Strikethrough refers to a horizontal line running through text without affecting its readability.
Here’s how it looks:
Hi! I am learning MS Excel.
It is a basic copy-editing symbol used to indicate the deletion of an error or removal of certain text in a work.
In this article, we will share 4 methods to cross out text in MS Excel.
4 Methods to strikethrough text in MS Excel:
- Use a keyboard shortcut
- Use the home tab
- Use the Quick Access Toolbar
- Use Conditional Formatting
Let us begin.
Method #1: Use a Keyboard Shortcut
Using keyboard shortcuts is one of the simplest ways to do things in MS Excel. Using this method, you can strikethrough full or partial text in a cell.
Step #1: Open your Excel file
Open an excel file to enter text and strikethrough it.
If you already have an excel file you are working on and need to strikethrough text on it, you can open that.
Step #2: Select a cell
Select a cell with text in it or select a part of the text in the cell by dragging your cursor over it.
In our example we will use cell A1.
Step #3: Press the shortcut key
Press the keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + 5 by pressing the Ctrl key on your keyboard and the number 5 at the same time.
This will strikethrough the text in the cell or the part of the text you have selected.
If you have only selected a part of the text in the cell, then press Enter.
OR
Method #2: Use the Home Tab
Knowing what is where in your ribbons will allow you to work with ease. This method uses the normal ribbons to access the required commands. The process is a bit lengthier compared to the earlier method.
Step #1: Open your Excel file
Open an excel file to enter text and strikethrough it.
If you already have an excel file you are working on and need to strikethrough text on it, you can open that.
Step #2: Select a cell
Select a cell with text in it or select a part of the text in the cell by dragging your cursor over it.
In our example we will use cell A1.
Step #3: Open font settings
Click on the Home tab in the top menu bar to change the ribbon.
Go to the Font section and click on the extend icon, which is a small arrow in the bottom right corner of that section, as shown below.
Step #4: Go to the Font tab
The Format Cells window will open.
Click on the Font tab in the window.
Here you will see the Strikethrough option in the Effects section.
Step #5: Select Strikethrough
Tick the Strikethrough option check-box.
Step #6: Press Enter
Once you’ve selected the Strikethrough option, either press Enter or click the OK button.
You will get the desired result.
Method #3: Use the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)
This option allows you to strikethrough text in MS Excel with the click of a button on the QAT. However, you need to enable this option to make it visible in the QAT. So we will start with the addition of the strikethrough option in the QAT since it’s not there by default.
Step #1: Open your Excel file
Open an excel file to enter text and strikethrough it.
If you already have an excel file you are working on and need to strikethrough text on it, you can open that.
Step #2: Access the settings for the Quick Access Toolbar
Go to the File option located in the top left corner of your Excel window.
There, you will see Options.
Click on Options and the Excel Options window will open up.
There, select Quick Access Toolbar.
Step #3: Add the Strikethrough option
In the Choose commands from dropdown at the top, select Commands Not in the Ribbon.
This will give the list of all the commands that QAT doesn’t have.
From the list, select Strikethrough and then press the Add >> button in the middle of the window.
This will add the Strikethrough command to the QAT.
Once done, click the OK button.
Step #4: Select a cell
Select a cell with text in it or select a part of the text in the cell by dragging your cursor over it.
In our example we will use cell A1.
Step #5: Click on the Strikethrough option available in the QAT.
Now that you have selected the cell or text to strikethrough, click on the Strikethrough icon (ab) in the QAT. You will find this icon right at the top of the window, above the menu tabs.
This will strikethrough the entire or part of the text in that cell.
Method #4: Use Conditional Formatting
Conditional formatting is not the most widely used method for strikethrough. But it can come in handy if you have a large data set to work with and want to put many strikethroughs at one go.
Step #1: Open your Excel file
Open an excel file to enter text and strikethrough it.
If you already have an excel file you are working on and need to strikethrough text on it, you can open that.
Step #2: Select a cell
Select a cell with text in it or select a part of the text in the cell by dragging your cursor over it.
If you want to select text in multiple cells, just drag your cursor across and select all the cells.
Step #3: Create a new rule
Conditional formatting requires conditions set by users to format the selected cells.
In the Home tab, click on Conditional Formatting to open the submenu.
From the options displayed, click on New Rule...
A New Formatting Rule window will pop up.
Step #4: Select the condition and format
Set a condition and put formatting rules accordingly.
For example, if you want to strike through every cell with duplicate values, then you will have to select Format only unique values or duplicate values and select duplicate from the Format all drop down.
Next, click on the Format… button.
Step #5: Go to the Font tab
The Format Cells window will open.
Click on the Font tab in the window.
Here you will see the Strikethrough option in the Effects section.
Step #6: Select Strikethrough
Tick the Strikethrough option check-box.
Step #7: Press Enter
Once you’ve selected the Strikethrough option, either press Enter or click the OK button.
You will see that the cells with duplicate text have been formatted as strikethrough.
Conclusion
This was all about the different ways to strikethrough text in MS Excel. Are you copy-editing a large pile of data or exploring different ways to strikethrough text? How about some conditional formatting? These methods will pretty much cover all the scenarios you can come across.