How to Add a Strikethrough in Microsoft Word

When you are editing a document, sometimes you want to show that a certain word or phrase has been removed or is no longer relevant, but you still want the original text to remain visible to the reader. The best way to do this is by adding a strikethrough (a horizontal line drawn directly through the middle of the text).

Adding a strikethrough in Microsoft Word is incredibly simple, and there are a couple of different ways to do it depending on your workflow.

How to Add a Strikethrough Using the Ribbon

The most straightforward method is to use the dedicated button on the Word ribbon.

1. Open your document and use your mouse to highlight the word, sentence, or paragraph you want to cross out.
2. Look at the ribbon at the top of the window and click the Home tab.
3. Locate the Font group (this is where the Bold, Italic, and Underline buttons live).
4. Click the Strikethrough button. The icon looks like the letters “ab” with a line drawn straight through the middle (ab).

The highlighted text will immediately display a strikethrough. If you change your mind and want to remove it, simply highlight the text again and click the exact same button to toggle it off.

How to Add a Double Strikethrough

If a single line isn’t prominent enough, Word also offers a double strikethrough option.

1. Highlight the text you want to cross out.
2. Go to the Home tab and look at the Font group.
3. Click the tiny arrow icon in the bottom right corner of the Font group. This will open the advanced Font dialog box. (Alternatively, press Ctrl + D on Windows or Cmd + D on Mac).
4. In the middle of the window, look for the “Effects” section.
5. Check the box next to Double strikethrough.
6. Click OK.

How to Strikethrough Using a Keyboard Shortcut

Unfortunately, Microsoft Word does not have a default, built-in keyboard shortcut specifically for standard strikethrough. However, you can create one yourself if you use the feature frequently.

1. Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon.
2. Next to “Keyboard shortcuts” at the bottom, click Customize.
3. In the Categories box, select Home Tab.
4. In the Commands box, scroll down and select Strikethrough.
5. Click inside the “Press new shortcut key” box and press the key combination you want to use (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+S).
6. Click Assign, then Close.

Now, whenever you highlight text and press your custom keyboard shortcut, Word will instantly cross the text out, making document editing much faster.