How to Apply Double Strikethrough in Microsoft Word

While standard single strikethrough is widely used to denote completed to-do items or proposed text deletions, legal contracts, regulatory filings, financial ledgers, and academic editorial revisions frequently call for double strikethrough formatting. In statutory drafting and professional document redlining, a double horizontal strike often signifies distinct legal implications, such as text struck down by legislative amendments or superseded clauses from previous contractual revisions.

Unlike single strikethrough, which features a prominent toggle icon on the main Home ribbon, double strikethrough is tucked inside Microsoft Word’s Font dialogue box. This tutorial demonstrates how to apply double strikethrough formatting to selected text, assign a custom keyboard shortcut for rapid editing, and remove it when necessary.

How to Apply Double Strikethrough Using the Font Dialogue

To format any word, phrase, or paragraph with a double strike line:

1. Highlight the text you wish to format in your Word document.
2. Ensure the Home tab is selected on the ribbon.
3. In the Font group, click the small Dialogue Box Launcher icon in the bottom-right corner (or press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + D on Windows or Command + D on Mac).
4. In the Font dialogue window, look at the Effects section.
5. Tick the checkbox for Double strikethrough. Notice how the preview pane at the bottom reflects two horizontal lines through your sample text.
6. Click OK to apply the formatting to your document.

How to Assign a Custom Keyboard Shortcut for Double Strikethrough

If you regularly edit legal agreements, parliamentary documents, or compliance transcripts, opening the Font dialogue repeatedly is inefficient. You can assign a direct keyboard shortcut (such as Ctrl + Shift + K or Alt + Shift + D) to toggle double strikethrough instantaneously:

1. In Word on Windows, click File > Options.
2. Select Customise Ribbon from the left sidebar.
3. At the bottom of the window, next to Keyboard shortcuts, click Customise….
4. Under the Categories list on the left, select Home Tab.
5. Under the Commands list on the right, scroll down and click DoubleStrikeThrough.
6. Click inside the Press new shortcut key: field.
7. Press your preferred key combination on your keyboard (for example, press Alt + Shift + D together). Ensure the dialogue confirms Currently assigned to: [unassigned].
8. Click the Assign button in the bottom-left corner, then click Close.

Now, simply highlight any text and press your custom key combination to toggle double strikethrough instantly.

How to Remove Double Strikethrough Formatting

Whenever you need to revert text back to regular typography:

1. Select the struck-through text.
2. Press Ctrl + D (Windows) or Command + D (Mac) to reopen the Font dialogue.
3. Untick the Double strikethrough checkbox under Effects and click OK.
4. Alternatively, highlight the text and press Ctrl + Spacebar to strip all manual character formatting and restore the underlying paragraph style default.