How to Strikethrough in Word: Single and Double Lines (2026)

There's a neat little line that runs through the middle of words, and it does a surprising amount of work: a finished task on a checklist, a number you've replaced in a draft, a cancelled item in a meeting agenda. It's called strikethrough, and in Word it takes a couple of clicks once you know where Microsoft hides it.

Microsoft's help page covers two versions: the usual single line and a double line. It also says what to do when you want the line gone again. I've followed that page closely and flagged the gaps.

Applying a single strikethrough line in Word

This is the one most people want, and it lives right on the ribbon:

1. Select the word, sentence or paragraph you want to cross out.
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. In the Font group, select Strikethrough.

The text stays exactly where it was, with a line through it. Nothing is deleted, which is the whole point: a reader can still see what was there. Microsoft's page applies to Word for Microsoft 365 and to Word 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016.

Using double strikethrough in Word

The double line isn't a button on the main ribbon, so it's easy to miss. Microsoft's route goes through the Font box:

1. Select the text.
2. On the Home tab, select the small Font dialog box launcher in the corner of the Font group.
3. Make sure you're on the Font tab.
4. Tick Double strikethrough in the list of effects.
5. Select OK.

Why bother? Some people use a double line to separate old edits from new ones, or to show a second round of changes in a shared draft. It's a style choice, not a rule, so agree with your team what each line means before you start crossing things out.

Taking strikethrough off in Word

Microsoft gives a specific removal route for the double line: select the text, go to Home and select Strikethrough in the Font group twice. The first press swaps the double line for a single one and the second clears it.

For a single line, Microsoft's page doesn't list separate removal steps. The title says 'apply or remove', and the Strikethrough button on the Home tab works as a toggle in the same way, but that's my reading rather than something the page states. If it doesn't clear on your version, the Font dialog box is the other place to look and untick the effect.

Word strikethrough on Mac and in a browser

Microsoft's strikethrough page doesn't separate Windows, Mac and web steps. It also lists no keyboard shortcut. So I won't give you one, because one wrong shortcut that does something else to your document is worse than a few extra clicks.

In practice the Home tab and Font group are the first place to look on any version, though menus vary by version and the button may sit under a small arrow in a narrow browser window. If you can't see it, widen the window or use the search box in the ribbon.

Choosing between single and double strikethrough in Word

Most documents only ever need the single line. It's quick, it's obvious and everyone reading understands it without a key. The double line earns its place when you need two kinds of crossing out in one document, and the first rule is to be consistent. If a single line means 'done' and a double line means 'dropped', write that in a short note at the top, or the reader will guess.

One more thing worth knowing from Microsoft's page: the two effects sit side by side in the Font box, and they're alternatives rather than layers. Pick one for any given piece of text. If you apply the other, expect it to replace what you chose first.

It also helps to keep the struck-through text short. A whole page of crossed-out paragraphs is tiring to read. For anything long, a cleaner way of showing a decision is to move the old wording into a separate section called Removed, and keep the working copy tidy.

When strikethrough in Word is better than deleting

There are real working reasons to leave crossed-out text in view rather than removing it:

• Task lists: cross off finished jobs so the whole list still shows the progress.
• Client drafts: show a sentence that has been replaced so the client can see what changed.
• Event plans and agendas: strike out a session that has been cancelled.
• Product or service lists: mark an item as no longer offered without losing the wording.
• Meeting notes: keep a record of an idea you've ruled out.

When you're ready to send the final version, delete the struck-through text completely so nothing odd slips out to a client. A quick scan of the whole document before sending is worth the minute.

Strikethrough in Word compared with other tools

If part of your team lives in Google instead of Microsoft, the equivalent differs slightly, and I've covered it in my guide to strikethrough in Google Docs. Spacing is another thing that changes how a crossed-out passage reads on the page, so it can be worth looking at double spacing in Google Docs when you're tidying a long draft.

If the Word strikethrough line won't appear

1. Check you selected the text first. Without a selection the button only affects what you type next.
2. Look in the Font group on the Home tab, not the Paragraph group beside it.
3. If the line appears but looks doubled, you may have used the Font dialog box option. Press Strikethrough twice in the Font group to clear it.
4. If the text is in a locked or protected section, the formatting buttons may be greyed out.
5. Still no luck? Check Microsoft's support site for your exact version.

Frequently asked questions

How do I strikethrough text in Word?

Select the text, go to the Home tab and select Strikethrough in the Font group.

How do I do double strikethrough in Word?

Select the text, open the Font dialog box launcher on the Home tab, go to the Font tab and tick Double strikethrough.

How do I remove double strikethrough in Word?

Select the text, go to Home and select Strikethrough twice in the Font group.

Is there a keyboard shortcut for strikethrough in Word?

Microsoft's strikethrough page lists none, so I'd use the Home tab button.

Does strikethrough delete the text?

No. It only changes how the text looks, so the words stay in the document until you delete them.