Use Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows or ChromeOS, or Command + Shift + X on Mac, to apply strikethrough in Google Sheets. Select the cells before pressing the shortcut.
Cross Out the Contents of a Cell
- Select a cell containing text, such as a completed task in A2.
- Press the shortcut for your operating system.
- The text remains visible with a line through it.
Strikethrough changes appearance, not the stored value. A crossed-out number still participates in calculations, and crossed-out text remains available to lookups and filters.
Remove Strikethrough
Select a consistently struck-through cell or range and press the same shortcut again. You can also switch the format off using the Strikethrough toolbar button.
For a mixed selection, inspect the final formatting. Do not assume Sheets will invert each cell independently; formatting commands can apply a common state to the selection.
Use the Toolbar or Format Menu
- Select the cells to format.
- Click the Strikethrough button in the toolbar, or open Format → Text → Strikethrough.
- Use the same command again to remove the formatting.
The toolbar button’s active state helps show whether the selected text has this format. If keyboard shortcuts are intercepted by the browser or operating system, the menu provides another route.
Strike Through a Row or Range
Select a bounded range such as A2:C2 to cross out a task and its adjacent details. To select the entire row first, press Shift + Space while a cell in that row is active.
Formatting a whole row also affects blank cells. A bounded range is often clearer for task lists, especially if the rest of the row contains unrelated information.
Cross Out Part of the Text in a Cell
For manually entered text, enter cell-editing mode and highlight only the characters to change. Apply strikethrough to that text selection rather than selecting the entire cell.
A formula result is different: it is calculated output, not separately editable rich text. Change the formula or use separate cells when different parts of a calculated result need different formatting.
Keep Completion Status Separate from Formatting
For a task list, store completion in a status cell or checkbox. Strikethrough alone is only a visual signal and does not create a completed-state value for ordinary formulas.
If a conditional formatting rule applies the line, changing the manual format may not remove it. Inspect the rule and the status that triggers it.
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