How to Pin a SharePoint Column While Scrolling
Question details
The user wants to keep a specific column visible (such as an Address column) while scrolling horizontally through a SharePoint list containing more than 20 columns.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Navigating a wide dataset on a SharePoint communication site list and needing to keep reference columns in view.
- Observed behavior
- SharePoint lists currently scroll the entire view horizontally, causing earlier columns to disappear off-screen with no obvious built-in toggle to pin them.
Check your SharePoint site permissions. If you plan to implement advanced workarounds using formatting, you will need Edit or Full Control access to the list.
Use Custom Formatting or Reposition Columns
Since SharePoint lacks a native 'freeze pane' feature for arbitrary columns, users must rely on custom developer solutions or rearrange column orders.
SharePoint lists do not provide a built-in UI button to freeze or pin an arbitrary column during horizontal scrolling. Unlike spreadsheet applications, web-based list views process data differently. However, you can explore developer-level customizations or optimize your view.
To make navigation easier without pinning, move essential columns closer to the left. Click the column header, select 'Column settings', and click 'Move left'.
Click a column header, select 'Column settings', and choose 'Format this column'. Advanced users can use JSON to customize how rows and columns are rendered, though creating a sticky header requires extensive coding.
For custom JavaScript or advanced JSON solutions that simulate frozen columns in modern SharePoint views, post your exact list requirements in the SharePoint section of Microsoft Q&A.
Manage Wide Datasets Easily with WPS Spreadsheet
If SharePoint lists are too restrictive for viewing datasets with 20+ columns, consider exporting your data to a spreadsheet. WPS Office is a free, lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office that offers intuitive tools like 'Freeze Panes' to keep your essential columns visible while scrolling horizontally.
- 1. Export from SharePoint: In your SharePoint list, click 'Export' in the top menu and select 'Export to Excel' to download your dataset.
- 2. Open in WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open the downloaded spreadsheet file.
- 3. Freeze the target column: Navigate to the 'View' tab, select the cell immediately to the right of the column you want to pin, and click 'Freeze Panes' to lock it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze the first column in a modern SharePoint list?
In some modern SharePoint list configurations, the 'Title' or first column may remain sticky by default depending on screen size. However, there is no manual toggle to turn this behavior on or off for specific columns.
Why did my previously sticky SharePoint column stop working?
Microsoft frequently updates the modern UI for SharePoint Online. If you previously used a custom script or a specific formatting view to stick a column, it may have been deprecated or overridden by a recent platform update.
Does SharePoint support the 'Freeze Panes' feature like Excel?
No, SharePoint lists function as web-based databases rather than spreadsheets. To utilize standard 'Freeze Panes' functionality, you must export your SharePoint list data to a spreadsheet application.
How do I hide unnecessary columns to avoid horizontal scrolling?
Click on 'Add column' or any existing column header, select 'Column settings', and click 'Show/hide columns'. Uncheck the boxes for any columns you don't need to see, then click 'Apply'.
