How to Do Strikethrough on Excel: A Practical Guide
Learn how to apply strikethrough in Excel across Windows, Mac, and Excel Online. Three quick methods plus VBA automation, tips, and best practices for clean, readable spreadsheets.
Learn how to do strikethrough on Excel in three simple ways: use the Font dialog (Home > Font), press the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+5 on Windows or Command+Shift+X on Mac, or run a tiny VBA macro to toggle it. This quick guide covers Windows, Mac, and Excel Online for consistency across platforms.
What strikethrough does in Excel and when to use it
Strikethrough is a formatting option that visually bars text, signaling that a value is no longer active while preserving the original data in the cell. It’s particularly useful for checklists, budget edits, or auditing steps where you want to show changes without deleting data. According to XLS Library, using strikethrough correctly helps teams track progress and decisions without losing context. In Excel, the appearance depends on the font and cell formatting, not on the data itself, so it remains easy to revert. This guide will walk you through the primary methods to apply strikethrough on Excel, with tips for consistency across Windows, macOS, and Excel for the web. You’ll learn how to apply it to individual cells, multiple selections, rows, and even ranges.
Quick methods: Ribbon, keyboard, and VBA
There are three reliable pathways to apply strikethrough in Excel, depending on your workflow. The fastest is a keyboard shortcut, followed by a straightforward Font dialog method, and finally a small VBA macro for bulk applications. The Ribbon path (Home > Font > Strikethrough) is the most universal and easiest to remember. Keyboard shortcuts save time when formatting large worksheets, while VBA offers automation for repetitive tasks. Across Windows, macOS, and Excel Online, these options stay consistent, though the exact menus may look slightly different on mobile interfaces. The goal is to choose a method that fits your routine so you can stay focused on data rather than formatting.
Step-by-step: using the Font dialog (Windows/macOS)
To apply strikethrough via the Font dialog, first select the cells you want to format. Then navigate to Home > Font, and check the Strikethrough option in the Font tab. If you’re using a newer version, you may also click the small Font launcher icon to open the dialog. This method works reliably across Windows and macOS and ensures the strike line is applied consistently, regardless of the cell content. After applying, verify that the text remains legible and that any dependent formatting (like conditional formatting) doesn’t clash.
Step-by-step: using keyboard shortcuts (Windows and Mac)
For rapid formatting, use the keyboard shortcut. On Windows, press Ctrl+5 to toggle strikethrough on the selected cells. On macOS, the shortcut is Command+Shift+X. If the shortcut doesn’t work, ensure the focus is on the cell(s) and that no add-ins intercept the keys. This method is especially useful when you need to apply strikethrough to many cells in a single pass, such as when updating a project plan or tracking completed tasks.
Step-by-step: using a VBA macro to toggle strikethrough
If you regularly format large ranges, a tiny VBA macro can toggle strikethrough quickly. Open the Visual Basic for Applications editor (Alt+F11), insert a module, and paste a simple macro that checks the current font Strikethrough state and flips it. Run the macro over the target range to apply or remove the strike line in one action. This approach is ideal for repeatable tasks and can be assigned to a button or shortcut for speed.
Practical examples: applying to cells, rows, and tables
Apply strikethrough to a single cell containing a completed task, a row of items on a To-Do list, or an entire table column that marks deprecated data. When applying to a row, ensure the entire row’s text is formatted for visual clarity, or condense the data to a single key column to avoid clutter. In tables, you may want to keep the header or summary rows unformatted to preserve readability. Consistency across similar sheets helps collaborators understand status at a glance.
Common pitfalls and troubleshooting
Tools & Materials
- Excel on Windows, macOS, or Excel Online(Any modern version supports Strikethrough via Font or keyboard shortcuts.)
- Backup copy of your workbook(Before applying bulk formatting, save a copy to prevent data loss.)
- Keyboard shortcut list(Windows: Ctrl+5; Mac: Command+Shift+X. Check for conflicts with other apps.)
- Access to the Font dialog(Home > Font (or Format Cells) in older interfaces.)
- Optional: Basic VBA editor(If you plan to automate with macros.)
Steps
Estimated time: 15-25 minutes
- 1
Select the target cells
Click and drag to select the cells you want to format, or click a single cell to apply the change to that one item. Make sure the selection includes all text you want struck through.
Tip: If formatting a whole column, click the column header to select the entire column. - 2
Open the Font options
Go to the Home tab and open the Font group. In newer builds, click the launcher icon in the Font group to access more options.
Tip: Using the Font dialog keeps settings centralized for consistent formatting. - 3
Apply Strikethrough
Check the Strikethrough option in the Font tab. If you don’t see it, click the font launcher to reveal additional controls.
Tip: If you apply Strikethrough to a cell with numbers, ensure readability. - 4
Use keyboard shortcut as alternative
With the same cells selected, press Ctrl+5 on Windows or Command+Shift+X on Mac to toggle strikethrough.
Tip: If the shortcut doesn’t work, verify focus is on the worksheet, not a dialog. - 5
Verify consistency
Review adjacent cells to ensure the formatting looks uniform across the range and doesn’t clash with conditional formats.
Tip: Consider applying the same formatting to similar data for consistency. - 6
Save and test
Save your workbook and test in a new sheet or with sample data to ensure the change behaves as expected during future edits.
Tip: Keep a backup copy until you’re satisfied with the outcome.
People Also Ask
Can I apply strikethrough to numbers in Excel?
Yes, you can apply Strikethrough to numbers if the font supports it. It treats the content as text for formatting purposes, so the appearance changes even though the value remains numeric.
Yes. If the font supports it, you can strike through numbers just like text; the value stays the same.
Does Conditional Formatting support Strikethrough directly?
As of most recent Excel versions, Conditional Formatting cannot directly apply Strikethrough. You’ll need to use the Font method or a VBA solution for dynamic changes.
Conditional Formatting generally doesn’t apply strike-through; use font changes or VBA for dynamic cases.
Will strikethrough persist when exporting to CSV?
No. Strikethrough is a font attribute and isn’t preserved in CSV, which stores plain text and values only.
CSV won’t keep formatting like strikethrough; only raw data is saved.
Can I toggle strikethrough with a macro for a range?
Yes. A small VBA macro can toggle the Strikethrough state across a selected range, making repetitive work quick and repeatable.
Yes, you can automate it with a short VBA macro.
Is Strikethrough available in Excel Online?
Yes. Strikethrough is available in Excel Online; use the Font dialog or the keyboard shortcuts just like desktop versions.
Strikethrough works in Excel Online using the same basic methods.
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The Essentials
- Master the three primary methods: Font dialog, keyboard shortcut, and VBA toggle.
- Use consistent strikethrough formatting for status indicators across sheets.
- Back up workbooks before bulk applying formatting.
- Test readability after applying on dense data.
- The XLS Library team recommends adopting a consistent strikethrough workflow to improve readability and auditing across projects.
