Does Google Docs Have Strikethrough? | Where To Find It

Google Docs does have strikethrough. If you want to cross out text without deleting it, the feature is already there. On a computer, select the words, open Format, choose Text, then pick Strikethrough. If you work from the keyboard, the shortcut is even faster. Google lists Alt + Shift + 5 for Windows and ChromeOS, and ⌘ + Shift + x for Mac on its keyboard shortcut page.

That makes strikethrough more than a small styling trick. It lets you show a change without hiding the old wording. That is handy when you’re trimming a sentence, marking a finished item, or showing an editor what got cut. The text stays visible, so the reader can still see the earlier version and understand the change.

Does Google Docs Have Strikethrough? Desktop Paths And Shortcuts

The standard menu path on desktop is straightforward. Select the text, open the Format menu, choose Text, then click Strikethrough. Google’s formatting page says strikethrough sits with bold, italics, and underline in the text formatting options, and those same options are also in the Format menu.

If you use Docs all day, the shortcut saves more time than the menu path. On Windows and ChromeOS, Google lists Alt + Shift + 5. On Mac, Google lists ⌘ + Shift + x. That difference trips people up because many shortcut roundups online mash platforms together. Sticking to Google’s own keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs page keeps the shortcut right for your device.

What Strikethrough Does Better Than Delete

Deleting text makes a document cleaner. Strikethrough makes the edit visible. That matters when the old wording still has value for review, approval, or recordkeeping. A manager can see what was dropped. A classmate can compare the old line with the new one. You can also keep alternate phrasing in sight while you decide which version reads better.

There’s another plus. Strikethrough is reversible. Select the crossed-out text and use the same command again to remove it. If the document starts to look messy, you can also clear formatting from the selected text and return it to plain body styling.

Where People Usually Miss It

Most people look for a toolbar button first. In Docs, strikethrough is easier to find from the menu or shortcut than from hunting around the top bar. Google’s formatting page also points to the menu path, so that is the cleanest route when you only need the feature once in a while.

Another snag is mixing up Docs with Sheets or Slides. Google includes strikethrough in those editors too, but the path and workflow can feel different. If your screen looks odd, check that you’re in a Google Doc and not another editor tab.

Task	Where To Do It	What You’ll See
Apply strikethrough on desktop	Format > Text > Strikethrough	A line appears through the selected text
Apply it on Windows or ChromeOS	Press Alt + Shift + 5	The selected text is crossed out at once
Apply it on Mac	Press ⌘ + Shift + x	The selected text is crossed out at once
Remove strikethrough	Run the same menu command or shortcut again	The line through the text disappears
Reset the text style	Use clear formatting on the selected text	Extra text styling is stripped away
Keep old wording visible during edits	Cross out the line instead of deleting it	Readers can compare the old and new wording
Mark finished checklist items in prose	Apply strikethrough to completed lines	The page shows what is done without hiding it
Format from pasted Markdown	Paste text with strikethrough syntax enabled in Docs	Docs converts the markup into crossed-out text

Google Docs Strikethrough For Editing, Revision, And Cleanup

Strikethrough works best when the old text still tells part of the story. That is why editors use it during rewrites. You can keep the original line in view, add the better line nearby, and let the other person compare both. In a shared draft, that keeps the back-and-forth shorter because the reader can see the change on the page instead of guessing what disappeared.

It also works well for personal cleanup. A shopping list, task list, reading list, or draft outline can stay readable after you finish one item. You’re not erasing progress. You’re marking it. That is a small change, but it makes long lists easier to scan.

When Strikethrough Makes Sense

• Editing a sentence without hiding the old wording
• Marking tasks done in a plain-text list
• Showing a client or teammate what changed
• Keeping rejected title ideas visible during drafting
• Flagging outdated lines before a full cleanup pass

If your workflow leans on plain text, Docs has one more angle worth using. Google says Docs can turn Markdown into formatted content, and its Markdown page says strikethrough text can be created with a single tilde. If you already write notes in markup, that can be faster than using the menu every time. Google also lets you switch Markdown on or off in Tools > Preferences, and its Markdown settings in Google Docs page spells out how that formatting behaves.

That said, strikethrough is not the same as suggestion mode. Suggesting tracks edits as formal proposals, with accept or reject controls. Strikethrough is manual formatting. Use suggestion mode when you need a cleaner approval trail. Use strikethrough when you want a visible mark on the page and do not need the full edit system.

Method	Best Fit	Main Trade-Off
Format menu	Occasional use or first-time users	Slower than a shortcut
Keyboard shortcut	Daily editing on desktop	You need the right shortcut for your platform
Markdown conversion	People who draft in plain text	Needs Markdown turned on and used correctly

Common Strikethrough Snags In Google Docs

Shortcut Mismatch

If strikethrough seems missing, the first thing to check is your platform. Google lists one shortcut set for Windows and ChromeOS and another for Mac. Pressing the wrong one makes it feel like the feature is gone when the feature is fine.

Next, make sure the text is selected before you run the command. Strikethrough applies to selected text. If nothing is selected, the command may not touch the words you meant to change. That sounds obvious, yet it is the snag behind a lot of “it doesn’t work” moments.

Formatting Leftovers After Paste

Then check whether the text already carries other formatting from a paste. Docs can hold on to style baggage from copied content. When the line looks odd, clear formatting and apply strikethrough again. Google’s text formatting options in Docs page confirms that strikethrough and other text styles live in the same formatting controls.

A Cleaner Way To Use It

Use strikethrough with a light hand. One crossed-out word or line is easy to read. Ten crossed-out lines in a row make a page drag. In long drafts, mark the cuts you still need to review, then delete or accept them once the decision is done. That keeps the document readable for everyone else.

It also helps to pair strikethrough with a purpose. Use it for cuts under review, done items, or temporary alternates. Skip it when plain deletion, a comment, or suggestion mode would say the same thing with less clutter.

Should You Use Strikethrough Or Another Docs Tool?

If you just need to show that text changed, strikethrough is enough. If you need a full approval trail, use suggesting. If you need a side remark, use a comment. If you need a finished item to look finished, strikethrough is often the neatest choice because the page still shows what was there before.

So, does Google Docs have strikethrough? Yes. It is built in, easy to turn on, and useful far beyond crossing out a word for style. Once you know the menu path, the desktop shortcuts, and the Markdown option, you can pick the method that fits your drafting rhythm and keep edits visible without losing context.