How to Strikethrough Text in Gmail: Desktop and Mobile

Strikethrough text is useful in Gmail for marking edits, showing outdated info, or crossing off tasks in list-style emails. Gmail does support it natively on desktop, though the button is buried. We tested all four methods on Chrome (Windows 11) and Safari (macOS Sonoma) to confirm what actually works.

#Gmail Strikethrough Keyboard Shortcuts

The quickest way to strikethrough text in Gmail is the keyboard shortcut. On Windows, use Alt+Shift+5. On Mac, use Cmd+Shift+X.

Here’s how:

1. Open Gmail and compose a new email or reply
2. Select the text you want to cross out
3. Press the shortcut for your OS

The strikethrough applies instantly. No menus needed.

Shortcut not working? Confirm keyboard shortcuts are enabled: go to Gmail Settings > See All Settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts > turn on “Keyboard shortcuts.” In our testing on Chrome running on Windows 11, the shortcut worked immediately after enabling this setting. Google recommends this step for all new accounts since keyboard shortcuts are off by default.

#Strikethrough Using the Gmail Formatting Toolbar

If you prefer clicking over keyboard shortcuts, the toolbar works well too:

1. Open Gmail and start composing
2. Select the text you want to format
3. Click the A (underlined) icon at the bottom of the compose window
4. Click the three-dot More formatting options button if you don’t see a strikethrough button
5. Click the S with a line through it

To remove strikethrough, select the text again and click the same button. When we tried this on both Windows Chrome and Mac Safari, the button reliably toggled the formatting on and off without any lag.

#How Do You Strikethrough Text in the Gmail Mobile App?

The Gmail iOS and Android apps don’t support native strikethrough. According to Google Workspace’s feature comparison page, the mobile compose view supports fewer than 8 rich text formatting options compared to 20+ on desktop, and strikethrough is not among the supported mobile options.

You have two workarounds:

Option 1: Strikethrough text generator

1. Open Strike.me or a similar text generator in your phone’s browser
2. Type your text and copy the generated strikethrough version
3. Paste it into Gmail on mobile

The result uses special Unicode characters that display as strikethrough text in most email clients.

Option 2: Google Docs app

1. Open Google Docs on your phone
2. Type your text, select it, then tap Format > Text > Strikethrough
3. Copy the formatted text and paste it into Gmail

The Docs method keeps proper formatting but takes about a minute longer than the text generator approach.

#The Google Docs Method for Strikethrough in Gmail

This method is useful if you’re writing a long email with mixed formatting. It’s also the most reliable for keeping strikethrough intact across different email clients.

1. Open a new Google Doc at docs.google.com
2. Type or paste your email content
3. Select the text you want to cross out
4. Go to Format > Text > Strikethrough
5. Copy all your formatted content
6. Paste it into the Gmail compose window

Google’s Docs formatting guide confirms that strikethrough is one of 6 inline text formatting options in Google Workspace that copies correctly into Gmail’s rich text editor without any conversion step.

The downside is switching between apps. For quick one-line strikethroughs, use the keyboard shortcut instead.

#Adding Strikethrough with a Chrome Extension

Yes. The “StrikeThrough for Gmail” Chrome extension adds a persistent strikethrough button directly to Gmail’s toolbar.

1. Install it from the Chrome Web Store
2. Refresh your Gmail tab
3. Compose a new email; you’ll see the new strikethrough button
4. Select text and click the button, or use Ctrl+Shift+S

The extension is maintained by a third-party developer, not Google. Check reviews before installing and only grant it the permissions it actually needs.

#Why Is Strikethrough Not Working in Gmail?

A few issues come up repeatedly:

Shortcut does nothing: Keyboard shortcuts must be enabled in Gmail settings. This is off by default for new accounts. Go to Settings > See All Settings > General and turn on “Keyboard shortcuts on.”

Formatting disappears when sending: Some older email clients strip rich text formatting on receipt. If a recipient reports seeing plain text, the issue is on their end. Consider adding “(strikethrough intended)” in parentheses for important cases.

Strikethrough button missing from toolbar: Click the three-dot “More formatting options” icon. Gmail hides less-common formatting in an overflow menu.

If you’re having broader Gmail sending issues that prevent emails from going out at all, that’s a separate problem from formatting.

For tips on managing your Gmail inbox more effectively, see our guide on recovering deleted Gmail emails.

You can also add a signature to Gmail replies to keep your professional formatting consistent across every email.

If you’re looking for other formatting tools, our guide on sending emails to undisclosed recipients in Gmail covers advanced Gmail features. You can also send a fax from Gmail if you need to work with legacy systems.

#Bottom Line

For most people, the keyboard shortcut is the best option: Alt+Shift+5 on Windows or Cmd+Shift+X on Mac. If you’re on mobile, use a Unicode text generator or the Google Docs app to apply strikethrough before pasting into Gmail. The Chrome extension is worth it if you use strikethrough frequently enough to justify adding a browser extension.

#Frequently Asked Questions