SymbolHub

Strikethrough Text Generator

This strikethrough text generator draws a line through every character, like s̶t̶r̶i̶k̶e̶t̶h̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶, so you can cross out words in places with no formatting, such as Instagram captions, X posts and YouTube comments.

Updated

  • StrikethroughWorks on most devices
    H̶e̶l̶l̶o̶ W̶o̶r̶l̶d̶

More text styles

  • SlashedWorks on most devices
    H̸e̸l̸l̸o̸ W̸o̸r̸l̸d̸
  • UnderlineWorks on most devices
    H̲e̲l̲l̲o̲ W̲o̲r̲l̲d̲
  • Double underlineWorks on most devices
    H̳e̳l̳l̳o̳ W̳o̳r̳l̳d̳

How the line is added

Strikethrough text is made with a combining character. After each letter the generator inserts U+0336 COMBINING LONG STROKE OVERLAY, which tells the font to draw a horizontal bar across the previous character. Because it is a mark and not a new letter, the underlying word is still there: search and copy work better than with most fancy styles, though some apps count each mark as an extra character.

The Slashed row uses U+0338 COMBINING LONG SOLIDUS OVERLAY instead, giving s̸l̸a̸s̸h̸e̸d̸ letters, the same mark that turns = into ≠ in maths. Spaces are left untouched so words stay separate.

Why the line can look broken

Each letter gets its own short stroke, so on some fonts the line has tiny gaps between letters or sits a little too high or low. The effect is clean on iOS, Android and Windows 11, and patchier in some Linux fonts and older smart TVs. If you need a perfect continuous line, use real formatting where it exists.

Apps that already support strikethrough

Several apps have strikethrough built in, and it is better to use it there: Discord uses ~~text~~, WhatsApp uses ~text~, Slack uses ~text~, and Word and Google Docs have a strikethrough button (Alt + Shift + 5 in Docs). Native strikethrough keeps the text readable by screen readers, which announce combining-mark text poorly.

Strikethrough is great for jokes (“I ~~hate~~ love Mondays”), price drops (~~$40~~ $25) and edits in shared notes. For other line effects try underline text, or add a divider from line symbols. Check exactly which marks you copied with the Unicode character lookup.

More text styles

Frequently asked questions

How do I cross out text on Instagram?

Instagram has no strikethrough button. Type your text here, copy the Strikethrough row and paste it into your caption, comment or bio.

How do I strikethrough in Discord?

Wrap the text in two tildes on each side: ~~like this~~. Discord formats it without special characters.

Why does my strikethrough line have gaps?

Each letter carries its own combining stroke, and some fonts do not join them perfectly. The appearance depends on the device’s font.

What is the keyboard shortcut for strikethrough?

In Google Docs press Alt + Shift + 5; in Word use the ab button on the Home tab or Font settings; on a Mac in Docs, Command + Shift + X.