How to Repeat a Row at the Top of Every Page in Excel 2013: A Complete Guide

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If you’ve ever printed a large Excel spreadsheet, you’ve likely noticed how confusing it can get once you move past the first page — your column headers disappear! Luckily, Microsoft Excel 2013 includes a handy feature that lets you repeat a row (or rows) at the top of every printed page, keeping your headers visible and your reports professional.

Table of Contents

In this complete guide, you’ll learn exactly how to repeat a row at the top of every page in Excel 2013, why it matters, and how to fix common issues if it doesn’t work.

🧩 What Does “Repeat Row at Top” Mean in Excel?

When you print a long Excel worksheet, Excel divides it into multiple pages. By default, only the first page shows the column headers (like Name, ID, Sales, etc.).

The “Repeat row at top” feature ensures that your header row appears automatically at the top of each printed page — just like table headings in a Word document.

📘 Example:

Let’s say you have 500 rows of sales data with column headers in Row 1.
If you enable the “Repeat row at top” feature:

  • Page 1, 2, 3, and so on will all print with Row 1 at the top — no matter how many pages your report spans.

💡 Why Repeat the Top Row in Excel 2013?

Here’s why this feature is a must for anyone who prints from Excel:

Benefit Explanation
🧾 Improved readability Keeps headers visible on every page for easy reference.
📈 Professional reports Your printed pages look organized and consistent.
🔍 Easier data analysis Prevents confusion when reviewing multi-page printouts.
🖨️ Accurate interpretation Reduces the risk of misreading data columns.

In short, it’s essential for clear, professional printing.

⚙️ How to Repeat Row at the Top of Every Page in Excel 2013 (Step-by-Step)

Follow these simple steps to make your Excel sheet print perfectly every time.

🧭 Step 1: Open the Excel Worksheet

  1. Launch Excel 2013.

  2. Open the workbook containing the data you want to print.

  3. Select the worksheet (tab) you’ll print — this setting applies per sheet.

📄 Step 2: Go to Page Layout Tab

  1. On the Excel Ribbon, click the Page Layout tab.

  2. In the Page Setup group, find and click Print Titles.

This opens the Page Setup dialog box — where all print settings are managed.

🪄 Step 3: Choose “Rows to Repeat at Top”

In the Page Setup dialog box:

  1. Click inside the Rows to repeat at top field.

  2. The dialog temporarily minimizes — now click the row(s) you want to repeat.

    • To repeat only the first row: click the row number 1 on the left.

    • To repeat the first two rows: drag across 1 and 2.

  3. You’ll see something like $1:$1 or $1:$2 appear in the box.

  4. Click the small button again (next to the field) to return to the full dialog box.

🖨️ Step 4: Confirm and Print

  1. Click OK to save your settings.

  2. Now go to File → Print (Ctrl + P) to open Print Preview.

  3. Scroll through the preview pages — your selected rows should appear at the top of every page.

That’s it! Your headers will now print automatically at the top of each page.

🧭 Alternate Method: Use Print Preview Shortcut

You can also set print titles directly from Print Preview:

  1. Press Ctrl + P or go to File → Print.

  2. At the bottom, click Page Setup.

  3. Go to the Sheet tab.

  4. In the “Rows to repeat at top” field, select your desired row(s).

  5. Click OK and recheck your print preview.

This method works the same way but is accessible right from the printing screen.

🧾 Example: Setting Different Header Rows

Task What to Enter in “Rows to repeat at top”
Repeat the first row $1:$1
Repeat the first two rows $1:$2
Repeat rows 1 through 4 $1:$4
Repeat only row 3 $3:$3

✅ Tip: Always include the $ symbol — it locks the reference, ensuring Excel prints the correct rows on every page.

🔍 How to Check if It’s Working

To confirm the repeated rows are active:

  1. Press Ctrl + P to open Print Preview.

  2. Scroll through the pages — if the same row(s) appear on every page, it’s set up correctly.

  3. If not, double-check that you selected the correct worksheet and range.

⚠️ Common Problems and Fixes

❌ Problem 1: “Rows to repeat at top” is greyed out

Cause: Multiple worksheets are selected.
Fix:

  • Right-click any worksheet tab and choose Ungroup Sheets.

  • Try again — it will be available now.

❌ Problem 2: Headers not printing on all pages

Possible causes and solutions:

Cause Solution
Wrong row selected Reopen Print Titles and ensure correct rows are highlighted
Print Area set incorrectly Go to Page Layout → Print Area → Clear Print Area
Scaling shrinks to one page If you selected Fit Sheet on One Page, headers might not repeat because all data fits on one page

❌ Problem 3: Changes not visible on screen

Remember, the “repeat row” feature only affects printing, not the worksheet display.
Use Page Layout View (under the View tab) to preview how pages will print.

🧮 How to Repeat Columns on Every Printed Page (Bonus Tip)

If your worksheet extends horizontally and you want to repeat column headers on each page, you can also do that.

To repeat columns at the left:

  1. Open Print Titles again (Page Layout → Print Titles).

  2. In the Columns to repeat at left field, select the columns (e.g., $A:$A or $A:$C).

  3. Click OK.

Now your side headers (like row labels) will print on every page — perfect for wide tables.

🧰 Advanced Tip: Set Both Row and Column Repeats Together

Yes, you can set both simultaneously.

Example:

  • Rows to repeat at top: $1:$2

  • Columns to repeat at left: $A:$B

This makes both headers visible on every printed page — vertically and horizontally.

🧼 How to Clear or Remove Repeating Rows

If you want to undo this setting:

  1. Go to Page Layout → Print Titles.

  2. In the Rows to repeat at top box, clear the cell reference.

  3. Click OK.

Now your worksheet will print normally again.

🧩 Troubleshooting Summary

Issue Fix
“Rows to repeat at top” greyed out Ungroup sheets
Headers not showing Reset print area
Wrong rows repeated Update references in Print Titles
Scaling issues Turn off “Fit to one page”
Symbol $ missing Use absolute references like $1:$1

🧠 Why the Feature Might Not Work as Expected

Sometimes, Excel 2013 settings or printer configurations interfere.
Here’s what to check:

  1. Page Setup Conflicts:

    • Ensure no custom page breaks are cutting your header row.

  2. Printer Driver Settings:

    • Outdated printer drivers can cause print layout errors.

  3. Excel Compatibility Mode:

    • If your file is from Excel 97–2003 (.xls), save it as .xlsx and retry.

🧮 Example Scenario: Printing a Monthly Report

Let’s say you’re printing a sales report that spans 15 pages. The first row contains headers like:

  • Date, Product ID, Region, Salesperson, Revenue

Without repeating rows, every page after the first loses its headers.
But once you set “Rows to repeat at top” to $1:$1, each page prints those same labels — making your report easy to read and professional-looking.

🔧 Bonus Tip: Use Page Layout View for Easier Setup

To visualize your pages before printing:

  1. Go to the View tab.

  2. Select Page Layout view.

  3. You’ll see each page’s boundary and header rows.

  4. Now open Print Titles and choose which rows to repeat.

It’s a more intuitive way to set up printing in Excel 2013.

🧠 Key Differences Between Print Titles and Freeze Panes

Feature Purpose Visible When
Print Titles Repeats rows/columns on each printed page When you print or view Print Preview
Freeze Panes Keeps rows/columns visible while scrolling When you view in Excel, not when printing

Tip: Use both — Freeze Panes for easy screen navigation, and Print Titles for consistent printouts.

✅ Final Check: How to Ensure Professional Printouts

Before printing your report:

  • Go to File → Print Preview.

  • Check if headers appear on each page.

  • Ensure scaling and margins don’t cut off text.

  • Save your setup for future prints.

Now you’re ready to print a clean, organized report — every time.

🧾 Conclusion

Repeating a row at the top of every printed page in Excel 2013 is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools for producing professional-looking documents.

Here’s a quick recap:

  • Go to Page Layout → Print Titles.

  • Set your Rows to repeat at top.

  • Confirm via Print Preview.

With this done, your headers will appear on every page automatically — no manual edits, no confusion, and no reprinting mistakes.

✅ Key Takeaways

  • Use Page Layout → Print Titles to repeat header rows in Excel 2013.

  • You can also repeat columns for wide sheets.

  • Always check Print Preview to verify before printing.

  • If the option is greyed out, ungroup sheets.

  • Use absolute references like $1:$1 for reliable results.

❓ FAQs About Repeating Rows in Excel 2013

1. Can I repeat multiple rows at the top of every page?

Yes — just select multiple rows (e.g., $1:$3) when setting up Print Titles.

2. Why is the “Rows to repeat at top” option greyed out?

You likely have multiple worksheets selected. Right-click any tab → Ungroup Sheets → try again.

3. Can I repeat both rows and columns?

Absolutely. You can repeat both top rows and left columns by filling both boxes in the Page Setup dialog.

4. Does this work in all Excel versions?

Yes. The steps are nearly identical in Excel 2010, 2016, 2019, and Microsoft 365 — though the menus might look slightly different.

5. Will it affect my on-screen view?

No. The repeated rows appear only in Print Preview and printed pages — not while viewing or scrolling on-screen.

Now you know everything about how to repeat a row at the top of every page in Excel 2013 — from setup to troubleshooting.

Follow these steps once, and you’ll never waste time guessing which column belongs to which header again!

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