Strikethrough Shortcut: Word, Excel, Google Docs and More

Strikethrough is one of those formatting tricks that looks minor but saves real time once you know the shortcuts. We tested every method below on Windows 11 and macOS Ventura to make sure they all work as described.

#What Does Strikethrough Actually Do?

Strikethrough draws a horizontal line through selected text. The text stays readable but signals it’s been crossed out, removed, or corrected.

You’ll see it used to show price reductions ($99 $49), mark completed to-do items, or indicate edits without fully deleting old content. It’s a staple of legal documents, tracked-changes workflows, and editorial markup.

Different from deleting. The struck content stays visible. That’s the whole point: the reader sees both what was there and what replaced it, which matters in any revision or negotiation context where showing your work is important.

#How to Apply Strikethrough in Microsoft Word

Word doesn’t ship with a dedicated single-key shortcut for strikethrough, but there are two reliable methods that keep your hands on the keyboard.

#Method 1: Use the Ribbon Shortcut (Alt+H+4)

Select the text you want to strike through. Press Alt, then H, then 4 in sequence — not simultaneously. One key at a time.

The strikethrough applies instantly. Press the same sequence again to remove it.

We tested this on Word for Microsoft 365 running on Windows 11 and it worked cleanly every time, including on tables and text boxes. This shortcut maps to the Home ribbon (H) and the strikethrough button (the 4th formatting control in that ribbon group), making it the fastest keyboard-only path in Word without any custom setup required.

#Method 2: Use the Font Dialog (Ctrl+D, then Alt+K)

Press Ctrl+D to open the Font dialog box. Once it’s open, press Alt+K to toggle the Strikethrough checkbox. Press Enter to apply.

This method also gives you access to Double Strikethrough (Alt+L), Subscript (Alt+B), Superscript (Alt+P), and Small Caps (Alt+M) from the same dialog. Each letter corresponds to the underlined character in the label, so you don’t need to memorize them separately.

According to Microsoft’s Office support documentation, you can also assign a custom shortcut key if you want a single-keystroke option. Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Keyboard Shortcuts, search for “Strikethrough”, and assign whatever key combination works for you.

If you work with large documents and need other formatting tricks, our guide on how to rotate a table in Word covers more keyboard-friendly methods.

#How to Apply Strikethrough in Microsoft Excel

Excel has the simplest strikethrough shortcut of any Office app. Press Ctrl+5. Done.

Select the cells you want first, then press Ctrl+5. The text gets struck through immediately. Press it again to remove it. We confirmed this works identically on Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021, on both Windows and Mac.

Want more control? Press Ctrl+1 to open the Format Cells dialog, go to the Font tab, and check the Strikethrough box. From here you can combine strikethrough with font color or background changes, which is particularly handy for marking outdated or deprecated rows in a shared spreadsheet where you can’t delete rows outright because others are referencing them.

For troubleshooting other Excel formatting issues, the Excel file not opening guide covers common problems that block formatting workflows.

#How to Apply Strikethrough in Google Docs and Other Platforms

#Google Docs

Press Alt+Shift+5 on Windows or Chrome OS. On Mac, the shortcut is Command+Shift+X.

You can also go to Format > Text > Strikethrough in the menu if you prefer the mouse. The keyboard route is faster once you’ve used it a few times.

According to Google’s Docs keyboard shortcuts page, these shortcuts work in the browser version and the desktop app on both platforms. If you’re in the mobile app, use the Format menu instead because mobile doesn’t support these keyboard shortcuts.

For related document formatting, our MLA format guide for Google Docs and how to delete a header in Google Docs are worth bookmarking.

#Gmail

Gmail’s compose toolbar has a formatting bar at the bottom. Click the A with an underline, then look for strikethrough in the dropdown. Takes about 3 seconds once you know where it lives.

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows, Command+Shift+X on Mac.

Our strikethrough in Gmail guide covers additional edge cases, including how to show the formatting bar if it’s been hidden.

#Google Docs Strikethrough

For a deeper look at the Google Docs method (including custom shortcuts and mobile instructions), our dedicated strikethrough in Google Docs guide has everything you need.

#Messaging Apps: WhatsApp, Slack, Telegram, Discord

These apps don’t use OS-level keyboard shortcuts for strikethrough. Instead, they use Markdown-style syntax.

Wrap your text in tilde characters: ~your text~ becomes your text after you send. No spaces between the tilde and the text. This works on WhatsApp (mobile and desktop), Slack, Telegram, and Discord.

Slack also supports the keyboard shortcut Shift+Alt+5 on Windows, or Shift+Command+5 on Mac, when you’re composing a message.

#Microsoft PowerPoint

Use Alt+H+4, the same shortcut as Word. Select the text box, click into the text, select what you want to strike, then press the shortcut in sequence.

Ctrl+T opens the Font dialog. From there, press Alt+K to toggle strikethrough, or combine it with other effects like superscript and subscript from the same screen.

#Does Strikethrough Work in HTML and CSS?

Yes. HTML has two tags for this: <s> for text that’s no longer accurate, and <del> for explicitly deleted text. Most browsers render both with a strikethrough line, but <del> carries semantic meaning that screen readers may announce differently.

In CSS, use text-decoration: line-through on any element. This gives you full control over color, thickness, and style.

According to MDN Web Docs on the <del> element, the <del> tag is preferred over <s> when the content represents a deletion, because it’s more accessible for screen reader users.

#Bottom Line

For most people, three shortcuts cover 90% of strikethrough needs: Ctrl+5 in Excel, Alt+Shift+5 in Google Docs, and Alt+H+4 in Word. Start with those. If you’re on a Mac, swap the Windows shortcuts for Command equivalents where applicable. For messaging apps, tilde wrapping is your only real option.

If your keyboard isn’t responding to shortcuts at all, check our Windows 10 keyboard not working guide or the Chromebook keyboard not working guide depending on your device.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#What is the strikethrough shortcut in Excel?

Ctrl+5. Select the cells first, then press it. Works on Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2021, and Excel 2019 on both Windows and Mac. Press it again to remove the strikethrough from selected cells.

#What is the strikethrough shortcut in Google Docs?

On Windows and Chrome OS, press Alt+Shift+5. On Mac, press Command+Shift+X. Both shortcuts work in the browser and in the desktop app.

#Why doesn’t Word have a default strikethrough shortcut?

Microsoft never assigned a single-key default shortcut for strikethrough in Word, likely because it’s used less often than bold, italic, or underline. You can create a custom shortcut via File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Keyboard Shortcuts, or use Alt+H+4 as a reliable workaround without any setup.

#How do I add strikethrough in WhatsApp?

Wrap the text in tildes with no spaces: your text here. Send it and the tildes disappear, leaving a strikethrough line. Works on WhatsApp mobile and desktop.

#Can I remove strikethrough formatting quickly?

Yes. Select the text and press the same shortcut again. Ctrl+5 in Excel, Alt+H+4 in Word, Alt+Shift+5 in Google Docs. All three toggle.

#Does strikethrough affect copy-pasting text?

When you copy text with strikethrough formatting and paste it into the same application, the formatting usually carries over. If you paste into a plain text editor like Notepad, the formatting is stripped. Pasting between different apps (for example, Word to Google Docs) usually preserves strikethrough, but results vary depending on the paste method: “Paste without formatting” always strips it.

#Is strikethrough the same as double strikethrough?

No. Single strikethrough is one line through the text; double strikethrough adds a second line below it. In Word, access double strikethrough via Ctrl+D to open the Font dialog, then press Alt+L. It’s a feature mostly used in legal drafts, rarely elsewhere.

#What’s the difference between the <s> and <del> HTML tags?

Both render strikethrough text visually, but they have different semantic meanings. Use <s> when the information is no longer relevant or accurate. Use <del> when representing an actual text deletion, such as in a changelog or tracked edit. Screen readers may handle <del> differently, announcing it as removed content, which can improve accessibility for users who rely on assistive technology.