Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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: Changing Strikethrough Lines.

Changing Strikethrough Lines

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 3, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365


You can format text using attributes such as bold, italic, underline, etc. You can also format text so that it is "struck through," which puts a thin horizontal line through the text. (Similar to using a pen and crossing through the text.) If you use strikethrough text a lot, you may wonder if there is a way to change the attributes of the strikethrough line itself, such as changing its weight or color.

It does not appear that there is any way in Word to change the attributes of a strikethrough line. Those attributes mirror the attributes of the text that is being struck through. For instance, if you change the font color of the text, then the color of the strikethrough line changes, as well. So, the only way to make modifications (very limited modifications, I might add) to the strikethrough line is to modify the font itself.

If that isn't acceptable or you want a different type of strikethrough, you can use a workaround, such as to use the drawing tools in Word to actually draw a line through the text. You can then change the attributes of the drawn line to whatever you desire.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9300) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Changing Strikethrough Lines.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Picking Up in the Last Document Edited

Sometimes it seems that we focus on getting a particular document hammered out to the exclusion of other documents we ...

Discover More

Left and Right Aligned on One Line in a Label

If you need to put information on a label that has both left- and right-aligned information on the same line, it can be ...

Discover More

Filling a Range of Cells with Values

When writing a macro, you may want to fill a range of cells with different values. The easiest way to do this is to use ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Engraving and Embossing Text

Word allows you to format your text in a number of different ways. Two rather esoteric ways to format your text are by ...

Discover More

Shortcuts to Change Text Colors

Want a way to change the color of your text through a shortcut key? You can do so by using the macros described in this tip.

Discover More

Letters Bunched Up at the Left of the Page

If your documents don't behave as you expect, it may take a bit of sleuthing to figure out what is going on. This tip ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 1 + 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

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.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.