How to Get Rid of Strikethrough in Excel

Why Strikethrough Might Be Applied

Strikethrough is a font effect that draws a line through text. In Excel, it can appear for several reasons beyond a simple manual toggle. A quick explanation helps you decide the right fix. First, the font setting itself could be turned on for the selected cells. Second, a cell style applied to a range might include Strikethrough as part of its formatting rules. Third, Conditional Formatting can enforce text attributes, including Strikethrough, when specific criteria are met. Finally, some users inherit a template or theme where Strikethrough is embedded in a style that propagates to new cells. Understanding the source makes the next steps precise and safe.

If you consistently see Strikethrough across large areas of a worksheet, start by inspecting the source: font settings, cell styles, and any conditional formatting rules. When you identify the origin, you can target the exact control without affecting other formatting in your workbook. In practice, most Strikethrough issues fall into one of these categories: direct font settings, a cell style, or a formatting rule.

Quick Visual Checks: Styles, Fonts, and Formatting

Before making changes, perform a quick audit of how the affected cells are formatted. Check three potential culprits:

• Cell Styles: Look at the Home tab > Cell Styles. If Normal or a named style includes Strikethrough, applying that style to other cells might unintentionally bring back the line.
• Font Settings: With the cells selected, open Font (Ctrl+1 on Windows, Command+1 on Mac) to see if Strikethrough is checked. If it is, uncheck it and reapply a clean font if needed.
• Conditional Formatting: Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules. Rules can set text effects based on data. If a rule applies Strikethrough, modify or delete it.

A quick tip: use the Format Painter to copy a non-strikethrough style to a troublesome range, which ensures consistent appearance across adjacent cells. This audit step helps you avoid applying the wrong fix across a large workbook.

Step-by-Step: Remove Strikethrough via Font Dialog

To disable Strikethrough directly, use the Font dialog to toggle the effect off for the targeted cells. This approach is reliable when the Strikethrough is a direct font attribute rather than a style or rule.

• Select the affected cells.
• Windows: Home tab > Font dialog launcher (or press Ctrl+1) to open the Format Cells dialog. Mac: Format > Cells or press Command+1.
• In the Font tab, clear the Strikethrough checkbox or toggle.
• Click OK to apply.

If the Strikethrough remains after this step, proceed to evaluate cell styles and conditional formatting, as the source may be overlaying the font setting. This ensures you aren’t just masking the symptom but removing the root cause.

Step-by-Step: Clear Formats and Deselect Styles

Sometimes Strikethrough is inherited from a style or a prior formatting pass. Clearing formats or reapplying a neutral style often resolves this without hunting down individual font settings.

• Select the affected range.
• Home > Clear > Clear Formats. This resets font, border, fill, and other basic formats tied to the selection.
• If you rely on a specific style, switch to a neutral option such as Normal or create a clean custom style that excludes Strikethrough.
• Recheck the cells to confirm the Strikethrough is gone.

Note: Clearing formats can affect other attributes (font size, color, alignment). Use this when you want a clean slate but be prepared to reapply essential formatting afterward.

Step-by-Step: Conditional Formatting and Text Effects

Conditional Formatting can enforce Strikethrough under certain data conditions. If you see Strikethrough only in cells that meet a rule, you’ll need to modify or delete that rule.

• Open Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules. View rules in the current worksheet or entire workbook, depending on scope.
• Locate any rule that applies Strikethrough to text and edit it to remove the Strikethrough action, or delete the rule entirely.
• After adjusting, apply to a test range to verify that Strikethrough no longer appears when expected.

If you remove the rule and still see Strikethrough, it may be a font or style issue rather than a rule. Cross-check with Font settings and cell styles as described earlier.

Step-by-Step: Environment-Specific Tips (Windows, Mac, Online)

Excel behavior differs slightly across environments. The most reliable path is to use the Font dialog for direct control, then verify in the platform you plan to use share or present the data in.

• Windows: Use Ctrl+1 to open the Format Cells dialog, then uncheck Strikethrough in the Font tab.
• Mac: Use Command+1 to open the formatting panel, and adjust Strikethrough in the Font tab.
• Excel Online: Access formatting from the Home tab; some advanced font options may appear in a Font dialog-like panel. If the option isn’t visible, applying Clear Formats or reapplying a standard style often solves the issue.

After changes, save and reopen the workbook to ensure consistency across platforms. Collaboration scenarios benefit from testing in each environment your team uses.

Authority Sources and Validation

To verify these steps, consult official guidance and reputable Excel references. The Font dialog, cell styles, and conditional formatting are core concepts covered in Microsoft’s official documentation and widely used Excel resources. Cross-checking across environments helps avoid platform-specific quirks that can reintroduce Strikethrough.

Authority Sources and Validation (Continued)

When you’re unsure about a formatting rule, always review the source of formatting—whether it’s a style, a font setting, or a conditional rule. In practice, most Strikethrough issues stem from one of these areas. For authoritative guidance, refer to official Excel formatting documentation and trusted education resources that discuss font effects, conditional formatting, and style management.