# Strikethrough Text Add a strikethrough line through every character via the Unicode combining mark U+0336. Plain text — no markdown needed. > Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/strikethrough-text - **Category:** Text Processing - **Keywords:** strikethrough, strike-through, crossed out text, unicode text, combining mark ## Overview This tool draws a line **through** every character of your text using the Unicode combining mark `U+0336` (COMBINING LONG STROKE OVERLAY). The result looks like ~~strikethrough~~ but works anywhere plain text is accepted — social posts, chat, docs, filenames — with no markdown or rich-text support required. **How it works:** - Each character gets the combining mark inserted right after it; the mark visually attaches to the preceding base character, so the line is drawn per-character. - This is **not** markdown `~~...~~` — it is real Unicode text, so it survives copy-paste into apps that strip formatting. - Letters, digits, punctuation, spaces, emoji, and CJK all get struck — the mark applies universally. - Because it relies on a combining character, the exact appearance depends on the font/renderer, but all modern platforms render it correctly. **Good to know:** - Use it for deleted-text effects, sarcastic "corrections", or crossed-out items in notes. - To remove the strikethrough later, delete the invisible combining characters (a find-and-replace on `̶` restores the original). - Screen readers may announce struck characters oddly; avoid it for accessibility-critical content. ## Inputs - **Text** (textarea): Type or paste text to strike through... ## When to use - When posting on social media platforms or chat apps that do not support Markdown or rich-text formatting. - When creating crossed-out items in plain-text to-do lists, notes, or file names. - When writing humorous or sarcastic corrections where you want the original text to remain visible but clearly struck through. ## How it works - Enter your text into the input area. - The tool processes each character, appending the Unicode combining long stroke overlay (U+0336) directly after it. - Copy the generated output, which now contains the visual strikethrough embedded directly into the Unicode text stream. ## Use cases - Formatting social media updates on platforms like X (Twitter), Instagram, or LinkedIn that lack native text styling. - Marking tasks as completed in plain-text markdown files, notepad documents, or database entries. - Creating stylistic edits or sarcastic corrections in chat messages and forum posts. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does this tool use Markdown to strike through text? No, it uses the Unicode combining mark U+0336, meaning the strikethrough is embedded in the plain text itself and does not rely on HTML or Markdown tags. ### Will the strikethrough effect remain when I copy and paste the text? Yes, because the strikethrough is part of the Unicode characters, it survives copy-pasting into most applications that accept plain text. ### Can I strike through numbers, punctuation, and emojis? Yes, the Unicode combining mark applies to letters, digits, punctuation, spaces, and even emojis. ### How do I remove the strikethrough from the text later? You can remove it by performing a find-and-replace to delete the combining character (U+0336) from your text. ### Is this strikethrough text accessible for screen readers? 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