Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Changing Strikethrough Lines.

Changing Strikethrough Lines

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 10, 2018)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


You can format text using attributes such as bold, italic, underline, etc. You can also format text so that it is "struck through," which puts a thin horizontal line through the text. (Similar to using a pen and crossing through the text.) If you use strikethrough text a lot, you may wonder if there is a way to change the attributes of the strikethrough line itself, such as changing its weight or color.

It does not appear that there is any way in Word to change the attributes of a strikethrough line. Those attributes mirror the attributes of the text that is being struck through. For instance, if you change the font color of the text, then the color of the strikethrough line changes, as well.

If you want a different type of strikethrough, you can use a workaround, such as to use the drawing tools in Word to actually draw a line through the text. You can then change the attributes of the drawn line to whatever you desire.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (344) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Changing Strikethrough Lines.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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