How to Strikethrough Numbers in Excel: Steps and Tips

To put a line through a number in Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select the cell and press Ctrl+5. The value stays the same; only its appearance changes. You can also turn on Strikethrough in the cell’s Font settings, which is useful if you prefer the ribbon or need to check the formatting.

Strikethrough can mark a completed amount, a cancelled entry, or a figure that should remain visible for reference. It does not delete or change the number, and it does not affect calculations. Before applying it, decide whether you want to format the entire cell or only some characters in a text entry: Excel applies this formatting to the whole value in a numeric cell.

What You’ll Need

A workbook open in Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows.
The cell or cells containing the numbers you want to mark. You can select one cell, a range, or several non-adjacent cells.
Optional: a keyboard, if you want to use the Ctrl+5 shortcut instead of the Font settings.

Step-by-Step

Open the worksheet and locate the number. Find the cell that contains the value you want to cross out. If the worksheet is protected, you may need permission to change formatting or to unprotect the sheet first. You do not need to edit the number itself, and you should not add characters such as hyphens to imitate a line.
Select the cell or cells. Click a cell to select it. To apply strikethrough to a range, click and drag across the cells, or click the first cell, hold Shift, and click the last cell. To pick separate cells, hold Ctrl while clicking each one on Windows. Check the selection before continuing, since the formatting command applies to every selected cell.
Apply the keyboard shortcut. Press Ctrl+5 once. Excel toggles strikethrough on for the selected cell or cells. You should see a line through the displayed number. Pressing Ctrl+5 again removes the line, so the shortcut can be used both to apply and to clear the format. On Excel for Mac, the usual shortcut is Command+Shift+X. If your keyboard layout or browser intercepts a shortcut, use the Font settings in the next step instead.
Use the Font settings if you prefer the ribbon. With the cells selected, open the Home tab. In the Font group, select the small dialog box launcher at the group’s lower-right corner to open Format Cells. On the Font tab, select the Strikethrough checkbox under Effects, then choose OK. This method is handy when you want to confirm whether the option is already on, or when a keyboard shortcut is unavailable.
Check the result and the value. Click a different cell, then look at the formatted number. To confirm the underlying value has not changed, select the cell and read the formula bar. Strikethrough is a font effect, not a calculation or a replacement value. For example, if a cell contains 125, it still contains 125 after the line appears, and formulas that refer to it continue to use 125.
Apply it consistently to other entries, if needed. Select additional cells and use the same shortcut or Font setting. If you want to copy the appearance from one cell to another, copy the formatted cell, select the destination, and use Home > Paste > Paste Special > Formats. This copies formatting rather than the source value. Review the destination afterward, particularly if it already has number formats, borders, or other styling you want to preserve.
Save the workbook. Save with Ctrl+S on Windows or Command+S on Mac. The strikethrough formatting is stored with the workbook. If you are preparing a printout or sharing a PDF, use Print Preview to confirm the line is visible at the chosen zoom and page size.

Common Mistakes

Changing the value instead of its appearance. Typing a line or extra symbols into a number changes what is stored and can interfere with calculations, sorting, or data imports. Use the font effect instead. The number remains available to formulas even though it looks crossed out.

Selecting the wrong range. The shortcut affects every selected cell. If you intended to mark one amount but a full column or row is highlighted, the entire selection may receive the effect. Check the selection outline before using Ctrl+5. If too many cells were changed, press Ctrl+Z immediately to undo the formatting action.

Expecting strikethrough to remove a number from calculations. Excel treats this as visual formatting. A total formula will still include a crossed-out amount unless the formula or data is changed separately. If crossed-out entries should no longer count, adjust the calculation or maintain a separate status column; do not rely on the line alone to control results.

Looking for a line in the cell’s number format. Strikethrough is a font effect, not an option in the Number Format list. Changing a format such as Currency or Percentage will not add the line. Open the Font tab in Format Cells or use the shortcut.

Trying to cross out only some digits of a numeric value. Excel’s ordinary cell formatting applies strikethrough to the full numeric value. It cannot strike just one digit of a number while leaving the rest of that numeric value unmarked. If you need a partial line for a label or annotation, use text rather than a value used in calculations, or put the note in a separate text cell.

Tips

Use a status column for meaning. A line through a number can be easy to miss and does not tell other people why the amount is marked. Add a nearby status or note such as Cancelled, Replaced, or Reviewed when the reason matters. This keeps the visual cue while making the sheet understandable to people who did not create it.

Keep the original value when you need an audit trail. Strikethrough is useful when an old amount should remain visible beside a new one. Add a replacement value in another cell and label both clearly. The old number will still be included in any formula that references it, so inspect totals and ranges before sharing the worksheet.

Know what the shortcut does. Ctrl+5 is a toggle: it adds the effect if it is off and removes it if it is on. When several selected cells have mixed formatting, pressing the shortcut may make their strikethrough state consistent in an unexpected way. To see the state of an individual cell, select it and open Format Cells.

Use formatting tools carefully when copying. Format Painter can copy the whole set of formatting from one cell, not just its strikethrough. If you only want the line and need to preserve other destination styles, use the Font dialog to set the effect directly, or inspect the destination after using Paste Special > Formats.

Consider readability. A thin line through a small or tightly spaced number can be difficult to see, especially in a printed worksheet. Increase the column width or zoom to inspect it, and avoid using strikethrough as the only way to communicate an important change. A clear label or note is more reliable for readers using a small screen or assistive technology.

Troubleshooting

Ctrl+5 does nothing. First confirm that Excel has focus and that a cell, rather than text in another application, is selected. Try the Home tab’s Font dialog launcher, then select Strikethrough on the Font tab and choose OK. On a laptop, check whether the number row or a function-key layer changes how the key is sent. In Excel for Mac, try Command+Shift+X; if that shortcut is unavailable, use the dialog. Excel for the web can have browser-specific shortcut behavior, so the Font controls are a dependable alternative there too.

The line appears on the wrong cells. Press Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac right away, then select the intended cells and apply the effect again. If you have already performed other actions, undo may reverse those actions as well, so check the worksheet after using it. For a small number of cells, selecting them individually can help avoid accidentally formatting a larger range.

The number looks crossed out, but a formula still includes it. That is expected: formatting does not change the cell’s value. If a total should ignore entries marked as cancelled, use a separate status column and build a formula that checks that status, or remove the value only if it is no longer needed. Make sure the rule matches how the worksheet is meant to work before changing formulas.

You cannot select Strikethrough or change the formatting. The worksheet may be protected, the cell may be locked, or you may have read-only access. Check the Review tab for sheet protection and ask the workbook owner for access if necessary. In a shared workbook, confirm that you have editing permission and that the file is not open in a mode that prevents changes.

The line is hard to see or missing in a printout. Select the cell and reopen Format Cells to verify that Strikethrough is checked. Then check Print Preview, since small text, scaling, or low-quality printing can make a fine line less apparent. Increase the font size or adjust the print scale if practical. A nearby status label remains the clearest backup for important information.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut to strikethrough a number in Excel?
On Excel for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select the cell and press Ctrl+5. On Excel for Mac, the usual shortcut is Command+Shift+X. Both toggle the formatting on or off.

Does strikethrough change the number or its calculations?
No. It changes only how the value appears. The number remains in the cell, so formulas, sorting, and other operations continue to use it unless you change the underlying data or calculation.

Can I strikethrough only one digit in a numeric cell?
Not while the cell contains a numeric value in the usual sense: font effects apply to the whole numeric value. For a partial effect in a written label, use text and apply formatting to the selected characters, or put the annotation in a separate cell. Keep calculation inputs numeric.

How do I remove strikethrough?
Select the affected cell or cells and press Ctrl+5 on Windows, or Command+Shift+X on Mac. You can also open Format Cells > Font and clear the Strikethrough checkbox. Check the result if the selection contained cells with mixed formatting.

Will strikethrough disappear if I change the number format?
Normally, changing a number format such as General, Currency, or Date does not remove the font effect. If the line does disappear, check whether a different style or formatting was applied to the cell. Reopen the Font tab to confirm the Strikethrough setting.

Can I make Excel automatically strike through a number based on a condition?
Conditional formatting can apply a font effect when a rule is true in versions that offer that effect in the rule’s Format settings. Set up the rule through Home > Conditional Formatting, then inspect its Font options. If Strikethrough is not available in your Excel version or rule dialog, use a manual format or another clear status indicator.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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