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How to Add Strikethrough Text in Word

Tap each step to see how to add strikethrough formatting to text in Word.

  1. Select the text you want to strike through

    Drag to select the text you want to mark as struck through.

  2. Find the strikethrough icon in the "Home" tab

    Look in the "Font" group of the "Home" tab for the icon showing an "abc" with a line through the middle.

  3. Click the icon

    Clicking it applies strikethrough to the selected text immediately.

  4. You can also apply it another way

    If the icon isn't visible on the ribbon, open the Font dialog box (Ctrl+D) and check the "Strikethrough" box instead.

  5. Why it helps

    It's useful for marking sections to be deleted while reviewing a document, or for crossing off items on a completed to-do list.

Strikethrough versus Track Changes

Manually applying strikethrough is a permanent formatting choice β€” the line stays until you remove it yourself, and there's no separate record of who added it or when. If you're reviewing a shared document and want changes to be tracked, attributed, and reversible, turning on Track Changes is a better fit, since it automatically shows deleted text with a strikethrough that can later be accepted or rejected.

It works well as a personal productivity marker

Beyond editing, applying strikethrough to a line on a checklist or task list gives a quick, visual sense of what's already done without deleting the text entirely, which keeps a record of everything that was on the list originally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove strikethrough formatting after applying it?

Yes. Select the same text and click the strikethrough icon again, or uncheck "Strikethrough" in the Font dialog box, to remove it.

Is there a keyboard shortcut to apply strikethrough directly, without opening a menu?

Word doesn't assign a default single-key shortcut to strikethrough, but you can open the Font dialog with Ctrl+D and check the box, or assign your own custom shortcut through Word's keyboard customization settings.