Fix Strikethrough in Excel: Remove or Apply It

To fix strikethrough in Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select the affected cell or text and press Ctrl+5 to toggle strikethrough off or on. If it keeps coming back, check conditional formatting, cell styles, and copied formatting. Before changing a large range, save a copy or try the fix on one cell so you can confirm it does what you expect.

What You’ll Need

The Excel workbook and permission to edit the affected cells. If a sheet is protected, you may need its password or the workbook owner’s help.
A clear idea of which cells should change. Selecting whole rows or columns can affect more cells than intended.
Optional: a spare copy of the workbook if you are changing formatting across a large area or removing rules.

Step-by-Step

Select the affected cell or range. Click one cell that shows a line through its text. To fix several neighboring cells, drag across them or click the first cell, hold Shift, and click the last. For separate cells, hold Ctrl while selecting each one on Windows. If only part of a cell’s text is struck through, double-click the cell or select it and press F2, then drag over the affected characters in the formula bar or cell. Character-level formatting must be selected as text; selecting the cell alone may not remove it.
Toggle strikethrough off with the shortcut. On Windows, press Ctrl+5 once while the target cell or text is selected. This shortcut toggles the effect, so use it when you know the selection has strikethrough. If formatting is mixed across multiple selected cells, the result may depend on the selection’s current state; check the range afterward and repeat for any cells that still have the line. On a Mac, the corresponding Excel shortcut is Command+Shift+X. Shortcuts can be intercepted by browser or system settings, so use the ribbon method if nothing happens.
Use the Format Cells dialog if you prefer a visible control. Select the cells, then press Ctrl+1 on Windows to open Format Cells. Open the Font tab, clear the Strikethrough checkbox under Effects, and choose OK. This method is useful when you want to verify the setting, or when the keyboard shortcut is unavailable. In Excel for Mac, open Format Cells from the Format menu or use Command+1, then clear Strikethrough on the Font tab. The dialog labels can vary slightly between versions, but the Font tab contains the effect.
Check whether the text is struck through because of conditional formatting. If the line returns after you remove it, select an affected cell and go to Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules. In the rules manager, set Show formatting rules for to This Worksheet if needed, then review rules that apply to the selected cells. Select a likely rule and choose Edit Rule, then inspect its Format settings. On the Font tab, remove the Strikethrough effect if that rule should not apply it. Alternatively, correct the rule’s condition or delete the rule only if it is no longer needed. Be careful: deleting a rule can change other formatting in its range as well.
Look for a style or pasted formatting that reapplies the effect. If one cell is affected, select it and inspect Home > Cell Styles to see whether a style is involved. Applying the intended style may replace the unwanted appearance, but styles can change other properties such as fill, borders, and number format. If the line appeared after pasting, use the paste options button and choose a suitable option such as Values or Match Destination Formatting, rather than keeping all source formatting. The exact options depend on what you copied.
Confirm the fix, then apply it carefully to the rest of the range. Click outside the selection and check that the line is gone. If a rule controls it, test cells that should and should not meet the rule’s condition. If the fix worked on one cell, repeat it on the intended cells or use Format Painter from a correctly formatted cell when you want to copy its full formatting. Format Painter copies more than strikethrough, so it is not the best choice when the other formatting must remain unchanged.

Common Mistakes

Pressing Ctrl+5 without checking the selection. The shortcut toggles rather than simply clearing the effect. If you use it on text without strikethrough, it can add the line. Confirm the result after using it.
Clearing all formatting to remove one effect. Home > Clear > Clear Formats removes many formatting choices, including number formats, fills, borders, and fonts. Use the Font tab in Format Cells to change only strikethrough when preserving other formatting matters.
Removing the visible formatting but leaving the rule behind. Directly changing a cell may appear to work temporarily, while a conditional formatting rule continues to determine its appearance. Inspect Manage Rules if the effect returns or depends on a value.
Selecting an entire column for a small repair. A broad selection can alter headings, totals, or unrelated notes. Select only the intended cells, and check whether the conditional formatting rule applies beyond the area you meant to change.
Assuming a line is strikethrough. A bottom border, underline, or line drawn with an inserted shape can look similar. If clearing Strikethrough has no visible effect, inspect the cell’s borders and check for a shape over the worksheet.

Tips

Use Ctrl+Z promptly if the wrong formatting changes. Undo can reverse a recent formatting action. It may not be available after closing the workbook, and it cannot undo every action that changes rules or workbook structure. Save a copy before broad edits.
Work from a sample cell. When many cells are affected, test one representative cell first. If the cells share a conditional formatting rule, fix the rule once rather than manually changing each cell.
Use Paste Special thoughtfully. When copying information from another workbook or website, Values can avoid importing the source’s font effects. If you also need formulas or other formatting, choose the paste option that preserves those specific items instead.
Check the active worksheet when managing rules. Manage Rules can show rules for the current selection, the worksheet, or other scopes. Select This Worksheet to find rules that apply to other cells too, but edit only rules whose ranges and purpose you understand.
Remember that strikethrough is a visual mark. Removing it does not restore deleted text or change a cell’s value. If content itself is missing, use Undo or recover an earlier workbook version rather than treating the font effect as the cause.

Troubleshooting

The shortcut does nothing. First click directly in the worksheet and confirm that the correct cell or text is selected. Try Ctrl+1, then clear Strikethrough on the Font tab. On Mac, try Command+1 to open the equivalent dialog. If you are using Excel for the web, keyboard shortcuts may be affected by the browser; use the Home ribbon or open the workbook in the desktop app if the needed control is unavailable.

The line comes back after editing a value. This strongly suggests conditional formatting or another automated formatting source. Open Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules, choose This Worksheet in the scope list, and inspect rules covering the cell. Edit the condition or its font format rather than repeatedly toggling the cell’s direct formatting. If the rule is intentional, check whether the cell’s value makes the condition true.

Only some cells in a range change. The cells may have different direct formatting, or a rule may cover only part of the selection. Test cells individually and review the Applies to range in Manage Rules. If the range contains both struck-through and unstruck text, apply the Format Cells setting to smaller groups instead of assuming one shortcut will normalize every cell.

The checkbox is unavailable or the cells cannot be edited. The worksheet may be protected, the workbook may be read-only, or the selected text may not be in an editable cell. Check Review > Unprotect Sheet if you have permission and any required password. If the file is read-only, use Save As to create an editable copy where allowed. Do not try to bypass protection; contact the workbook owner if you lack access.

The line remains after Strikethrough is cleared. Check Home > Borders for a bottom border, look for underline in Format Cells, and inspect the worksheet for a drawn line or shape. A shape can be selected and removed separately from cell formatting. If the issue occurs only in print preview, also check page layout and print settings, because a printed line may not be a font effect at all.

The whole cell looks different after the repair. Undo immediately if possible, then use Format Cells to change only the Font tab’s Strikethrough setting. If you applied a cell style or Format Painter, restore the intended number format, fill, border, and font settings from a nearby correct cell or a saved copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut for strikethrough in Excel?
In Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, Ctrl+5 toggles strikethrough for the selected cell or selected text. In Excel for Mac, use Command+Shift+X. If a shortcut is intercepted, use Format Cells and the Font tab.

How do I remove strikethrough from only part of a cell?
Edit the cell, select just the affected characters, and clear Strikethrough using Ctrl+5 on Windows or the Format Cells dialog. Press Enter when finished. Formatting the whole cell may not change separately formatted characters.

Why does strikethrough keep returning in Excel?
A conditional formatting rule is a common cause, because it can apply font effects when a condition is met. Check Home > Conditional Formatting > Manage Rules and inspect rules that include the cell. Pasting or applying a cell style can also restore the effect.

Can I remove strikethrough without changing other formatting?
Yes. Select the cells, open Format Cells, go to Font, clear only the Strikethrough checkbox, and choose OK. Avoid Clear Formats, which removes other formatting too.

Does removing strikethrough restore deleted words?
No. Strikethrough changes how existing content looks; it does not store or recover deleted text. Use Undo, version history, or a backup if the words themselves were removed.

Can I fix strikethrough in Excel for the web?
Usually. Select the cell and use the available font-formatting controls on the Home ribbon, or try the shortcut if your browser allows it. If a rule keeps applying the effect or a control is missing, open the workbook in desktop Excel and inspect its conditional formatting rules.

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