For those apps, generate the strikethrough text separately and paste it in:
Use the generator →Strikethrough Shortcuts by App
| App | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Word | Alt, H, 4 | Cmd+Shift+X |
| Microsoft Excel | Ctrl+5 | Cmd+Shift+X |
| Google Docs | Ctrl+Shift+X | Cmd+Shift+X |
| Google Sheets | Alt+Shift+5 | Cmd+Shift+X |
| Google Slides | Ctrl+Shift+X | Cmd+Shift+X |
| Mac Notes / Pages | — | Cmd+Shift+X |
| Notion | Ctrl+Shift+S | Cmd+Shift+S |
| Discord | Type ~~text~~ (Markdown, both platforms) | |
| Slack | Type ~text~ (Markdown, both platforms) | |
For the full context behind any of these — including why the shortcut sometimes doesn't stick, or menu alternatives — see the dedicated guides linked below.
Why Shortcuts Vary So Much Between Apps
There's no industry-wide standard for text-formatting shortcuts the way there is for something like copy and paste. Each app's developers pick their own key combinations, often based on what was already free on their keyboard layout at the time. Microsoft Word set an early convention decades ago, but newer web-based apps like Google Docs and Notion built their own shortcut systems from scratch rather than copying Word's, which is why Ctrl+5 works in Excel but does nothing in Google Docs.
What to Do If a Shortcut Doesn't Work
A few things commonly cause a strikethrough shortcut to fail:
- Your browser or OS has claimed the same combination. Some browsers use
Ctrl+5to jump to the fifth open tab, which can override the app underneath it. - A browser extension is intercepting the keys. Ad blockers, password managers, and productivity extensions sometimes bind global shortcuts that clash with a website's own.
- You're in a plain-text field. If the field doesn't support rich formatting at all — a search bar, a chat input with no Markdown support — no shortcut will work no matter what you press, because there's no formatting layer to apply it to.
In that last case, the fix isn't a different shortcut — it's generating the strikethrough text separately and pasting it in.
Apps With No Shortcut At All
Most social media and messaging apps — Instagram, X, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Snapchat — have no strikethrough shortcut because they don't support rich text formatting in the first place. There's nothing to memorize because the feature simply isn't there.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the universal keyboard shortcut for strikethrough?
There isn't one. Word and Excel use Ctrl+5 on Windows; Google Docs and Sheets use Ctrl+Shift+X; most Mac apps use Cmd+Shift+X.
Is there a strikethrough shortcut on Mac Notes?
Yes — Cmd+Shift+X, or Format > Font > Strikethrough from the menu.
What do I do if an app has no strikethrough shortcut?
Generate the text separately with a Unicode-based tool and paste it in — this covers essentially all social and messaging apps.
Why do shortcuts vary so much between apps?
There's no universal standard — each app's developers chose their own key combinations independently, and newer web apps didn't always follow older conventions like Word's.
What if my strikethrough shortcut doesn't work?
Check whether your browser, OS, or an extension is intercepting the same key combination, or whether you're in a plain-text field with no formatting support at all.
Is there a strikethrough shortcut in Notion?
Yes — Cmd+Shift+S on Mac or Ctrl+Shift+S on Windows, or type ~text~ and Notion converts it automatically.
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