Strikethrough is a text formatting feature represented by drawing a line through a selected word or a group of words. Every text editor usually allows you to cancel out a line with a strikethrough option in its formatting toolbar. This guide shows you how to do it in Google Docs.

How Do You Strikethrough Text in Google Docs?

The strikethrough on Google Docs is a formatting option found on the toolbar. You can also do it faster with a keyboard shortcut.

  1. Open the Google Docs document.
  2. Select and highlight the word, sentence, or paragraph you want to format with a strikethrough.
  3. Select Format > Text > Strikethrough. The selected text is crossed out with a line, as seen in the screenshot.
  4. To remove the strikethrough format, select Strikethrough again. You can also revert it with a Ctrl + Z (Undo).
Google Docs Strikethrough

Note: There is no way to give the strikethrough a different color. It takes the color of the underlying text.

What Is the Keyboard Shortcut for Strikethrough In Google Docs?

Select the word or the sentence. Then, press the keyboard shortcut Alt + Shift + 5 to apply the horizontal line. To remove the strikethrough, press the shortcut keys again.

How Do You Strikethrough Text in Google Docs Mobile?

Let's see how to cross out text in the Google Docs mobile app. The process is similar for Android and iOS. The screenshots below are from the Docs app on iOS.

  1. Launch the Google Doc app and open the document.
  2. Select the word with a double-tap or the sentence you want to change with the selection marker.
  3. Select the Format icon (an underlined A).
  4. Under the Text options, select the Strikethrough icon to place a line across the text you wanted to change.
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Google Docs Strikethrough on iOS
Google Docs Strikethrough on iOS

When Should You Use a Strikethrough?

You should use a strikethrough sparingly. The format is meant to highlight a mistake while exhibiting the correction to the reader. In that sense, it's different from completely deleting or redacting the text from the document. Generally, you shouldn't ignore the struck text as it suggests what the author intended earlier.

Stylistically, you can also use it to mark a chain of thought that you have dismissed for a better alternative.