To strikethrough in Google Sheets, select the cells and press Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows or Command + Shift + X on a Mac. You can also click the strikethrough button (an S with a line through it) in the toolbar, or go to Format, Text, Strikethrough. Press the same shortcut again to remove it.
Crossing something out instead of deleting it ranks among the most useful habits in a working spreadsheet. A to-do list, a content plan or a list of leads tells you more when you can still see what's done. Google Sheets gives you three ways to do it, plus a way to make it happen automatically when you tick a box.
Three ways to add strikethrough
- Keyboard shortcut. Select the cells and press Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows or a Chromebook, or Command + Shift + X on a Mac.
- Toolbar button. Select the cells and click the S with a line through it, next to the bold and italic buttons.
- Menu. Select the cells and click Format, Text, Strikethrough.
To remove it, select the same cells and use the same shortcut, button or menu option again. It works like a switch.
Formatting shortcuts worth learning at the same time
| Format | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Strikethrough | Alt + Shift + 5 | Command + Shift + X |
| Bold | Ctrl + B | Command + B |
| Italic | Ctrl + I | Command + I |
| Underline | Ctrl + U | Command + U |
| Insert link | Ctrl + K | Command + K |
| Clear formatting | Ctrl + backslash | Command + backslash |
These come from Google's keyboard shortcut list for Sheets. Clear formatting is the handy one if you've stacked up bold, colours and strikethrough on a cell and want a clean start.
Strike through part of a cell
You don't have to cross out the whole cell. Double-click the cell to edit it, highlight just the words you want, then use the shortcut or the toolbar button. Only the highlighted text gets the line. It's useful for notes such as a crossed-out old date next to a new one.
Make strikethrough happen when you tick a box
This is the trick that turns a sheet into a to-do list. You add checkboxes, then a conditional formatting rule crosses out the task when its box is ticked.
- Select the cells for your checkboxes (say column A) and click Insert, Checkbox.
- Select the task cells next to them (say column B).
- Click Format, Conditional formatting.
- Under Format cells if, choose Custom formula is and enter =A2=TRUE (start with the first row of your list).
- Under Formatting style, click the strikethrough button and, if you like, a grey text colour.
- Click Done. Tick a box and the task beside it gets crossed out.
Google's checkbox help page mentions exactly this sort of use: tracking a project, taking attendance and checking off a to-do list. Checkboxes also work with filters, so you can hide finished tasks when the list gets long.
The catch: strikethrough is only a look
Here's what people forget. Strikethrough is formatting, nothing more. The value in the cell doesn't change, so a crossed-out number still counts in your totals and a crossed-out row still shows up in a filter. If you need finished items to drop out of a sum, base the formula on the checkbox column instead, or filter on it. The checkbox holds a real TRUE or FALSE value that formulas can read; the line through the text doesn't.
That's another reason I prefer the checkbox method for anything that matters. The tick is data, the strikethrough is just the visual cue.
Why the shortcut might not work
- You're editing the cell. If the cursor is inside the cell but nothing is highlighted, there's nothing to apply it to. Highlight the text or press Escape and select the whole cell.
- Another app has grabbed the shortcut. Some browser extensions and keyboard tools use the same keys. Try the toolbar button to confirm it's the shortcut, not Sheets.
- Wrong keyboard layout. On some layouts the 5 key needs a different modifier. The menu route under Format, Text always works.
Keeping a crossed-out list readable
A long list full of struck-through rows gets hard to scan. Three habits help. Pair the strikethrough with a lighter grey text colour in the same conditional formatting rule, so finished items fade back. Add a filter on the checkbox column so you can hide completed tasks when you want a clean view, then show them again for your weekly review. And keep the checkbox in the first column, so it's the first thing your eye lands on when you open the sheet.
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If several people share the list, agree what a tick means. Done by whom, and checked by whom? A crossed-out task with no name next to it causes more questions than it answers, so I add a small column for initials beside anything that a client or colleague might ask about later.
What I'd do
Learn the shortcut for quick one-offs, and use checkboxes plus a conditional formatting rule for any list you work through every week. Remember that the line is only visual, so let the checkbox drive your totals. If you build to-do lists this way, my guides to adding a checkbox in Google Sheets and conditional formatting go deeper on both halves of the trick.
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortcut for strikethrough in Google Sheets?
Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows and Chromebooks, and Command + Shift + X on a Mac.
How do I remove strikethrough in Google Sheets?
Select the cells and press the same shortcut again, or click the strikethrough button or Format, Text, Strikethrough to switch it off.
Can Google Sheets cross out a task when I tick a checkbox?
Yes. Insert checkboxes, then add a conditional formatting rule with a custom formula such as =A2=TRUE and choose strikethrough as the style.
Does strikethrough remove a number from my total?
No. Strikethrough only changes how the cell looks. The value still counts, so base totals on a checkbox column instead.
Can I strike through only some words in a cell?
Yes. Double-click the cell, highlight the words and apply the shortcut or toolbar button. Only the highlighted text is crossed out.
