How to Strikethrough in Excel: Step-by-Step Tutorial (2026)

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut Ctrl + 5 (Fastest)

The strikethrough shortcut is the single fastest way to apply or remove the strikethrough effect in Excel. Press Ctrl 5 to toggle it on, and press it again to toggle it off.

1. Click the cell or select the range of cells where you want to apply strikethrough. For example, select B4 in the task list to mark a completed task.

2. Press Ctrl + 5 on Windows. On Mac, press Command + Shift + X (command shift x), which is the mac shortcut for strikethrough. On some Excel versions for Mac, Ctrl + 5 also works the same way.

3. The strikethrough effect appears immediately across all selected cells.

To apply strikethrough to multiple cells at once, select the entire range first (for example, B4:B8) and then press Ctrl + 5. The keyboard shortcut applies to all selected cells simultaneously. In the screenshot below, cells B4 through B6 show strikethrough text after pressing Ctrl + 5, while B7 and B8 remain unformatted.

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Applying to non-adjacent cells: To apply strikethrough to multiple non-adjacent excel cells in one step, select non adjacent cells by holding the Ctrl key while clicking each cell you want to format. Once all cells are selected, press Ctrl + 5 and the strikethrough shortcut applies to all of them at once. This is the most efficient way to select non-adjacent cells and format them in a single action without repeating the process for each cell.

Removing strikethrough with the same shortcut: Press Ctrl 5 again on any cell that already has the strikethrough effect and it removes it immediately. The same shortcut toggles the formatting on and off, so you never need a separate step to remove strikethrough.

Method 2: Apply Strikethrough Using the Format Cells Dialog Box

The format cells dialog box gives you access to strikethrough alongside every other font formatting option in one place. This is the most common way to apply strikethrough formatting when you are also making other changes to the cell appearance at the same time.

1. Select the cell or cells where you want to apply strikethrough formatting.

2. Press Ctrl + 1 on Windows (or Command + 1 on Mac) to open the format cells dialog box. You can also right click the selected cells and choose Format Cells from the right click menu.

3. In the format cells dialog box, click the Font tab at the top.

4. In the font section, look for the Effects group. You will see a checkbox labeled Strikethrough box. Tick it.

5. Click OK.

The strikethrough effect is applied to all selected cells. The font tab also shows a preview of what the text will look like with strikethrough before you click OK, so you can verify the result before confirming. In the screenshot below, the Format Cells dialog box is open on the Font tab with the Strikethrough checkbox ticked and the preview showing a horizontal line through the sample text.

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When to use this over the shortcut: The format cells dialog box approach is best when you want to apply strikethrough at the same time as other formatting changes, such as changing the font color, font size, or adding bold formatting. Opening the dialog once and applying everything in a single step is faster than pressing multiple separate shortcuts.

Context menu path: You can also open the format cells dialog box by right-clicking the selected cells and choosing Format Cells from the context menu that appears. Once the dialog is open, follow the same steps above through the font tab.

Method 3: Add a Strikethrough Button to the Quick Access Toolbar

Excel does not show a dedicated strikethrough button anywhere on the excel ribbon by default, but you can add one to the Quick Access Toolbar so it is always visible and accessible with a single click. Once the strikethrough button is added, you can apply the formatting to selected cells without opening any dialog or remembering any shortcut.

1. Click the small dropdown arrow at the right end of the Quick Access Toolbar (at the top of the Excel window).

2. Select More Commands from the dropdown.

3. In the Excel Options dialog that opens, change the "Choose commands from" dropdown to All Commands.

4. Scroll through the list to find the Strikethrough option. You can type "stri" in the search box if one is available to jump to it faster. Select strikethrough from the list by clicking it once.

5. Click the Add button to move it to the Quick Access Toolbar list on the right.

6. Click OK.

The strikethrough icon now appears in the Quick Access Toolbar at the top of the screen. Select any cell or range and click the strikethrough button to apply the strikethrough effect instantly. In the screenshot below, the strikethrough button appears in the Quick Access Toolbar next to the save and undo buttons, highlighted with a box to indicate it has been added successfully.

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Creating a custom group on the ribbon: If you prefer to have the strikethrough button on the excel ribbon itself rather than the Quick Access Toolbar, go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon. Create a newly created group under the Home tab or any other tab, name it something like "Text Effects," then add the Strikethrough command to that custom group. The strikethrough button will appear in the font group area of the ribbon in the custom group you created.

Method 4: Apply Strikethrough with Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting in Excel lets you apply strikethrough automatically when a cell meets a specific condition, without manually formatting each cell. This is particularly useful for to do lists, project trackers, and any worksheet where the completion status is tracked in a separate column. Developers who apply this in code can use the IronXL conditional formatting API to set the same rules programmatically in C#.

For example, if column A contains task names and column B contains a status value like "Done," you can set up a conditional formatting rule that automatically applies strikethrough formatting to column A whenever the corresponding cell in column B says "Done."

1. Select the range of cells where you want to apply strikethrough formatting automatically. For example, select A2:A9 (the task name column).

2. Go to the Home tab in the excel ribbon.

3. Click Conditional Formatting in the Styles group.

4. Select New Rule from the drop-down menu.

5. In the formatting rule dialog box, choose "Use a formula to determine which cells to format." 6. Enter the formula: =$B2="Done"

6. Click the Format button to open the format cells dialog box.

7. Go to the Font tab, tick the Strikethrough checkbox, and click OK.

8. Click OK again in the formatting rule dialog box to apply the conditional formatting rule.

Now whenever a cell in column B contains "Done," Excel automatically draws a horizontal line through the corresponding task name in column A. The strikethrough formatting is applied without any manual action. In the screenshot below, rows where column B shows "Done" have strikethrough text in column A, while rows with "In Progress" or "Pending" remain unformatted.

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To set up conditional formatting for strikethrough based on a checkbox rather than text, use a linked cell that returns TRUE or FALSE. Set the formula in the conditional formatting rule to =$B2=TRUE. When the checkbox is ticked, the linked cell returns TRUE and the strikethrough formatting applies automatically to the entire row or the cells covered by the rule range. This approach is common in interactive to do lists where completed tasks need to be visually crossed off.

Using the filter function alongside conditional formatting: Once strikethrough is applied via a conditional formatting rule, you can use the filter function to show only the rows that are not yet complete, hiding the completed tasks that already have strikethrough formatting enabled.

Method 5: Apply Strikethrough to Partial Text Inside a Cell

All the methods above apply the strikethrough effect to the entire cell content. If you want to draw a line through only part of the text inside a cell, you need to use edit mode to select specific characters. For full font styling options in C# including bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough, see the IronXL cell font and size guide.

1. Double click the cell containing the text where you want partial strikethrough. This puts the cell into edit mode.
2. Click and drag to select only the portion of the text you want to strikethrough. For example, in a cell containing "Old Price: $120 New Price: $95," select only "$120."

3. Press Ctrl + 1 to open the Format Cells dialog box with just that text selected.

4. On the Font tab, tick the Strikethrough checkbox and click OK.

Only the selected partial text inside the cell now has the strikethrough effect. The rest of the cell content remains unformatted. In the screenshot below, a cell containing a price update shows the original price with strikethrough while the new price remains in normal text.

Note: Partial text strikethrough does not work with the Ctrl + 5 keyboard shortcut when the full cell is selected. You must enter edit mode first by double-clicking the cell, then select the specific characters before opening the Format Cells dialog box.

Method 6: Remove Strikethrough

Removing strikethrough works the same way as applying it, using the same tools in reverse.

Using the keyboard shortcut: Select the cells with strikethrough and press Ctrl + 5. The strikethrough shortcut toggles off and the horizontal line disappears.

Using the Format Cells dialog box: Select the cells, press Ctrl + 1, go to the Font tab, uncheck the Strikethrough box, and click OK.

Using the Quick Access Toolbar button: After adding the strikethrough button to the toolbar, clicking it on a cell that already has the strikethrough effect removes it in one click.

Clearing all formatting: If you want to remove strikethrough alongside all other formatting at once, go to Home tab > Editing group > Clear > Clear Formats. This removes the strikethrough effect and any other

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Strikethrough in Excel Online and Excel Versions

Excel Online (the free browser version at office.com) supports strikethrough formatting. The strikethrough button is often more accessible on the ribbon in excel online than in the desktop version, appearing directly in the Font group on the Home tab without needing to add it via the Quick Access Toolbar.

The keyboard shortcut Ctrl + 5 works consistently across excel versions including Excel 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365 on both Windows and Mac. The format cells dialog box approach works identically across all these versions as well. In Excel Online, the keyboard shortcut may behave differently depending on the browser being used, in which case the ribbon button is the most reliable path.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Strikethrough is applied but is not visible

The strikethrough option may be hard to see if the font is very small or if the cell has a background color that obscures it. Increase the font size or zoom in to confirm the formatting is applied. Alternatively, open the Format Cells dialog box and check whether the Strikethrough checkbox is ticked.

Ctrl + 5 is not working

On some keyboards and laptop configurations, the number keys along the top row may require you to use the numeric keypad or check whether a function key lock is active. Try pressing Fn + Ctrl + 5 if a standard Ctrl + 5 press does nothing. On Mac, use Command + Shift + X as the mac shortcut if Ctrl + 5 is unresponsive.

Conditional formatting strikethrough is not applying

Check that the formula in the conditional formatting rule uses the correct cell reference. The reference should be relative so it applies correctly as you move down the rows. For example, =$B2="Done" applies correctly down column B, while =$B$2="Done" would lock to row 2 only and not apply to other rows.

Strikethrough is showing in some cells but not others after using Ctrl-click selection

When using Ctrl-click to select non adjacent cells across multiple areas, make sure you have not accidentally entered edit mode in one of the cells. If a cell is in edit mode, the Ctrl + 5 shortcut applies strikethrough only to the text cursor position rather than the full cell. Press Escape first to exit edit mode, then reselect your cells and apply the shortcut.

Strikethrough appears in partial calculation mode or on stale values

In rare cases involving manual calculation mode, format stale values may appear with formatting that does not match the current cell values. Press Ctrl + Alt + F9 to force a full recalculation of stale cells if strikethrough formatting appears on stale values that should no longer have it. Enabling automatic calculation under Formulas > Calculation Options prevents this from recurring. In partial calculation mode, only some cells recalculate, which can cause formatting mismatches on cells with conditional formatting rules.

Choosing the Right Method: Quick Reference

| Goal | What to do | | --- | --- | | Apply strikethrough instantly | Select cells, press Ctrl + 5 | | Apply on Mac | Command + Shift + X (mac shortcut) | | Apply with other font changes at once | Ctrl + 1 > Font tab > tick Strikethrough | | One-click access without shortcuts | Add strikethrough button to Quick Access Toolbar | | Auto-strikethrough based on a condition | Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule > formula + format | | Apply to only part of cell text | Double-click cell, select partial text, Ctrl + 1 > Strikethrough | | Remove strikethrough | Select cells, press Ctrl + 5 again, or uncheck in Format Cells | | Remove all formatting including strikethrough | Home > Clear > Clear Formats |

For Developers: Apply Strikethrough Programmatically with IronXL

If your application generates Excel files automatically, you can apply strikethrough formatting in C# using IronXL without Microsoft Office installed on the server. IronXL exposes the Strikeout property on the Style.Font object, which maps directly to the Strikethrough checkbox in Excel's format cells dialog box.

Here's how to apply strikethrough formatting to individual cells and ranges:

using IronXL;
WorkBook workBook = WorkBook.Load("task_list.xlsx");
WorkSheet sheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet;
// Apply strikethrough to a single cell
sheet["B4"].Style.Font.Strikeout = true;
// Apply strikethrough to a range of completed task rows
sheet["B4:B6"].Style.Font.Strikeout = true;
// Apply strikethrough with red font color to visually mark deleted items
sheet["B7"].Style.Font.Strikeout = true;
sheet["B7"].Style.Font.Color = "#FF0000";
// Remove strikethrough from a cell
sheet["B4"].Style.Font.Strikeout = false;
workBook.SaveAs("task_list_updated.xlsx");

using IronXL;
WorkBook workBook = WorkBook.Load("task_list.xlsx");
WorkSheet sheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet;
// Apply strikethrough to a single cell
sheet["B4"].Style.Font.Strikeout = true;
// Apply strikethrough to a range of completed task rows
sheet["B4:B6"].Style.Font.Strikeout = true;
// Apply strikethrough with red font color to visually mark deleted items
sheet["B7"].Style.Font.Strikeout = true;
sheet["B7"].Style.Font.Color = "#FF0000";
// Remove strikethrough from a cell
sheet["B4"].Style.Font.Strikeout = false;
workBook.SaveAs("task_list_updated.xlsx");

Imports IronXL

Dim workBook As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("task_list.xlsx")
Dim sheet As WorkSheet = workBook.DefaultWorkSheet
' Apply strikethrough to a single cell
sheet("B4").Style.Font.Strikeout = True
' Apply strikethrough to a range of completed task rows
sheet("B4:B6").Style.Font.Strikeout = True
' Apply strikethrough with red font color to visually mark deleted items
sheet("B7").Style.Font.Strikeout = True
sheet("B7").Style.Font.Color = "#FF0000"
' Remove strikethrough from a cell
sheet("B4").Style.Font.Strikeout = False
workBook.SaveAs("task_list_updated.xlsx")

Setting Style.Font.Strikeout = true on any cell or range draws a horizontal line through the cell content in the saved Excel file, exactly matching the visual result of the Ctrl + 5 shortcut or the Format Cells dialog box in the desktop application. The underlying cell value is not changed.

For conditional strikethrough based on cell values, IronXL's conditional formatting API lets you create rules programmatically that apply strikethrough when specified conditions are met, matching the behavior of Excel's conditional formatting rule dialog. For full font styling options including bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough together, see the IronXL cell font and size guide and the cell styling code example.

IronXL also handles reading and writing Excel data, number formatting, and working with large workbooks without requiring Microsoft Office on the server.

Getting started: Install via NuGet with Install-Package IronXL.Excel and start your free trial to test it in your environment. IronXL runs on .NET 6+ and is compatible with Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker, Azure, and AWS.

Wrapping Up

Strikethrough in Excel is a simple but versatile excel feature for marking completed tasks, flagging stale values, or indicating that certain data is no longer valid without removing it from the sheet. For a single quick application, Ctrl + 5 is all you need. For to do lists or project trackers where the strikethrough effect should apply automatically, a conditional formatting rule keeps everything in sync without any manual formatting. For developers building Excel-based tools in code, Style.Font.Strikeout = true in IronXL applies the same formatting programmatically in a single line.

Remember that strikethrough is a formatting feature only. Cell values, formulas, and data validation rules remain completely unaffected when you apply or remove strikethrough formatting.