Strikethrough is a significant text formatting option that can help convey specific meaning or show that a particular text is no longer relevant.
Microsoft Outlook, a widely used email client, provides users with an easy method to apply strikethrough formatting to text in emails, enhancing the clarity and effectiveness of their communication.
If you’re using Word and Google Docs to add strikethrough, there’s a simple trick for using Outlook to add strikethrough.
In the Design tab, in the home ribbon, there are small strikethrough buttons. Unlike most word processing programs, Outlook adds strikethrough when you type, rather than when you insert a graphic. But here’s how to do it.
This article explains ‘How to Strikethrough Text in Outlook (i.e., cross out text with a line)’.
This information applies to Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010, and Outlook for Microsoft 365.
We will also provide you with helpful keyboard shortcuts to save time and increase your productivity when working with Outlook emails.
How to Strikethrough Text in Outlook?
In Outlook, you can strike through the text in your email message. To do this, you need to know the trick on how to strikethrough text in Outlook.
There are two types of strikethroughs that you can use – a simple strikethrough and a double strikethrough. In the web version, you’ll only have the option for a simple strikethrough.
There are two ways to add strikethrough to text in Outlook emails: single and double lines.
- To add a single line of strikethrough, select the text you want to strikethrough and then click the “Strikethrough” button.
- To add a double line of strikethrough, select the text you want to strikethrough and then click the “Double Strikethrough” button.
Single Strikethrough Line in Text
Step 1: Open the Outlook application.
Step 2: Open New Mail/Reply or Forward, for applying strikethrough you need to enable strikethrough or select the portion of content in which you like strikethrough.
Step 3: Create an email message you want to strikethrough/Or you can activate the strike-through before you create a message.
- Click on Format Text >> From the Font section click strikethrough, which enables the option before you type any content, every word you type will consist of a strikethrough.
- Here is the example below:
Another option is, you can type the entire content first, then highlight the specific part or portion you like to strikethrough, and from the Font section click strikethrough, which converts the selected portion into strikethrough.
In case you have multiple portions to select you can hold the ‘Ctrl key‘ to select the portion.
Using Font Dialog Box
Another way to apply strikethrough in Outlook Desktop App is by using the Font dialog box. First, select the text you want to strike through.
Then, in the Format Text tab, click the small arrow in the bottom right corner of the “Font” section. This will open the Font dialog box.
In the Font dialog box, you will see a list of effects, including “Strikethrough.” Check the box next to “Strikethrough,” and click “OK” to apply the effect.
Once you have done this, your selected text will have the strikethrough effect applied.
By following these steps, we can quickly and efficiently apply strikethrough effects to our text when using Microsoft Outlook Desktop App.
Double Strikethrough Line in Text
To add a double line of strikethrough, select the text you want to strikethrough and then click on the expended button, which opens the font dialog box, from the effects portion select the checkbox “Double strikethrough“, which converts all your text with double strikethrough.
To get the Font dialog box, there is another option, you can select the portion and click the right mouse button, from the dropdown list select Font, which will watch you through the same dialog box.
Finally, click OK, and your selected text is converted into double strikethrough. However, keep in mind that double strikethrough is not available in the Outlook web or mobile app.
Remove Strikethrough from Text in Outlook
To remove the strikethrough effect, select the text and click the same Strikethrough option, which disables the option, and the strikethrough is removed.
Cross Out and Other Text Effects
Outlook also provides a variety of additional text effects, such as subscript, superscript, emboss, and engrave.
These text effects can be added alongside strikethrough formatting to customize your message further.
Just like strikethrough, simply highlight the text you want to modify and choose from the available options in the Font Dialog box under the “Format Text” or “Home” tab in the desktop app.
When accessing Outlook on devices like the iPhone, the ability to draw a line through the text or apply strikethrough formatting may be limited.
However, you can use third-party keyboard apps or copy the formatted text from Microsoft Word or any other text editor with the strike-through feature to include it in your Outlook emails.
In conclusion, Outlook offers various options, including strikethrough, double strikethrough, and other text effects, allowing you to emphasize and format your message content in a way that best suits your needs.
Keyboard Shortcut to Apply Strikethrough in Outlook
In this section, we will discuss various keyboard shortcuts for applying strikethrough text in Outlook.
We will cover shortcuts for Windows and Mac operating systems, as well as how to customize keyboard shortcuts to suit your preferences.
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
For Windows users, applying strikethrough text in Outlook can be done quickly using keyboard shortcuts.
To do so, simply select the text you want to strikethrough and press Ctrl + D. This will open the Font dialog box.
Here, press Ctrl + Alt + the plus symbol on the number keypad to activate the strikethrough option.
Once the strikethrough is enabled, click the Assign button to apply the change.
Other keyboard shortcuts specific to Outlook are available in the Microsoft Support documentation.
It’s worth noting that these shortcuts may vary if you’re using other Microsoft applications such as Excel, PowerPoint, or Office 365, as well as third-party programs like Gmail and Google Docs.
Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
For Mac users, the process is slightly different. To strikethrough text in Outlook on a Mac, select the text and press Cmd + T to open the Fonts window.
From there, click the strikethrough button and select the preferred strikethrough line option (single or double line).
Keep in mind that keyboard shortcuts may also differ when using other applications on your Mac.
Customize Keyboard Shortcuts
If you would like to customize the keyboard shortcuts for strikethrough text in Outlook or other Office applications, you can do so by accessing the Customize Keyboard dialog box.
Here, you can assign new letter keys to specific commands, making it easier for you to apply formatting preferences quickly and efficiently.
To access the Customize Keyboard dialog box in Outlook, go to File >> Options >> Customize Ribbon.
In the Customize Ribbon section, click the Customize button next to “Keyboard shortcuts.”
From there, you can select the command you want to change and assign a new keyboard shortcut in the “Press new shortcut key” field.
Click the Assign button to apply your changes.
Customizing keyboard shortcuts can help you improve productivity and streamline your workflow, especially in applications like Microsoft 365 or other Office programs.
Remember that changing shortcuts in one application may not affect similar shortcuts in other programs.
There are a few shortcut keyboard keys, which help you insert or remove strikethrough easily.
| Sr. No. | What it Does? | Keyboard Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Add a Single strikethrough in the Outlook application | Alt + O + 4 |
| 2 | Add a Double strikethrough in the Outlook application | Alt + O + FN + (Tab 6 times) + Space + Enter |
| 3 | Remove Single / Double strikethrough in the Outlook application | Alt + O + 4 |
| 4 | Undo Strikethrough | Ctrl + Z |
You can apply strikethrough format to text in Outlook by selecting the text, then using the keyboard shortcut mentioned above in the table
How to Add Strikethrough Option to the Quick Access Toolbar?
The quick access toolbar usually helps users quickly access any action; you need to add the strikethrough icon to the quick access toolbar.
Go to Format text, right-click on the strikethrough icon, and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar from the drop-down list.
Once you click on its strikethrough icon is added to Quick Access Toolbar.
How to Strikethrough Text in Outlook Web?
Signing in to Outlook.com
To apply strikethrough in the Outlook Web App, we first need to sign in to our account.
Open a web browser and navigate to outlook.com. Enter your email address and password associated with your Microsoft Office 365 account.
Once logged in, we’ll be able to access our email inbox and compose new messages.
So, let’s understand in details “How to add and remove Strikethrough text in Outlook” Web.
Step 1: Open Outlook web.
Step 2: Now create a New Email/Reply/Forward, you like to apply cross lines in text. (Let’s take a new email) >> Click on New email from the left top corner of the screen.
Step 3: Enter the inputs like the email address of the recipient, subject, and type, and select the content you like to strikethrough the portion.
Step 4: Click options (…) and select strikethrough (the icon of a line crossing the letter ‘abc‘), your selected portion will be converted to strikethrough.
In case you need to remove the strikethrough from the portion reverse the method and the line removed from the text.
With the Outlook Web App, applying strikethrough formatting is a simple process that can be accomplished with just a few clicks. This helps us emphasize the changes or corrections in our emails, making our communication in the web app more effective and clear.
Using Strikethrough Effectively
When to Use Strikethrough
We often need to convey changes, updates, or corrections in our email text to recipients.
For example, if there’s a mistake or misunderstanding in our message, using the simple strikethrough effect can help the reader understand what to ignore and what to focus on.
In addition, strikethrough can be used to indicate completed tasks in a to-do list or to show a change in the plan within our inbox.
Communicating Effectively with Strikethrough
When using the strikethrough effect in Outlook, it’s important to ensure that our message remains clear and easy to understand.
To strikethrough text, select the text we want to format, then click the “Format Text” tab at the top of the window, and choose strikethrough from the options.
We can also use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + Shift + X for Windows or Cmd + Shift + X for Mac to quickly apply the formatting.
Remember that clarity is crucial. Overusing the strikethrough effect in our email text can make it challenging for recipients to understand the intended message.
Limiting its use to essential changes can help maintain the effectiveness of this formatting tool.
We can enhance the organization and presentation of the information by using tables, bullet points, and bold text, as appropriate.
This will help our recipients quickly locate the relevant information in our message and understand our point of view.
Alternative Strikethrough Options
Double Strikethrough
In addition to the standard single strikethrough available in Outlook, there is also a double strikethrough option.
While the single strikethrough is more commonly used, the double strikethrough can add extra emphasis.
To apply double strikethrough formatting in Microsoft Word or Outlook desktop app, simply:
- Select the text you want to format.
- Click on the “Format Text” or “Home” tab at the top.
- Click the Font Dialog Box Launcher.
- Select the “Font” tab.
- Check the box next to “Double strikethrough“.
However, keep in mind that double strikethrough is not available in the Outlook web or mobile app.
Cross Out and Other Text Effects
Outlook also provides a variety of additional text effects, such as subscript, superscript, emboss, and engrave.
These text effects can be added alongside strikethrough formatting to customize your message further.
Just like strikethrough, simply highlight the text you want to modify and choose from the available options in the Font Dialog box under the “Format Text” or “Home” tab in the desktop app.
When accessing Outlook on devices like the iPhone, the ability to draw a line through the text or apply strikethrough formatting may be limited.
However, you can use third-party keyboard apps or copy the formatted text from Microsoft Word or any other text editor with the strike-through feature to include it in your Outlook emails.
In conclusion, Outlook offers various options, including strikethrough, double strikethrough, and other text effects, allowing you to emphasize and format your message content in a way that best suits your needs.
Final Words
In conclusion, to strike through text in Outlook is extremely easy, though this may seem intimidating for first-time users, if you learn one new trick at a time, you will be more likely to accomplish your goal.
The next step is to experiment with adding other formatting techniques, like highlighting or italics.
The above text demonstrates that there is not only a strikethrough but also double strikethrough.
You may be wondering if the meaning is the same as with single strikethrough.
Hopefully, the information above has helped you to be able to strike through text in the emails that you write in Microsoft Outlook.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What’s the shortcut for strikethrough in Outlook emails?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a specific keyboard shortcut for strikethrough in Outlook.
However, you can apply the strikethrough effect by selecting the text you want to format, then choosing “Format Text” tab at the top followed by the strikethrough button.
How can I apply strikethrough in Outlook calendar?
Applying the strikethrough effect in Outlook calendar is not available. Strikethrough is primarily used for text formatting in emails and not for calendar events.
Is there a way to use strikethrough in the subject line?
No, Outlook does not support strikethrough formatting in the subject line of an email. Strikethrough formatting is limited to the email body.
What is the process for using strikethrough in Outlook Web?
To use strikethrough in Outlook Web, select the text you want to apply the strikethrough effect to and click the “A” icon for formatting options in the email toolbar.
From there, choose the strikethrough option. The process is similar to using strikethrough in the desktop application.
How to access strikethrough in Outlook 365?
Outlook 365 offers the same functionalities as Outlook Web or desktop versions.
To access strikethrough, simply create a new email, highlight the text you want to format, and click on the strikethrough button in the formatting toolbar.
Are there any differences using strikethrough in Outlook 2016?
Using strikethrough in Outlook 2016 follows the same method as other Outlook versions.
Select the text you wish to format, navigate to the formatting toolbar, and click on the strikethrough button.
The ease and functionality remain consistent across all versions of Outlook.
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