Gera Tools

Strikethrough Text Generator

Apply a Unicode combining strikethrough, slash, or underline to every character — copy-paste ready.

Free strikethrough text generator. Add a Unicode combining strikethrough (U+0336), slash, or underline to any text so it pastes crossed-out into apps that have no formatting button. Runs entirely in your browser. It runs free in your browser on Gera Tools, with nothing uploaded.

Last updated Source: Gera Tools

How does strikethrough text work without a format button?

Each character is followed by an invisible Unicode combining mark — U+0336 COMBINING LONG STROKE OVERLAY for strikethrough. The base letters are never changed; the rendering engine simply draws a line through the glyph that precedes the mark, so the effect survives a plain copy and paste.

This generator crosses out text by hand-stitching Unicode combining marks onto each character, so the strikethrough effect travels with a plain copy and paste — even into apps that have no bold or strikethrough button. Choose a full strikethrough, a diagonal slash, or an underline. Everything runs locally in your browser.

How it works

A combining mark is a Unicode character that has no width of its own; instead it attaches to and decorates the character immediately before it. The tool walks through your text one code point at a time and appends the chosen mark after each one:

strikethrough -> base + U+0336  (COMBINING LONG STROKE OVERLAY)
slash         -> base + U+0337  (COMBINING SHORT SOLIDUS OVERLAY)
underline     -> base + U+0332  (COMBINING LOW LINE)

Line breaks are left alone so multi-line input keeps its layout. Because the base letters are untouched, the result is still selectable text rather than an image or rich-text style.

The three mark styles

Strikethrough (U+0336): A horizontal line through the middle of each character. The most familiar effect — it reads as “this text is deleted or no longer valid.” In productivity contexts this signals crossed-out items on a to-do list or tracked deletions. In social contexts it is commonly used for irony: the struck-out word says one thing, the implication says another.

Slash (U+0337): A short diagonal stroke through each character. This reads as “not” or “cancelled” in many contexts — think no-smoking signs, where a diagonal slash over a symbol means prohibition. It tends to look better on capital letters and numbers than on lowercase text.

Underline (U+0332): A line beneath each character. Because most platforms already underline hyperlinks, underlined plain text in a chat or bio can look link-like, which may confuse readers. Best used selectively for emphasis in contexts where links are clearly styled differently.

Where it works — and where it does not

The effect works because most text rendering engines faithfully draw the combining mark attached to its base character. However:

  • Social media bios and posts: Works on most major platforms (Twitter/X, Instagram bios, Facebook). The combining marks survive copy-paste into these text fields.
  • Messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord): Varies. Slack renders the marks; Discord sometimes strips combining characters from certain mark types. Always paste a sample and check before sending something important.
  • Plain text files and terminals: Works — the bytes are present and most terminal emulators render combining marks correctly.
  • Search indexing: The underlying letters remain intact, so a search engine or Ctrl+F can still find the word. However an exact string match (including the combining bytes) will not match the plain version.
  • Screen readers: Many screen readers will skip combining marks or read the text without the visual decoration, which is the correct behaviour for accessibility. Do not use strikethrough for critical information — the visual is decorative, not structural.

Practical use cases

  • Social media bio humour: S̶e̶r̶i̶o̶u̶s̶ professional. Conveys irony without rich text.
  • Changelog or release notes in plain text: Crossing out deprecated items in a README or commit message where no Markdown bold/italic applies.
  • Informal chat: Emphasising second thoughts or corrections without editing the original text.

Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded or stored.