How to Put a Line Through Text in Google Docs: Google Docs vs Microsoft Word for Strikethrough Formatting

Use strikethrough when text should stay visible but marked as removed, changed, or completed. In Google Docs, the fastest reliable method is Format > Text > Strikethrough, while Microsoft Word puts the same control in the Home tab under the Font tools.

What strikethrough formatting does

Strikethrough places a horizontal line through text. It does not delete the words. It simply shows that the text is no longer active, approved, current, or needed.

That makes it useful for:

• Editing drafts while keeping rejected wording visible.
• Tracking completed tasks in shared lists.
• Showing price changes, such as $49 $39.
• Marking outdated instructions without removing them too early.
• Collaborative review, especially when several people need context.

The key point is simple: use strikethrough when deletion would hide useful history.

How to put a line through text in Google Docs

Google Docs makes strikethrough easy, but the control is not visible on the main toolbar by default. Honestly, it feels like one of those features that should be one click away, but is tucked into a menu instead.

To apply strikethrough in Google Docs:

1. Open your document in Google Docs.
2. Select the word, sentence, paragraph, or list item you want to mark.
3. Click Format in the top menu.
4. Choose Text.
5. Click Strikethrough.

The selected text will now show a line through it. To remove the line, select the same text and repeat the same steps.

Google Docs keyboard shortcuts

If you use strikethrough often, the shortcut is faster:

• Windows or ChromeOS: Alt + Shift + 5
• Mac: Command + Shift + X

For repeated edits, the shortcut saves real time. If you strike through 50 short task lines in a meeting, using the menu may take 30 to 45 seconds longer than the keyboard shortcut. That sounds small until you do it every week.

How to use strikethrough in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word gives strikethrough a more visible home. In most desktop versions, the button sits in the Font group on the Home tab. It looks like letters with a line through them, usually shown as abc with a horizontal stroke.

To apply strikethrough in Word:

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Select the text you want to mark.
3. Go to the Home tab.
4. Find the Font group.
5. Click the Strikethrough button.

To remove it, select the text and click the same button again.

Microsoft Word keyboard options

Word has a few ways to work faster:

• Windows ribbon shortcut: press Alt, then H, then 4.
• Font dialog method: press Ctrl + D, then select Strikethrough.
• Mac shortcut: in many versions, use Command + Shift + X.

Word also supports double strikethrough through the Font dialog. Google Docs does not offer double strikethrough as a standard text formatting option. That matters for legal drafts, formal editing, and technical documents where different markups need different meanings.

Google Docs vs Microsoft Word for strikethrough

Both tools handle basic strikethrough well. The better choice depends on how you work.

Feature	Google Docs	Microsoft Word
Basic strikethrough	Yes	Yes
Visible toolbar button	Not by default	Yes, on the Home tab
Keyboard shortcut	Yes	Yes, though varies by version
Double strikethrough	No standard option	Yes
Collaboration	Very strong for live editing	Strong, especially with OneDrive
Best use	Shared drafts, task lists, quick reviews	Formal documents, contracts, tracked formatting

Which tool is better?

Google Docs is better for simple shared work. If your team is editing a plan, updating meeting notes, or marking completed checklist items, Google Docs is clean and fast. Everyone sees changes almost instantly. Comments, suggestions, and version history also pair well with strikethrough.

Microsoft Word is better for advanced document control. It has stronger formatting depth. The visible strikethrough button is easier for many users to find. Word also handles complex documents better, especially reports, contracts, manuals, and files with strict formatting rules.

The annoying part is consistency. In Google Docs, one user may know the shortcut while another wastes time searching through menus. In Word, the button is easier to spot, but shortcuts can differ between Windows, Mac, and web versions. Expect a few seconds of friction when switching platforms.

Strikethrough vs Suggesting Mode and Track Changes

Strikethrough is not the same as formal change tracking.

In Google Docs, Suggesting mode shows proposed deletions and insertions. The owner can accept or reject them. In Microsoft Word, Track Changes records edits in detail and is often preferred for legal, academic, and business review.

Use strikethrough when the mark itself is the message. Use Suggesting mode or Track Changes when approval matters.

For example, in a marketing draft, writing launch on Monday launch on Wednesday may be clear enough. In a contract, that kind of informal edit may not be enough. You may need tracked edits, reviewer names, timestamps, and approval history.

How strikethrough works on mobile

On mobile, the process is slower in both tools. That is not ideal, but it is workable.

In Google Docs mobile:

1. Select the text.
2. Tap the formatting icon, often shown as an A.
3. Open the text formatting options.
4. Tap the strikethrough option if available.

In Microsoft Word mobile:

1. Select the text.
2. Open formatting tools.
3. Go to text or font options.
4. Tap strikethrough.

Mobile editing is fine for quick marks. For heavy review work, use a laptop or desktop. It is faster and less error-prone.

Best practices for serious documents

• Do not overuse strikethrough. Too much crossed-out text becomes hard to read.
• Pair it with comments when the reason for removal is not obvious.
• Use consistent meaning. If strikethrough means “completed,” do not also use it for “rejected.”
• Use Track Changes or Suggesting mode for formal approvals.
• Check exported files. Strikethrough usually survives PDF export, but always review the final file.

Final recommendation

For most users, Google Docs is the easier choice for collaborative strikethrough editing. Use Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows or ChromeOS, and Command + Shift + X on Mac.

Choose Microsoft Word when formatting precision matters more than real-time simplicity. Its toolbar access, double strikethrough option, and stronger review tools make it better for formal files. For everyday crossed-out text, both tools work well. The right one is the one that matches how serious the document is.