Strikethrough formatting draws a horizontal line through selected text without deleting it. It is one of the most useful formatting tools for marking completed tasks, tracking document changes, and signaling edits during collaboration. The fastest way to apply it is through a keyboard shortcut — and every major app has its own combination. This guide covers every strikethrough shortcut you need, organized by application, so you can stop hunting through menus.
Quick Reference: Strikethrough Shortcuts by App
Before diving into the details, here is a fast overview of every strikethrough shortcut covered in this guide.
- Microsoft Word (Windows): Alt + H + 4 (sequential, not simultaneous) or Ctrl + D, then Alt + K
- Microsoft Word (Mac): Command + Shift + X
- Microsoft Excel (Windows & Mac): Ctrl + 5
- Microsoft PowerPoint (Windows): Alt + H + 4
- Microsoft PowerPoint (Mac): Command + T, then click Strikethrough
- Microsoft Outlook (Windows): No built-in shortcut — use Ctrl + D, then Alt + K, then Enter, or create a custom shortcut
- Microsoft Outlook (Mac): Command + T, then click Strikethrough
- Google Docs, Sheets, Slides (Windows): Alt + Shift + 5
- Google Docs, Sheets, Slides (Mac): Command + Shift + X
- Gmail (Windows): Alt + Shift + 5
- Gmail (Mac): Command + Shift + X
- Slack (Windows/Linux): Ctrl + Shift + X
- Slack (Mac): Command + Shift + X
- Microsoft OneNote: Ctrl + Hyphen (-)
- WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger: Wrap text in single tildes — ~text~
- Discord: Wrap text in double tildes — ~~text~~
Strikethrough Shortcut in Microsoft Word
Word on Windows has two shortcut methods. The most direct is the ribbon sequence: select your text, press Alt, then H, then 4. These are sequential key presses, not a simultaneous combination — press and release each key one after the other. This navigates through the Home tab ribbon and applies strikethrough instantly.
The second method uses the Font dialog box. Select your text, press Ctrl + D to open the Font dialog, then press Alt + K to check the Strikethrough checkbox, and hit Enter to apply. This method takes a few extra steps but also gives you access to double strikethrough — which draws two parallel lines through the text instead of one. Users who regularly need to create and update documents in Microsoft Word will find the Font dialog method useful for applying multiple formatting changes in a single step.
On Mac, Word uses Command + Shift + X as a direct toggle shortcut. Select your text and press the combination once to apply strikethrough, and again to remove it. If you prefer the dialog route on Mac, Command + D opens the Font dialog — but unlike Windows, there is no keyboard navigation inside it, so you will need to click the checkbox with your mouse.
To remove all strikethrough formatting from selected text in Word on Windows without reopening any menu, press Ctrl + Spacebar. This resets the text to the document’s default character formatting, clearing strikethrough along with any other manual formatting that has been applied.
Strikethrough Shortcut in Microsoft Excel
Excel is one of the few Microsoft applications that uses the same shortcut across both Windows and Mac: Ctrl + 5. Select the cell or cells you want to format, press Ctrl + 5, and strikethrough is applied immediately. Press it again to toggle it off. This consistency makes Excel the easiest Office application to learn for strikethrough, regardless of which platform you are on.
If you need to strikethrough only part of the text inside a cell, double-click the cell to enter edit mode, then select only the specific characters you want to cross out before pressing Ctrl + 5. This applies the strikethrough to the selected portion only, leaving the rest of the cell content unchanged. Those who need a broader look at formatting cells in Microsoft Excel will find additional font and style controls in the same Format Cells dialog covered below.
For users who prefer the dialog method, Ctrl + 1 (Windows) or Command + 1 (Mac) opens the Format Cells dialog. Navigate to the Font tab and check the Strikethrough option. Note that Excel Online — the browser-based version — does not support the Ctrl + 5 shortcut and requires using the Format Cells menu manually.
Strikethrough Shortcut in Microsoft PowerPoint
PowerPoint on Windows uses the same ribbon shortcut as Word: Alt + H + 4. Select the text inside your text box or shape, press Alt, then H, then 4 in sequence. This applies strikethrough directly without opening any dialog. The sequential nature means you do not need to hold all keys at once, making it easier to execute reliably during fast editing sessions.
On Mac, PowerPoint does not support a direct keyboard shortcut for strikethrough. Instead, press Command + T to open the Font dialog, then click the Strikethrough checkbox and click OK. While this adds a manual step compared to Windows, the Font dialog gives you a full view of all font effects available for the selected text.
Strikethrough Shortcut in Microsoft Outlook
Outlook is the trickiest Microsoft application for strikethrough. The new version of Outlook does not include a built-in keyboard shortcut for it. The most reliable approach in classic Outlook on Windows is to use the Font dialog: while composing an email, select your text, press Ctrl + D to open the Font dialog, then press Alt + K to check Strikethrough, and hit Enter to apply.
If you use Outlook frequently and need a faster method, you can create a custom keyboard shortcut for strikethrough in Outlook through the Customize Keyboard feature. While composing an email, click inside the message body, press Ctrl + Alt + the plus key on your numpad, tick the Strikethrough checkbox, and assign your preferred key combination. Your custom shortcut will then be available in all future Outlook sessions.
On Mac, Outlook follows the same pattern as PowerPoint: press Command + T to open the Font dialog, click Strikethrough, and click OK.
Strikethrough Shortcut in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
Google Workspace maintains excellent consistency across all its applications. The same shortcut works in Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides — so you only need to remember one combination per operating system.
On Windows, select your text and press Alt + Shift + 5. On Mac, the shortcut is Command + Shift + X. Both combinations toggle strikethrough on and off. If the Mac shortcut does not work, a browser extension conflict is the most likely cause — try disabling extensions temporarily or using an incognito window to confirm. You can also apply strikethrough through the menu at any time: go to Format, then Text, then Strikethrough.
For Google Sheets specifically, if you want to strikethrough only part of the text within a cell, double-click the cell to enter edit mode, select the specific characters, and then apply the shortcut.
Strikethrough Shortcut in Gmail
Gmail uses the same shortcuts as the rest of Google Workspace. On Windows, press Alt + Shift + 5 on selected text in your compose window. On Mac, use Command + Shift + X. If you prefer a visual approach, click the formatting button at the bottom of the compose window — it appears as an underlined A — and click the strikethrough icon from the toolbar that appears.
Strikethrough in Slack, WhatsApp, Discord, and Messaging Apps
Messaging platforms handle strikethrough through keyboard shortcuts or text markup rather than traditional menus.
In Slack, press Ctrl + Shift + X on Windows or Linux, or Command + Shift + X on Mac. Slack also supports tilde markup: wrap your text in single tildes — ~like this~ — and Slack applies strikethrough when the message is sent. WhatsApp uses the same single-tilde approach: ~text~. Facebook Messenger works identically. Discord requires double tildes: ~~text~~ renders as strikethrough in Discord messages.
For Microsoft OneNote, the shortcut is Ctrl + Hyphen (-). This is distinct from every other Office application, so it is worth noting separately if you use OneNote for note-taking alongside Word or Excel.
How to Create a Custom Strikethrough Shortcut
If you work in an application that lacks a direct strikethrough shortcut, both Windows and Mac allow you to create custom assignments. Users who rely heavily on essential Mac and Windows shortcuts across their workflow will benefit from aligning strikethrough keys consistently across all their tools.
In Microsoft Word on Windows, go to File, then Options, then Customize Ribbon, and click Keyboard Shortcuts at the bottom. Find the Strikethrough command, click in the Press New Shortcut Key field, press your desired combination, and click Assign. Good options include Ctrl + Shift + S or Alt + S if neither is already assigned.
On Mac, open System Settings, go to Keyboard, select Keyboard Shortcuts, click App Shortcuts, and press the plus button. Choose your target application, type Strikethrough exactly as it appears in the app’s Format or Font menu, and press your desired key combination. This works for apps like Notes, Pages, and others without built-in strikethrough shortcuts.
Strikethrough Shortcuts Compared to Other Text Formatting
Strikethrough sits alongside bold, italic, and underline as one of the core character formatting effects. Unlike those three, it has no consistent universal shortcut — bold is reliably Ctrl + B or Command + B across nearly every application, while strikethrough varies significantly. This makes it worth spending a few minutes learning platform-specific combinations rather than assuming the shortcut carries over. Users who also need to know how to italicize text across different applications will notice a similar pattern: Google Workspace and most desktop apps use Ctrl + I or Command + I for italic, which is far more standardized than strikethrough.
The practical takeaway is to memorize two shortcuts first: Ctrl + 5 for Excel (works on both platforms), and Alt + Shift + 5 for all Google Workspace apps on Windows. Those two cover a large portion of everyday strikethrough use cases. From there, add the platform-specific Word and Slack shortcuts as your workflow demands.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the universal strikethrough shortcut?
There is no single shortcut that works across all applications. On Mac, Command + Shift + X comes closest — it works in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Slack. On Windows, there is no cross-application standard: Excel uses Ctrl + 5, Word uses Alt + H + 4, and Google Workspace uses Alt + Shift + 5.
Why is my strikethrough shortcut not working?
The most common cause is a shortcut conflict with a browser extension or system utility. Try disabling extensions temporarily, or test in an incognito window. In Google Docs on Mac, a Chrome extension is usually the culprit when Command + Shift + X fails. You can always apply strikethrough through Format > Text > Strikethrough as a fallback.
Does Excel have a strikethrough shortcut on Mac?
Yes. Ctrl + 5 works on both Windows and Mac in Excel — it is one of the only Microsoft Office shortcuts that is genuinely identical across both platforms.
Can I apply strikethrough to part of an Excel cell?
Yes. Double-click the cell to enter edit mode, select only the specific characters you want to format, then press Ctrl + 5. The strikethrough applies to the selection only, leaving the rest of the cell content unaffected.
How do I strikethrough text in WhatsApp?
Wrap your text in single tilde characters — ~your text here~ — and WhatsApp renders it with a strikethrough line when the message is sent. This works on both the mobile app and WhatsApp Web. There is no keyboard shortcut for strikethrough in WhatsApp.
Is there a strikethrough shortcut in Outlook?
Classic Outlook on Windows does not have a default shortcut, but you can apply strikethrough through the Font dialog using Ctrl + D, then Alt + K, then Enter. The new version of Outlook currently lacks a built-in strikethrough shortcut. You can create a custom shortcut in classic Outlook using the Customize Keyboard feature.
