Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Strikethrough Shortcut Key.
Word provides shortcut key combinations for many different formatting options. One common formatting attribute that does not have such a combination is strikethrough. Most people add it by displaying the Font dialog box and then selecting Strikethrough in the Effects area of the dialog box.
You can define your own shortcut key for strikethrough by customizing Word. All you need to do is follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Font tab of the Font dialog box.
Figure 2. The Customize Keyboard dialog box.
It should be noted that there are a variety of ways that you can display the Customize Keyboard dialog box, which is necessary for the above steps. The method used in these steps was selected because after you complete steps 1 through 3, the Customize Keyboard dialog box is already filled in with the proper settings to invoke the strikethrough formatting. If you use a different method to display the dialog box, you'll need to make the specific settings in that dialog box required to apply strikethrough formatting. (In other words, the above method of invoking the Customize Keyboard dialog box saves you some time when compared to other methods.)
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (5940) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Strikethrough Shortcut Key.
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2020-07-12 12:03:42
Robert P
How do you add a shortcut if you are on a laptop without a numeric keypad? Obviously there is a way to work around it by plugging in an external keyboard, but is there a way to do it just with the laptop 's built-in input devices?
2020-04-22 15:31:53
Wes Dixon
Microsoft should pay you to write their instructions! Nice work!
2020-03-09 15:20:11
Ilya
Very helpful, thanks!
2020-02-11 14:06:03
Mike
The latest word uses Ctrl+Alt+S for splitting/unsplitting the screen. I did Ctrl+Alt+D. Thanks!
2019-07-31 18:01:54
John
Great tutorial. Worked perfectly.
2019-06-11 22:41:50
Tim
Thank you very much! This was very helpful.
2018-06-29 10:12:24
javier
Wow! It works great. Thanks. The shortcut even shows in the pup up when the cursor hovers on top of the strikethrough button.
2018-03-10 13:09:11
Jack
You might try selecting the text to strikethrough and then press Alt, H, 4 in that order.
2018-03-07 07:32:16
Ton Le beach
awesome thx
2017-09-20 10:38:24
Bob M
After Step 4, I also had to click on "Assign".
2017-09-20 06:28:42
Crystal Lynn
OMG! That was awesome! I got it this command set to ctr+/ for strike-through! There is no command for strike-through in word!! GAH! You sir, are a computer genius! Hahaha. At least by Word standards. Squee squee squeeeeeeeeeeee...
2017-07-04 03:56:12
KailashM
Thank you Allen.
2017-05-04 17:30:11
ChucklesVB
Thank you. Couldn't figure it out at first, but now I see I that I can make this machine do my bidding! I can feel the power surging through my veins!
2017-04-05 12:59:23
Ben
Thanks, Allen! This worked for me in Outlook, too.
2017-02-15 22:38:46
HUSNA
mine is not working too..
2017-02-10 06:33:09
Dima
Thank you very much, Allen!
2017-02-01 16:12:55
Jennifer
This worked for me while I was in the same session of Word or Outlook. As soon as I closed each of the programs and re-launched them, they commands were no longer available.
2016-12-07 14:33:30
christy
this does not work with publisher, any suggestions?
2016-09-01 06:52:49
Sadaf
Did not work for me. Which version is this for? I did not get the clover sign.
2016-07-05 16:46:02
Max
I have word for Mac... do you have instructions for Macs?
2016-05-04 21:21:11
Jacques Theron
Great tip, thank you.
2016-04-08 04:04:23
Esa
Thanks for the great tip!
2016-04-04 12:38:17
can you do a control-find to locate words in a document that have strike-out through them?
2016-03-16 05:17:55
shmuel k
Great !!!
2016-01-21 16:13:42
Jan
Thanks a lot!
It works perfectly.
2016-01-13 20:46:57
Sarah
Thanks! Much appreciated.
2015-12-14 15:28:30
BALU
Awesome tip. Works perfectly
2015-12-03 10:24:24
Nicole
EXACTLY what I've been looking for! I have to strike so many things during meetings and it was kind of a pain. NOW this will be super simple! Thank you.
2015-11-05 12:32:55
The 3 Easiest Ways in WORD to Speed All Your Work and Customize Text Are:
1. Use AUTOCORRECT for almost everything, even formatted text, letterheads, prefab tables, and even your signature: just type your 3 unique initials to print your full name.
2. Add your own Custom Toolbar, with all the formatting and procedures that would otherwise take several hunts and mouse clicks, in a single click.
3. Make MACROS Easily. Put a “Create Macro” button in your custom toolbar. For each new macro, combine its abbreviated name with a shortcut you will never need for any other operation, such as “FileName_Alt_F” to insert the name of the open document.
2015-11-03 00:48:30
Jaz
Worked perfectly. Thanks a bunch.
2015-10-30 07:02:42
Lateo
Excellent! Thank You!
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
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