Active Cell |
| 4 | Returning to a normal worksheet view | All users | The current freeze range no longer fits the task | Use Unfreeze Panes to remove the current fixed area |
| 5 | Reviewing shared data consistently | Team members | Shared worksheets need stable reference areas during review | Use Freeze to keep key areas visible while browsing |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze top row, first column, and active-cell-based panes | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Basic spreadsheet viewing and scrolling | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Extended PDF editing and conversion features | Some features are limited | More advanced features are available |
| Cloud storage and template benefits | Basic quota | Higher quota and more benefits |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Usage Scenario | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday worksheet viewing and basic organization | Free | The Freeze feature itself is available for regular spreadsheet work |
| Ongoing work that also needs more PDF, template, or cloud benefits | WPS Premium | Better suited to users who need broader office benefits beyond freezing panes |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page