Strikethrough text in Google Slides
To apply strikethrough to part of a text in Google Slides, select the target characters and press the keyboard shortcut for your platform: Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows or ChromeOS, or ⌘ + Shift + X on Mac. Google’s shortcut guide lists these combinations among its text-formatting shortcuts. It also notes that some shortcuts may not work with every language or keyboard. Google Slides keyboard shortcuts
The steps below involve selecting the target text and visually checking the formatting. If you think the shortcut is not working, first check that you are using the correct shortcut for your platform and the version shown in Google Slides’ own shortcut list; do not assume there is a different menu path.
Select the right text first
Go to the slide you want to change in your presentation and enter a state where you can edit the text. Selecting the text box border is not the same as selecting the characters inside the box. Select the word or phrase you want to strike through, and check that your selection covers the intended text before pressing the shortcut.
For example, if only a date is outdated, select the date rather than the surrounding explanation. If you want punctuation marks to be included in the formatting, include them in the selection too. If you are unsure about the selection, review it before pressing the shortcut. This helps reduce the risk of formatting the wrong text, especially when dealing with information such as a date, amount, or revision note that needs to be read with the surrounding text.
Apply the shortcut and check the result
Once your selection is ready, press the key combination for your platform once. Use Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows and ChromeOS, or ⌘ + Shift + X on Mac. Google’s keyboard shortcuts help page also explains how to open the shortcut list: press Ctrl + / on Windows/ChromeOS, or ⌘ + / on Mac.
After applying the formatting, check whether the line appears over the text you intended. If you targeted only part of the text, check whether the surrounding text has changed too. If necessary, select the text again and repeat the action. Before assuming that a key combination is not working, confirm that the Google Slides editing area is active and that you are using the correct shortcut for your platform.
Example: updating an event date
Hypothetical example: An event announcement in a presentation says, “Registration deadline: May 12.” The date has been updated to May 15, and the old date will remain on the slide to show the change.
- Open the relevant slide and edit the text containing the announcement.
- Select “May 12.” Do not include “Registration deadline:” in the selection unless you also want to strike through that text.
- Press Alt + Shift + 5 on Windows/ChromeOS or ⌘ + Shift + X on Mac.
- Add “New date: May 15.” Check that the new information looks the way you want it to.
- Review the slide in the view it will use in the presentation, and decide how the old and new dates read together.
Leaving the old date struck through may be preferable when you want to make the change visible. However, if the old date should no longer be used, consider whether it needs to remain in the presentation. If the goal is only to announce the current date, removing the old information and writing the new date clearly may be more appropriate. This is a content choice based on what the presentation needs to accomplish and its audience.
If the shortcut does not work
First, check that you selected the target characters in the text and used the correct shortcut for your platform. Google warns that some shortcuts may not work with all languages or keyboards. So do not assume that the same combination will be recognized in the same way with different keyboard layouts.
To view the shortcut list, press Ctrl + / on Windows/ChromeOS or ⌘ + / on Mac, then check how the “Strikethrough” action is shown on your device. Google’s shortcut help page includes shortcuts for opening this list and formatting shortcuts for different platforms. If the shortcut shown in the list does not match your platform, check the section for the correct platform before trying the shortcut again.
If you formatted the wrong text, you can use the undo shortcut listed by Google Slides: Ctrl + Z on Windows/ChromeOS or ⌘ + Z on Mac. Then select the target text again and check the result. At this step, observe only whether the change you expected was undone; if you are unsure about the selection or formatting, review the slide before repeating the action.
Final checklist
- I worked in the right presentation and on the right slide.
- I targeted the characters I wanted to format, rather than the text box border.
- I used the correct shortcut for Windows/ChromeOS or Mac.
- I checked that the line covers the intended text and reviewed the surrounding text.
- I considered whether keeping the old information on the slide is appropriate for its purpose.
- I checked whether the text is clear in the view it will use in the presentation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Windows and ChromeOS shortcut?
Google’s Google Slides shortcut guide lists Alt + Shift + 5 for strikethrough text under PC shortcuts. Google also notes that some shortcuts may not work with all languages or keyboards. If needed, press Ctrl + / to open the shortcut list and check the action shown on your device.
What is the Mac shortcut?
The shortcut listed for Mac is ⌘ + Shift + X. Select the target text when using the shortcut, then review the result. If the shortcut does not work as expected, press ⌘ + / to open the Google Slides shortcut list and confirm how it is shown.
Can I use a different menu path when the shortcut does not work?
The sources here confirm the shortcuts and how to open the shortcut list; they do not confirm a different menu path. So, rather than assume a menu step, check the shortcut list for the action shown for your device.
Does strikethrough need to remain in the presentation?
That depends on the purpose of the presentation. If you want to make changes visible, consider leaving the old information; if you want to present only the current information, review whether the old text is necessary. After formatting the text, check how it reads in presentation view.
For other text-formatting tasks, you can also see the guides to adding subscript in Google Slides and adding superscript in Google Slides. These cover different formatting topics; do not confuse them with the strikethrough shortcut explained here.
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