How To Strikethrough On Google Slides: Keyboard Shortcuts And Formatting Guide

To apply a strikethrough to text in Google Slides, select your target text and press Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows/ChromeOS, or Command + Shift + X on macOS. Alternatively, you can apply this format by clicking Format in the top menu, hovering over Text, and selecting Strikethrough. These methods execute instantly within any modern web browser to update your slide layout without altering the underlying slide code.

Technical Prerequisites and Interface Preparation

Applying visual formatting in Google Slides requires a clear understanding of the Google Workspace document object model and user interface. Unlike dedicated word processors, presentation software renders text inside defined vector bounding boxes, often called text frames or placeholder shapes. Because of this structural layout, formatting behavior can vary depending on whether you have selected the entire text frame or specific character strings inside the frame.

Before executing formatting changes, verify your production environment matches the following standard baseline:

• Supported Platforms: Google Slides web application (compatible with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge), Google Slides Mobile App (Android and iOS/iPadOS).
• Required Hardware Interface: A standard QWERTY, AZERTY, or QWERTZ keyboard layout for physical shortcuts; a functional capacitive touch screen for mobile editing.
• Prerequisite Access: Edit-level permissions on the target Google Slides presentation file. View-only or Comment-only access levels will restrict all formatting options, including strikethrough commands.
• Time Required: Less than 10 seconds per instances.

Step-by-Step Execution: Four Ways to Apply Strikethrough

Step 1: Target and Highlight Your Text

Before executing any shortcut or menu path, you must explicitly define the target characters. Google Slides applies inline CSS-like styles to specific character indexes within a text frame's string.

To begin, click once inside your text frame to activate the editing cursor. Click and drag your mouse pointer over the specific characters, words, or sentences you wish to strike through. Alternatively, use keyboard selection shortcuts: place your cursor at the start of the text block, hold down Shift, and use the arrow keys to highlight the characters with precision.

Warning: If you click the outer border of the text frame without selecting specific text inside it, applying the strikethrough command will format every single character inside that box. Always isolate the specific text string if you only want to strike through a portion of your slide content.

Step 2: Execute Platform-Specific Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way to format text in Google Workspace. Depending on your current operating system, hold down the modifier keys and press the alphanumeric key simultaneously.

For Windows and ChromeOS users, hold down the Alt key, hold down the Shift key, and then press the number 5 key (Alt + Shift + 5). Do not use the numeric keypad; use the standard number row located above the alphabetical keys.

For macOS users, hold down the Command key (Cmd), hold down the Shift key, and then press the letter X key (Command + Shift + X).

To remove the strikethrough format using your keyboard, highlight the struck-through text once more and press the exact same key combination. This action functions as a simple toggle command.

Step 3: Navigate the File Menu System

If your operating system has hotkey conflicts or you are using an alternative keyboard layout that restricts shortcut functionality, use the application's built-in dropdown menus.

First, highlight the text on your slide. Move your cursor to the file menu bar at the top of the Google Slides interface. Click on the Format tab to open the dropdown options. Hover your cursor over the Text option to reveal the secondary formatting submenu.

From this submenu, scroll down and click on Strikethrough. The application will immediately process this request and draw a horizontal line directly through the center of your selected text.

Step 4: Leverage the Format Painter for Bulk Editing

If you need to apply strikethrough formatting to multiple disconnected blocks of text across different slides, using keyboard shortcuts repeatedly can become tedious. The Format Painter tool allows you to copy text formatting and paste it onto other text selections.

First, apply the strikethrough effect to a single word using the menu or shortcut methods. Highlight that formatted word. Click the Paint Roller icon located on the left side of the main Google Slides toolbar. Your cursor will transform into a paint roller icon, indicating that the style is saved to your clipboard.

Now, navigate to any slide in your deck and click and drag over the new text you want to format. As soon as you release the mouse button, the strikethrough styling along with any matching font styles will apply to the new text selection.

Step 5: Apply Strikethrough on Mobile Devices (iOS and Android)

Editing presentations on mobile devices requires navigating the Google Slides mobile application layout, which prioritizes a touch-based interface over physical keyboard inputs.

Open your presentation in the Google Slides app and double-tap the text box you want to edit to enter text-insertion mode. Tap and hold your finger on the target text, then drag the selection boundary pins to highlight the precise words you want to modify.

Tap the Format icon located in the top menu bar, which looks like a capital letter A with horizontal lines next to it. A formatting drawer will slide up from the bottom of your screen. Under the Text tab inside this drawer, locate the icon representing strikethrough, which is a capital letter S with a horizontal line running through its center. Tap this icon once to apply the formatting, and tap the slide background to close the drawer.

Technical Specifications and Platform Shortcut Metrics

The table below outlines the specific input metrics, structural pathways, and technical variables associated with executing the strikethrough command across various platforms inside Google Slides.

Resolving Common Formatting Glitches and Shortcut Conflicts

Keyboard Shortcut Fails to Trigger Strikethrough

• Root Cause: The most common cause is a keybinding conflict with browser extensions, custom operating system hotkeys, or third-party background applications such as password managers, screenshot tools, or language input switchers. For instance, some Windows configurations assign Alt + Shift to switch keyboard input languages.
• Actionable Fix: First, disable or pause any browser extensions that manage shortcuts. If the issue persists, use the alternative dropdown menu pathway: Format, then Text, then Strikethrough. Alternatively, you can change your operating system's language switching hotkey inside the control panel settings to free up the Alt + Shift key combination for Google Workspace.

Bullet Points or Numbered Lists Are Accidentally Struck Through

• Root Cause: When highlighting an entire line of text inside a list, you may accidentally include the invisible paragraph break character at the end of the line. Google Slides interprets this as an instruction to apply the character style to the list marker (the bullet or number) as well.
• Actionable Fix: Highlight the affected text line carefully, stopping exactly after the last visible letter or punctuation mark without selecting the empty space beyond it. If the bullet point is already struck through, highlight only the first character of the text, remove the strikethrough, and manually re-apply it using precise character-only selection.

Strikethrough Line Color Does Not Match Slide Design Requirements

• Root Cause: Google Slides does not offer a native, independent color picker for the strikethrough line itself. The application automatically renders the strikethrough line using the exact same hex color code assigned to the text string.
• Actionable Fix: If your design guidelines require a black strikethrough line over red text, you cannot achieve this natively with text formatting. Instead, use the Line Tool on the main toolbar. Draw a custom horizontal vector line directly over your text. Highlight the drawn line, click the Line Color icon on the toolbar, and assign your custom hex color and thickness. To keep the line and text together when moving elements, select both the text box and the line, right-click, and select Group.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I remove a strikethrough from text in Google Slides?

To remove a strikethrough, select the formatted text and press the same shortcut you used to apply it (Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows or Command + Shift + X on Mac). You can also go to the Format menu, select Text, and click Strikethrough again to turn off the setting.

Can I apply a strikethrough to text inside a table in Google Slides?

Yes, formatting text inside tables follows the same rules as text frames. Highlight the specific cells or text inside the table cells, and apply either the menu command or the platform-specific keyboard shortcuts to strike through the selected content.

Why is the strikethrough shortcut not working on my Windows computer?

On Windows, the Alt + Shift key combination is often reserved by the operating system to switch between different keyboard languages. If this feature is active, pressing Alt + Shift + 5 will change your keyboard layout instead of applying the strikethrough. You can resolve this by changing your Windows hotkey settings or by using the Format menu to apply the style.

Is it possible to strikethrough an entire text box at once?

Yes, you can format an entire text box quickly. Click on the outer border of the text box so that the boundary line becomes solid and the cursor inside disappears. Press your platform's strikethrough shortcut to apply the formatting to all current and future text typed inside that box.

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