How to Strikethrough Text in Word

Get a detailed look at MS Word’s strikethrough feature. Our guide covers different ways to access and use the tool to cross out your text with a line. We show you how to use the built-in feature through the MS Word ribbon, the font editor, and as a shortcut.

When collaborating around documents, sometimes you need to show the text you want to delete rather than take it out altogether. That's where the strikethrough feature in Microsoft Word comes in.

In MS Word, a strikethrough is the digital equivalent of crossing out text on a physical page with a pen. And in this guide, we're exploring how to get the task done.

You’ll learn to cross out your text and format it with a strikethrough in Word. Get steps on how to strikethrough text by:

• Using the Microsoft ribbon toolbar
• Using the Microsoft Font editor
• Using shortcuts in Microsoft Word
• Using an online tool

On top of the above methods, we’ll also have some handy tips and practical advice throughout. So, let’s get started!

Why strikethrough text?

The first bit of advice we’re covering is what situations call for a strike through on your text versus a complete deletion of a word. Some examples:

• Marking research papers
• Making revisions in manuscripts
• Reviewing business contracts and official agreements
• Showing others which outdated details need to be removed
• Removing text for tightening up content in paragraphs and sections

Using a strikethrough on your text has several advantages. It can help your team members understand updates more clearly and track changes and edits easily.

Striking through text can also prevent confusion between old and new content, especially with documents being constantly updated or revised. It can help you reference or restore text later.

Ready to edit and collaborate more effectively? Follow the sections below to cross out text in MS Word.

How to strikethrough text in MS Word

The first most common way to strikethrough in Word is to use the command from the MS Word ribbon toolbar. Follow the steps below:

1. Open your document in MS Word.

2. Highlight the text you want to strike through. If you wish to strike through multiple words or lines at a single time, press and hold down the CRTL button while you click and highlight your text.

3. Click the strikethrough button on the toolbar. A line should then appear through your highlighted text. 

Note that in step two, when you highlight text a hover context menu also appears with commands from the Font menu, including the strike through command, which you can use for quick access.

Expert Tip #1: If you made a mistake and need to remove your strikethrough, simply highlight your crossed out text and click on the strike through command to remove it.

Expert Tip#2: Wondering how to delete strikethrough text in word? Use the Find and Replace function to delete all the text that’s been crossed out in the document.

1. In the Home tab, go to Editing > Find > Advanced Find...

2. Then with the selection in the Find what field active, click on Format > Font. Check the box for Strikethrough. Click on OK.

3. In the Replace tab, leave the Replace with field blank. Click on Replace All.

Strikethrough text with MS Word font editor

Another common option to start adding strike through lines to your text is to use the Font editor.

1. Open your Word document.

2. Highlight the text you wish to strike through.

3. Go to the Home tab and in the font section, click on the small arrow in the bottom right-hand corner.

4. Check the Strikethrough box. Click on OK.

Here you can also select to use the double strike through option to apply two lines instead of one to cross through text.

Expert Tip: After highlighting your text, use the following keyboard shortcuts for the Font Editor to quickly apply a strike through:

CTRL + D > ALT + K >Enter

Use ALT + L instead of ALT + K if you want to you use the double strikethrough instead. 

Strikethrough text using shortcuts in Word

If you’re constantly editing textual content, there are other ways you can call up the Word strike through tool quickly and more effectively. Depending on how you work, you have a few options:

Use the Quick Access menu to strike through text 

If you like to work with the ribbon tucked away with just the tabs visible, you can add the Strikethrough command to your Quick Access toolbar menu, so it’s always at your fingertips. 

Simply right click on the Strikethrough button and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar. You’ll then be able to quickly highlight your text, click on the tool, and strikethrough your text. 

Create your own strikethrough keyboard shortcut

You can also create your own Word strikethrough shortcut, so you don’t have to reach up to access the feature.

You can assign a keyboard shortcut through the Options menu. Microsoft has a detailed guide to direct you on turning any command on the ribbon into a shortcut.

Strikethrough text online with Xodo

If you’re editing text in Word because you converted the content from a PDF document, the good news is that you can apply strikethroughs onto your text directly on a PDF page.

You don’t need to convert and extract the text first to work with it. All you need is an online tool like Xodo. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Xodo’s PDF Annotator tool.

2. Upload your PDF.

3. Ensure that the Strikeout tool in the toolbar is selected.

4. Highlight the text you wish to strike through.

If you need to add a note as you cross out your text, you can add a comment to any strikethrough you add.

You can also customize your strikethrough lines. Choose the colour, stroke width, and opacity of your lines, and save up to 4 presets to colour code your revisions.

5. Once you’re done crossing out the necessary text, save the file to your device by clicking on Download or save it to your cloud storage.

A bonus is that Xodo is cross-compatible, so you can strike through text on your mobile device.

Install either the Android app or iOS app. You'll be able to access the annotator tool and cross out text directly on your PDF.

Streamline your document editing workflow for good

Whether you use the Strikethrough option through the MS Word ribbon, the font editor, or as a shortcut, the tool can help you edit your Word documents more effectively.

You can get even more efficient by simply leveraging Xodo online to strike through PDF text even before converting it to MS Word.

And the good news is that Xodo has plenty of other advanced features to enhance how you work - from PDF editing and conversion to PDF form filling and signing.

Start streamlining your digital document workflow even further - check out Xodo today!