Locking top rows in Numbers

Welcome, TakomaFan, to Apple Support Communities!

You are asking «about locking top rows and/or left columns» in Numbers.

I Numbers, this is simply specifying how many Header Rows and/or Header Columns a given Table has.

This is set by Formatting the Table: click anywhere in the Table, click the Format Tool (a paintbrush, in the upper right area of the view/window), and select Table.

In iOS and iPadOS the Header and Footer settings are under the “Headers & Footers” option, near the top (just under the choices of Table “Themes”).

In MacOS, the Header and Footer settings are the “Headers & Footers” “choosers” (popup menus) just below the “Table Options”.

Numbers, at this time, only allows you to have up to five (5) Header Rows and/or Header Columns.

In addition to Header Rows and Header Columns, Numbers also gives you the option of Footer Rows: up to five Rows, at the bottom of the Table, that can be used for special purposes, such as summary information. Such Footer Rows retain whatever you put in them even as you increase or decrease the number of Rows in the Table.

Are you able to find these options in your copy of Numbers?

You cannot "lock" any rows or columns short of "locking" a full table.

LOCK: make uneditable and immovable.

You can "Freeze" Header rows and/or Header Columns/

FREEZE: Causes the row(s) to remain visible in the document window when any rows/columns of the table are visible.

Freeze applies only to rows defined as Header rows and columns defined as Header columns. Header rows must be the top row(s) in the table. Header columns must be the leftmost columns in the table.

Scrolling the page left or up will cause the body rows and columns to 'slide under' the Header rows or columns when the table reaches the top or left edge of the document window.

The numbers of Header Rows, Footer rows, and Header Columns may be set in the Table menu.

Existing eligible body rows or columns may be converted to Header rows, Footer rows or Header columns in the contextual menu opened by clicking the v beside the row reference tab or in the column reference tab for that row or column.

In the image, the v is just above the √ by the first item in the contextual pop up menu attached to column B.

Tables may also have up to five Footer rows. These must be the bottom row(s) of the table.

Footer rows share some of the properties of Header rows, but cannot be 'Frozen.'

A table may have up to five Header rows and Five Header columns.

Regard,

Barry