Google Calendar on Windows and Mac
Strikethrough in Google Calendar for titles and notes
Google Calendar has no strikethrough option, in event titles or in the description editor. Paste a Unicode version instead: it shows on the web, on phones and for everyone you invite.
Updated · strikethroughtext.online
Why there’s no strikethrough button
Google Calendar treats event titles as plain text, so nothing you select there can be bolded or struck. The description box has a small editor, with bold, italic, underline, numbered and bulleted lists, links and a remove-formatting button. Strikethrough isn’t on it, and there’s no keyboard shortcut for it either. Alt + Shift + 5, which works in Google Docs, does nothing here.
The workaround is Unicode strikethrough: text where every letter is followed by an invisible combining mark that draws the line. Calendar sees it as ordinary characters, so it keeps the line wherever the text goes.
Cross out an event title
- Type the title in the box at the top of this page and click the result to copy it.
- In Google Calendar, open the event and click the pencil icon to edit it.
- Select the old title, paste, and click Save.
If you’ve invited people, Calendar asks whether to send them an update. Choose Send if you want them to see the change straight away; the struck title shows in their calendars either way.
A useful pattern is to strike only part of the title: “T̶u̶e̶s̶d̶a̶y̶ Thursday: design review” tells everyone the meeting moved without a separate note.
Cross out lines in the description
Event descriptions work the same way. Copy each struck line from the tool and paste it in place of the old text. This is handy for agendas: strike the items you’ve covered and leave the rest plain, so the event doubles as meeting notes.
The description editor sometimes keeps the formatting of the text you paste over. If a pasted line looks bold or underlined, select it and click Remove formatting (the crossed-out T). The strikethrough stays, because it’s part of the characters rather than formatting.
On the Calendar app for Android and iPhone
The mobile apps have no formatting at all, but they accept pasted text:
- Copy struck text from this page in your phone’s browser.
- Open the event in the Google Calendar app and tap the pencil icon.
- Tap the title or the description, paste, and tap Save.
Things to keep in mind
Search. Calendar search matches exact characters. A struck title won’t come up when you search for the plain word, so leave something unstruck, like “Moved” or “Cancelled”, in titles you may want to find later.
Screen readers. Some screen readers read the combining marks aloud. For events shared with a big group, a plain prefix such as “CANCELLED:” is the more accessible choice.
Length. Each struck letter is two characters behind the scenes. That rarely matters for a calendar title, but keep it in mind if you sync events into a tool with a tight character limit.
Completed tasks
Google Tasks shown in Calendar already get crossed out when you mark them complete, so you don’t need any of this for tasks. Strikethrough only has to be pasted in for regular events.
Copy-paste version
For the places where Google Calendar formatting won't follow your text, like file names, chat apps or a social bio.
- strikethrough
- short strike
- wavy strike
- slash
- long slash
- double slash
- strike + underline
- strike + overline
- underline
- double underline
- overline
- dotted
- wave
- x below
- redacted
Questions people ask
Can you strikethrough in Google Calendar?
Not with formatting. Event titles are plain text, and the description editor only offers bold, italic, underline, lists and links. Copy strikethrough text from this page and paste it into the title or description instead.
Will guests see the crossed-out title?
Yes. Unicode strikethrough is part of the characters, so it shows in every guest’s calendar, in invitation emails and in the Google Calendar apps for Android and iPhone.
Can I still search for an event with a struck-through title?
Usually not. Calendar search looks for the exact characters, and the struck version contains extra marks between letters. Keep a plain word in the title, like “Cancelled”, if you need to find it later.
Is there a better way to mark a cancelled event?
If you are the organiser and the event really is off, delete it so guests get a cancellation notice. Strikethrough is best for events you want to keep visible, like a moved meeting or a crossed-off personal reminder.