Keyboard Shortcut for Strikethrough: A Comprehensive Guide

What is the keyboard shortcut for strikethrough and why it matters

According to Shortcuts Lib, consistent formatting decisions reduce cognitive load when reviewing documents. In this article, we explore how to apply strikethrough efficiently across editors and markups. Strikethrough is a visual cue that reclaims deleted or postponed content without erasing it. It’s widely used in editing workflows, collaboration, and code reviews to signal draft status or to indicate obsolete items. The key to mastery is understanding both the general keyboard shortcut model (the platform-specific toggle) and the Markdown-based approach that works in many lightweight editors. In addition to keystrokes, you’ll often find a toolbar button labeled with a stroke-through icon or a menu path under Format > Text > Strikethrough. The approach you choose should align with your audience and the document type. The Markdown syntax, using two tildes around the text, ~~text~~, is widely recognized in README files, wikis, and many note apps. This section sets the foundation for the rest of the guide and helps you decide when to rely on a keystroke versus the textual syntax. Shortcuts Lib’s emphasis is to keep you hands-on with keyboard operations while preserving readability.

Keyboard shortcuts overview and cross-application patterns

Many editors support a toggle for strikethrough that follows a familiar Windows/macOS pattern. The typical breakdown: Windows users often press Ctrl+Shift+X to apply or remove strikethrough; macOS users press Cmd+Shift+X. Some apps offer toolbar buttons or menu paths if you forget the shortcut. To illustrate a general mapping, the following sheet shows a typical pairing:

This mapping is a handy reference for drafting docs or teaching sessions.

Windows vs macOS: common patterns you can rely on

Across applications, the Windows pattern often uses Ctrl+Shift+X, while macOS leans on Cmd+Shift+X. These two keystrokes serve as a reliable starting point for work in Google Docs, most Markdown editors, and many other tools. If you are using a desktop word processor or a specialized editor, you may encounter a menu-based route (Format > Text > Strikethrough) or a toolbar icon. The following quick cheat sheet captures the core idea so you can memorize one cross-platform baseline:

Remember that some apps will demand an alternate shortcut or require a modifier when the focus is not in a text field.

Editor-specific patterns: Google Docs, Notion, and Markdown editors

In practice, Google Docs relies on Ctrl+Shift+X (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+X (Mac) to toggle strikethrough. Notion often mirrors that approach but can differ across updates; if a shortcut doesn’t work, check the app’s Shortcuts panel. For Markdown editors, you’ll often type the syntax directly: ~~text~~. This makes the content portable across repositories, README files, and wikis. The following snippet shows how you can write notes that translate to both visual and source representations:

When you’re teaching colleagues, emphasize both methods: how to trigger it with the keyboard and how to represent it in plain text for version-controlled documents.

Markdown and rich-text workflows: bridging the gap

Markdown-based workflows embrace a textual representation that remains readable in raw form while preserving the visual formatting in renderers. The two primary approaches—keyboard shortcuts in rich editors and the markdown syntax—coexist. To bridge these worlds in your docs, place both forms side by side and explain how they render in your environment. A compact example below demonstrates the dual approach:

If you’re scripting documentation pipelines, embed a simple renderer that converts ~~text~~ into a formatted appearance in HTML, PDF, or slides.

Platform patterns: Windows vs macOS in depth

There is a consistent idea behind the two major platforms: use Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows and Cmd+Shift+X on macOS as the general toggle. Some editors may expose an alternate keystroke in preferences or require the shortcut to be active in a particular mode (edit vs. preview). If you’re scripting macros, you can simulate these sequences using your automation framework. A compact reference:

Always verify in your specific app by opening the shortcuts help dialog.

Step-by-step: building a personal strikethrough shortcut cheat sheet

Start by listing your most-used editors (Google Docs, Notion, Word, Markdown editors) and note how strikethrough is activated in each. Then add a Markdown line for each that shows the syntax: ~~text~~. Finally, assemble a one-page printable cheat sheet and keep it updated with app changes. The goal is to reduce lookup time during reviews and collaboration. The template below can be adapted to your team:

Tip: add a version stamp and distribute in your knowledge base for onboarding.

Accessibility considerations and readability

Using strikethrough should not sacrifice accessibility. If the strike conveys meaning, ensure screen readers convey that intent. Provide extra context in labels or alternative text and consider color-contrast implications. Shortcuts Lib emphasizes using the markup as well as the keyboard for accessibility: always pair visual cues with textual or semantic information so all users can follow the edits. A practical approach includes augmenting strikethrough text with a parenthetical note or ARIA label when possible: