Applying strikethrough formatting in Microsoft Word is a useful way to indicate that certain text is outdated, incorrect, or should be ignored without actually deleting it from the document. This feature is especially handy during collaborative editing or when tracking changes. There are multiple ways to apply strikethrough to text in Word, each with its own benefits.

Use your Ribbon Guide Shortcuts

Select the text that you want to strikethrough.

Press the keys Alt, then H, and then 4 sequentially. This will quickly apply the strikethrough formatting to the selected text using Word’s built-in ribbon shortcuts.

This method is fast and doesn’t require you to use the mouse, making it efficient for frequent use.

Use the Font Dialog Box to Cross Out Text

Highlight the text you wish to strikethrough.

Press Ctrl + D to open the Font dialog box. Alternatively, you can click on the small diagonal arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Font group under the ‘Home’ tab.

In the Font dialog box, check the ‘Strikethrough’ option under the Effects section. Click ‘OK’ or press Enter to apply.

Add Double Strikethrough Using Font Dialog Box

Select the text you want to apply double strikethrough to.

Open the Font dialog box by pressing Ctrl + D.

In the dialog, check the ‘Double strikethrough’ option under the Effects section. Click ‘OK’ or press Enter to apply.

The selected text will now appear with a double line through it, indicating a stronger emphasis on its removal.

Create a Custom Keyboard Shortcut to Strikethrough

Go to the ‘File’ tab in the top-left corner of the Word window.

Click on ‘Options’ at the bottom of the left sidebar to open the Word Options dialog box.

In the Word Options window, select ‘Customize Ribbon’ from the left-hand menu.

At the bottom of the window, click the ‘Customize…’ button next to ‘Keyboard shortcuts’.

In the Customize Keyboard dialog box, under ‘Categories’, select ‘Home Tab’. Then, under ‘Commands’, scroll down and select ‘Strikethrough’.

Click into the ‘Press new shortcut key’ field, and press the keyboard shortcut you wish to assign (e.g., Ctrl + Alt + S). Make sure that the shortcut is not already assigned to another function.

Click ‘Assign’ to set the shortcut, then click ‘Close’ to exit the dialog boxes.

You can now use your custom keyboard shortcut to quickly apply strikethrough formatting to any selected text.

Strike Out Text Using Strikethrough Button from the Ribbon

Select the text you want to strikethrough.

In the ‘Home’ tab, locate the Font group. Click on the ‘Strikethrough’ button, represented by ab or ~~abc~~, to apply the formatting.

This method is straightforward and uses the graphical interface for those who prefer using the mouse.

Click the down arrow on the right side of the Quick Access Toolbar, located at the top of the Word window.

Select ‘More Commands…’ from the dropdown menu to open the Word Options dialog box.

In the Word Options window, under ‘Choose commands from’, select ‘All Commands’ from the dropdown menu.

Scroll through the list of commands, select ‘Strikethrough’, and click the ‘Add >>’ button to add it to the Quick Access Toolbar.

Click ‘OK’ to save the changes.

The ‘Strikethrough’ command will now appear in your Quick Access Toolbar for easy access.

Put a Line Through Text Using Shapes

Go to the ‘Insert’ tab in the Ribbon.

Click on the ‘Shapes’ dropdown in the Illustrations group, and select the ‘Line’ shape under the Lines section.

Draw a line over the text you wish to strikethrough by clicking and dragging the mouse across the text.

This method allows you to customize the appearance of the line. You can adjust the line’s style, color, and width through the ‘Shape Format’ tab.

For example, to change the line’s thickness or color:

Select the line you’ve drawn.

In the ‘Shape Format’ tab, click on ‘Shape Outline’ to adjust the line’s color, weight, or style.

This method is useful when you want to strike through large sections of text or add a visual emphasis.

Utilizing these methods, you can easily apply strikethrough formatting in Microsoft Word to enhance your document editing and collaboration workflow.