Keyboard Shortcut Strikethrough in Excel: Quick Guide

Learn how to apply and automate strikethrough formatting in Excel using keyboard shortcuts, VBA, and Office Script. Windows and macOS workflows, automation examples, and best practices for clear task status.

Shortcuts Lib Team

February 25, 2026·5 min read

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Excel Strikethrough Shortcuts - Shortcuts Lib — Photo by annmariephotographyvia Pixabay

Quick AnswerFact

The keyboard shortcut strikethrough excel is a fast way to mark completed items in a list. In Excel for Windows you can toggle strikethrough with Ctrl+5, and on macOS the equivalent is Cmd+Shift+X. This guide from Shortcuts Lib explains how to use these shortcuts, plus automation options with VBA and Office Scripts for bulk updates.

Understanding strikethrough in Excel and its typical use cases

Strikethrough is a font formatting option that visually crosses out text. In project tracking, task lists, or data-cleanup scenarios, it helps differentiate between active and completed items without deleting data. The keyboard shortcut strikethrough excel is particularly useful for speed—pressing a couple of keys beats digging through menus. According to Shortcuts Lib, mastering such shortcuts accelerates everyday spreadsheet work and preserves a clean, auditable record. In this section, we cover practical scenarios and simple automation shortcuts that save time during data review.

Excel Formula

# VBA-like snippet to toggle strikethrough on a selection (for reference in Excel VBA environments)
Sub ToggleStrikeThrough()
    With Selection.Font
        .StrikeThrough = Not .StrikeThrough
    End With
End Sub

Excel Formula

' Simple Python snippet using openpyxl to apply strikethrough to a single cell
from openpyxl import load_workbook
from openpyxl.styles import Font
wb = load_workbook("data.xlsx")
ws = wb.active
cell = ws["A1"]
cell.font = Font(name=cell.font.name, size=cell.font.size, strike=True)
wb.save("data.xlsx")

Line-by-line breakdown

The first snippet shows how to programmatically toggle the Strikethrough property on the currently selected cells, which is useful in macro-enabled workflows.
The Python example demonstrates how to apply strikethrough to a specific cell in a workbook without manually formatting each cell.
If you’re automating many cells, you can wrap this logic in a loop to batch-process ranges.

Variations and tips

Use a loop to apply strikethrough to a whole column when a condition is met inside data pipelines.
For cross-platform consistency, verify font properties after applying to ensure the style persists after saving.

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Quick keyboard shortcut workflow to toggle Strikethrough in Excel

Toggling strikethrough with a keyboard shortcut is a fast habit that pays off in busy spreadsheets. In Windows, press Ctrl+5 to toggle the Strikethrough style on the currently selected range. On macOS, the equivalent is Cmd+Shift+X. These shortcuts are especially handy when you’re marking tasks as done or filtering items in a list. Shortcuts Lib recommends building muscle memory around these two combos for everyday editing.

Bash

# Windows workflow hint (not an executable script):
# - Select the cells you want to strike through
# - Press Ctrl+5 to toggle

TypeScript

// Office Script example to toggle strikethrough on the selected range
function main(workbook: ExcelScript.Workbook) {
  let range = workbook.getActiveWorksheet().getSelectedRange();
  let font = range.getFormat().getFont();
  font.setStrikethrough(!font.getStrikethrough());
}

Discussion

If a cell already has other formatting (bold, color), toggling strikethrough keeps those settings intact unless you explicitly reset them.
In practice, you might combine Ctrl+5 with a macro that applies strikethrough to a defined range for consistent status updates.

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Office Scripts and the Excel JavaScript API for strikethrough

For automation beyond manual shortcuts, Office Scripts (TypeScript) let you script strikethrough changes across workbooks. The Office JavaScript API exposes a Font object with strike-through properties that can be read and written, enabling batch updates with a single script. This is especially useful for standardized task-tracking templates where status updates must be reflected across multiple sheets. Shortcuts Lib highlights Office Scripts as a scalable approach for teams using Excel on the web or via automated workflows.

TypeScript

function main(workbook: ExcelScript.Workbook) {
  const range = workbook.getActiveWorksheet().getSelectedRange();
  const font = range.getFormat().getFont();
  font.setStrikethrough(!font.getStrikethrough());
}

// Alternate office script with explicit range for safety
function main(workbook: ExcelScript.Workbook) {
  const ws = workbook.getActiveWorksheet();
  const rng = ws.getRange("A2:A100");
  const f = rng.getFormat().getFont();
  f.setStrikethrough(!f.getStrikethrough());
}

Why use Office Scripts?

Provides repeatable, cloud-based automation across files.
Integrates with Power Automate for trigger-based formatting.
Supports TypeScript typing for safer automation.

Steps

Estimated time: 15-25 minutes

1
Identify target range
Choose the cells or range that require strikethrough to indicate status. Ensure data has a clear boundary (rows or columns) and is not used for calculations. Review with a quick visual check.
Tip: Start with a small range to validate the effect before applying to larger sections.
2
Apply quick shortcut
Use Ctrl+5 on Windows or Cmd+Shift+X on macOS to toggle strikethrough on the selected cells. Confirm the visual result aligns with your status signals.
Tip: If the text is lengthy, consider combining with bold/italic for emphasis.
3
Batch automation (optional)
If you need to apply strikethroughs to many cells, implement a small script (Python/Openpyxl or Office Script) to iterate ranges and apply the font.strike property.
Tip: Test on a copy of your workbook first to avoid data loss.
4
Validate accessibility
Ensure the strikethrough remains readable when printing or exporting to PDF. Check contrast and font size.
Tip: Consider an alternate indicator for accessibility if the formatting is not preserved.
5
Document the workflow
Add a short note in your workbook’s metadata or a README explaining the shortcut and automation used for future users.
Tip: Documentation reduces onboarding time for teammates.

Pro Tip: Combine strikethrough with a muted color to improve readability in dense sheets.

Warning: Strikethrough may not render identically in all print-to-PDF workflows; verify output before sharing.

Note: Office Scripts offer scalable automation across files and platforms (web and desktop).

Prerequisites

Required

Microsoft Excel 2019+ (Windows) or Microsoft 365↗
Required

Optional

Microsoft Excel for Mac 2019+
Optional
Basic Python (optional) and openpyxl for automation examples
Optional
Familiarity with Office Scripts (Excel on the web)
Optional

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
Toggle Strikethrough on selected cellsWindows/Mac shortcut to apply or remove strikethrough in the selected range	`Ctrl`+`5`
Open Format Cells dialogAccess font formatting options if you prefer manual toggling	`Ctrl`+`1`

Questions & Answers

Is there a built-in formula to create a strikethrough in Excel

No, Excel formulas cannot apply strikethrough formatting directly. You must use font formatting via shortcuts, VBA, Office Script, or a combination of conditional workflows to achieve a similar effect.

Can I apply strikethrough to an entire row or column with a single command

Yes, select the row or column range and apply the shortcut or a small script to set the font strike-through property across the range. If you’re using Office Script, target the range with getRange and apply the font strikethrough in a loop.

Does Strikethrough affect how data prints or exports

Strikethrough typically prints as expected, but some PDF or printer drivers may render fonts differently. Always verify final PDFs or printed copies for clarity, especially for archival sheets.

What is the best way to automate strikethrough across many sheets

Office Scripts or a Python script with openpyxl can batch-apply strikethrough across many sheets or workbooks. Start with a small sample, then scale up after validation.

Are there accessibility concerns with strikethrough formatting

Yes. Strikethrough can create readability issues for some users. Consider pairing with a status column or icon in addition to strikethrough for assistive technologies.