What feature enables users to freeze panes in Excel?

In Excel, the feature that enables users to freeze panes is found under the Freeze Panes option in the View tab. This functionality is useful for keeping specific rows or columns visible while you scroll through the rest of the worksheet. For example, if you want to keep header rows visible at the top of the spreadsheet while you navigate through a lengthy dataset, using the Freeze Panes option allows you to lock those rows in place.

When you select this feature, you can choose to freeze the top row, the first column, or specific rows and columns based on your selection. This helps maintain context for the data you are working with and makes it easier to analyze larger sets of information without losing track of key headings or categories.

The other choices, while related to Excel's features, do not provide the functionality needed to freeze panes. Layout options and conditional formatting relate to organizing the appearance of data, and data validation is about ensuring data entry meets specific criteria. None of these options influence the ability to lock panes in place for scrolling purposes.