How to Strikethrough on Outlook

When you want to emphasize a word or sentence for correction or deletion in Outlook, you can apply strikethrough formatting with a few clicks.

For those who frequently need to use the strikethrough function, you can directly use the keyboard shortcut — Alt + O + 4. However, I personally find this shortcut difficult to execute.

So, for keyboard ninjas who are willing to go the extra mile, I will discuss a way to assign a preferred custom keyboard shortcut for single and double strikethrough.

Important Keyboard Shortcuts

On Outlook Desktop 

1. Open the Outlook app.
2. Compose a new message or open an existing draft.
3. Select the word or sentence (inside the message body) you want to apply strikethrough. Note that, it won’t work if you try to strikethrough a text inside other fields like Subject or To fields.
4. Select the Format Text tab and click the strikethrough icon (“ab” crossed off). Look for it inside the Font section.
   
5. Alternatively, press the Alt + O + 4 keyboard shortcut.

On Outlook Web

1. Open a browser and login to your Outlook account.
2. Select the text you want to apply strikethrough formatting.
3. Under the Message tab, click the strikethrough icon.
   

On Mac

1. Select the text for which you want to apply strikethrough formatting.
2. Then, press the Shift + Command (⌘) + X keyboard shortcut. Or, click the strikethrough icon. Look for it above the message body.
3. Alternatively, press the Command + D shortcut to open Font Properties where you can access both the Strikethrough and Double Strikethrough options.
   
4. If you are using the legacy Outlook app, look for the strikethrough icon under the Message tab.
   

How to Assign a Shortcut for the Strikethrough Function?

By default, Microsoft Outlook doesn’t have an assigned keyboard shortcut for the double strikethrough formatting.  Also, pressing Alt + O + 4 isn’t so quick and easy.

So, if you often need to use the strikethrough formatting, you can assign an easier shortcut for both as follows.

1. Open a draft or new email.
2. Press Ctrl + D. Make sure the cursor is on the message body.
3. Now, press Ctrl + Alt + <plus sign>. Note that this plus sign must be the one that’s on the numpad.
4. Once the cursor turns an icon that looks like a Mac command or a clove icon, select the Strikethrough option. If you want to assign the shortcut for Double strikethrough, click it instead.
   
5. On the next window, assign the preferred keyboard shortcut for the Strikethrough function under the Press new shortcut key.
   
6. Make sure that you select a keyboard shortcut that doesn’t conflict with an existing one. Check the Currently assigned to field that displays unassigned. Here, we are using the Alt + Shift + S keyboard shortcut.
7. When done, click Assign and close the window.
8. Now, use the newly assigned keyboard to apply strikethrough formatting to a text.