Mastering the art of strikethrough formatting is a valuable skill to possess. With just a few simple steps, you can easily strike through text and numbers, making your data more visually compelling and highlighting important changes or revisions.
This comprehensive guide walks you through applying strikethrough in Excel, whether you're using the desktop version or the online app.
Say goodbye to manual line strikethroughs and discover the efficiency and elegance of this formatting feature.
Let's dive in and transform your Excel sheets today.
Table of Contents
- Where is the font Strikethrough options
- Add a strikethrough button to Quick Access Toolbar
- Put a strikethrough button onto Excel ribbon
- How to strikethrough automatically with conditional formatting
- FAQs
- Final Thoughts
Where is the font Strikethrough options
Unfortunately, the font strikethrough option isn't available if you're using Excel for the web and want to cross out data in a cell to show edits or completed tasks. However, you can easily achieve this formatting if you have the Excel desktop application.
Here's a simple guide
- Open your workbook in Excel.
- Select the cells that you want to format with a strikethrough.
- Click on the "Format Cells" box launcher, which you can find in the toolbar. It looks like a small square with an arrow pointing out.
- Tip: You can also press Ctrl+5 as a shortcut.
- In the "Format Cells" box that appears, go to the "Effects" tab.
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Look for the "Strikethrough" option and click on it.
- Save your workbook and reopen it in Excel for the web to see your changes
By following these steps, you can apply strikethrough formatting to your data in Excel.
This can help you visually indicate changes or completed tasks, making your spreadsheet more organized and easy to understand.
Add a strikethrough button to Quick Access Toolbar
If you find the previous method of applying strikethrough formatting in Excel a bit cumbersome, here's a handy trick to add a strikethrough button to the Quick Access Toolbar for quick and easy access.
- In Excel, look for a small arrow in the upper left corner of the window. Click on it.
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From the drop-down menu, select "More Commands..." This will open the Excel Options window.
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In the Excel Options window, locate and click "Commands Not in the Ribbon" from the "Choose commands from" drop-down menu.
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Scroll down the list of commands until you find "Strikethrough." Select it by clicking on it.
- Click the "Add" button in the middle to add the "Strikethrough" command to the list of commands on the right side.
- Once added, you can rearrange the commands by using the "Up" and "Down" arrows on the right side to position "Strikethrough" where you want it to appear.
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Click "OK" to close the Excel Options window.
Now, look at the upper left corner of your Excel worksheet, and you'll notice the new strikethrough button added to the Quick Access Toolbar.
Whenever you want to apply strikethrough formatting, simply click on this button, select the cells you want to format, and they will be crossed out instantly.
Put a strikethrough button onto Excel ribbon
If you want to have the strikethrough button easily accessible on the Excel ribbon instead of the Quick Access Toolbar, follow these simple steps:
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Right-click anywhere on the ribbon, which is the top menu bar in Excel, and choose "Customize the Ribbon" from the pop-up menu.
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To create a new group for the strikethrough button, select the tab where you want to add it. For example, let's select the "Home" tab. Then, click the "New Group" button to create a new group within that tab.
- Rename the new group to something that makes sense to you. You can do this by clicking the "Rename..." button and giving it a suitable name, like "My Formats."
- With the newly created group selected, choose "Commands Not in the Ribbon" from the "Choose commands from" drop-down menu.
- Scroll through the list of commands until you find "Strikethrough." Select it by clicking on it.
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Click the "Add" button in the middle to add the "Strikethrough" command to your custom group on the ribbon.
- Click "OK" to save the changes.
When you look at the Excel ribbon, you'll find the Strikethrough button in the designated group. You can simply click on it to apply strikethrough formatting to selected cells or text.
Crossing out information in your spreadsheet with just a single click is convenient.
How to strikethrough automatically with conditional formatting
If you want Excel to automatically apply strikethrough formatting to completed tasks or activities in a checklist or to-do list, you can use Conditional Formatting. Here's how you can do it:
- Select all the cells that you want to cross out when a specific condition is met. For example, select cells A2 to A11.
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On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click on "Conditional Formatting" and choose "New Rule" from the drop-down menu.
- In the "New Formatting Rule" dialog box, select "Use a formula to determine which cells to format."
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In the "Format values where this formula is true" box, enter the formula that represents the condition for the topmost cell. For example, if you want to cross out a cell when the corresponding cell in column B contains the text "Done," enter the formula: =$B2="Done"
- Click on the "Format..." button.
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In the "Format Cells" dialog box, go to the "Font" tab and select the "Strikethrough" option. You can also choose to change the font color to a light gray for the crossed-out entries, if desired.
- Click "OK" to close the "Format Cells" dialog box, and then click "OK" again to close the "New Formatting Rule" window.
With these steps, Excel will automatically apply strikethrough formatting to the cells in column A when the corresponding cell in column B contains the text "Done." This can be useful for managing checklists or to-do lists, where completed tasks are marked with a specific status.
Alternatively, instead of using text to define the task status, you can insert checkboxes and link them to cells. Then, you can base your conditional formatting rule on the value in those linked cells. This way, Excel will automatically check off completed tasks based on the selection of the checkboxes.
FAQs
What is the shortcut key for strikethrough in Excel?
The shortcut key for strikethrough in Excel is Ctrl + 5.
How do I remove strikethrough text in Excel?
To remove strikethrough text in Excel, select the strikethrough text and press Ctrl + 5 again, or use the "Strikethrough" button in the toolbar to toggle off the formatting.
How do I turn off strikethrough?
To turn off strikethrough for a specific selection in Excel, select the strikethrough text and press Ctrl + 5 to remove the formatting.
How do I get rid of strikethrough formatting?
To remove strikethrough formatting for an entire Excel worksheet, select all cells by pressing Ctrl + A and then press Ctrl + 5 to remove the strikethrough.
How do I remove and add strikethrough in Excel?
To remove strikethrough formatting from specific cells or ranges in Excel, select the cells and press Ctrl + 5 to toggle off the strikethrough formatting. Add a strikethrough with the same shortcut key or the "Strikethrough" button.
Final Thoughts
Strikethrough formatting in Excel is useful for crossing out text and numbers in your spreadsheets. It helps highlight completed tasks, deleted information, or mark items for review.
Applying strikethrough is simple and can be done in multiple ways, such as using the shortcut key Ctrl + 5, the toolbar button, or conditional formatting. Whether you're using Excel for the web or the desktop application, you can easily incorporate this formatting style to enhance your data's visual appeal and clarity.
Remember to remove strikethrough when it is no longer needed by using the same methods to toggle off the formatting. Experiment with a strikethrough in Excel to make your spreadsheets more organized and visually impactful.
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