Whether you're jotting down ideas in Notes, editing documents in PDFelement, or sending messages via iMessage and SMS, mastering text formatting can significantly improve communication on your iPhone.

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This article provides a straightforward guide to using strikethrough text on iPhone, an often overlooked but powerful tool for highlighting changes or updates. We'll cover how to apply strikethrough in various applications. These include Notes, PDFelement for iOS, iMessage, and regular text messages.

In this article
    1. Step-by-Step Instructions to Strikethrough Text on iPhone in the Notes App
    1. Step-by-Step Instructions to Strikethrough in PDF Documents Using PDFelement
  1. How Do You Strikethrough Text in iMessage or Text Message on iPhone?
    1. Select the Right Symbols
    2. Use Symbols Evenly
    3. Check How Symbols Look in Different Fonts
    4. Keep It Readable
    5. Highlight Changes or Corrections

Strikethrough on iPhone depends on the app. Rich-text apps can expose a formatting control, while PDF apps use a strikethrough annotation that marks existing PDF text. Apple Pages, for example, includes a strikethrough control in its text formatting menu. Plain SMS/iMessage text does not have a universal native strikethrough syntax, so symbol-based workarounds are only visual imitations.

Part 1. How Do You Strikethrough Text in Notes on iPhone?

Strikethrough text on iPhone in your Notes app is useful for marking tasks as completed or updating lists without removing previous entries. It helps you track changes and progress directly in your notes, making it easier to see what has been done and what's still pending.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Strikethrough Text on iPhone in the Notes App

Here is how you can strikethrough text in the Notes app using your iPhone.

Step1Open Notes
open notes app on your iphone

Begin by opening the Notes app on your iPhone. You can find it on your home screen or search for it in your app library.

Step2Select a Note
select and edit note on iphone

Tap on the note you want to edit or tap the Create icon at the bottom right of your screen to create a new one. If the keyboard isn't visible, tap anywhere in the note text to bring up the keyboard.

Step3Highlight the Text
highlight the text on your notes in iphone

Press and hold on to the text you want to strikethrough. Drag the selection handles to cover the specific text you want to modify.

Step4Access the Formatting Menu
access formatting menu on notes to strikethrough text on iphone

Tap the "Aa" button located above the keyboard. This button opens the formatting options.

Step5Apply Strikethrough
apply strikethrough text in iphone notes

From the formatting options that appear, tap "Strikethrough." A line will now pass through the selected text, indicating that a strikethrough has been applied.

Part 2. How Do You Strikethrough Text in PDF on iPhone?

In a PDF, use a real annotation tool instead of drawing a line manually. A strikethrough annotation stays associated with the selected text and is easier to review, remove, or comment on later—important when the PDF is part of an editing or approval workflow.

PDFelement for iOS is a powerful tool for editing PDF files directly from your iPhone. It's designed for people who need to change documents on the go. Whether you're a professional who needs to quickly update a document, a student studying away from your desk, or anyone in between, this app is made for you.

pdfelement for ios

The app offers many features you'd expect from desktop PDF editors but is optimized for mobile use. You can change text, add and adjust images, and even change page layouts - all from your phone.

Besides editing, PDFelement lets you annotate PDFs, sign them, and fill in forms. These functions are essential for reviewing documents or filling out official forms without printing them out. The app's design is straightforward, so even beginners can start editing without a steep learning curve.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Strikethrough in PDF Documents Using PDFelement

Here is how you can strikethrough text in PDF documents using PDFelement on iPhone.

Step1Install PDFelement
install pdfelement through appstore

First, download PDFelement from the App Store. Search for 'PDFelement' and tap 'Get' to install it on your device.

Step2Open PDFelement
open pdfelement on iphone

Once installed, open PDFelement by tapping its icon on your home screen. If you're using it for the first time, you should sign in or create an account.

Step3Load a PDF
load pdf to strikethrough text in pdf on iphone

To start editing, open a PDF document within the app. You can import a PDF from your iPhone's storage or access one from cloud services if you've linked it to the app.

Step4Select the Comment Tool
select strikethrough icon on pdfelement in iphone

In the comment mode, click on the ‘Aa’ icon from the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.

Step5Highlight the Text
highlighted strikethrough text in pdfelement on iphone

Navigate to the text you want to strike through. Tap and hold, then drag to select and strikethrough the specific text.

Part 3. How Do You Strikethrough Text in iMessage or Text Message on iPhone?

iMessage and regular text messages on your iPhone are intended for simple text communication. They don't support complex text formatting, such as strikethrough. SMS and iMessage are meant to be compatible with all types of devices, even very old cell phones. They prioritize message readability over formatting.

Even though you can't directly strikethrough text in iMessage or text messages, there are ways to indicate that text has been struck through. You can use manual symbols to achieve a similar effect.

Part 4. Tips on Creating Manual Symbols to Resemble a Strikethrough Effect

Creating a strikethrough effect is useful in text settings like iMessage and SMS, where you can't normally format text. Here are some tips on how to do this effectively:

Select the Right Symbols

Standard symbols for mimicking strikethrough include dashes (-), tildes (~), and equals signs (=). Each one creates a different visual effect. Choose the one that looks best with your text.

Use Symbols Evenly

For a clear strikethrough effect, use an equal number of symbols before and after the text. For instance, using dashes might look like this: -word-.

Check How Symbols Look in Different Fonts

Different apps and devices show fonts differently. It's good to see how your symbols look across various platforms to ensure consistency.

Keep It Readable

When adding symbols, make sure the text remains easy to read. Too many symbols can make the text cluttered and hard to understand. Sometimes, using fewer symbols can be more effective.

Highlight Changes or Corrections

This manual strikethrough method is great for showing corrections, updates, or completed items, especially in informal chats or structured lists. It visually indicates that something has been reviewed or is complete without removing it from the view.

Conclusion

Strikethrough is a straightforward tool that allows you to better organize and track your tasks from your phone. Whether you're updating notes or managing documents in PDFelement, these tips will help you communicate more clearly. Although not all apps support strikethrough, manual methods can achieve a similar effect.

FAQ About Strikethrough Text on iPhone

  • 1. Can You Strikethrough Text in iMessage on iPhone?
    Yes. On iOS 18 and later, iMessage supports text formatting such as bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough.
    -Open Messages: Start a new iMessage or open an existing conversation.
    -Enter or select text: Type your message, or highlight the word or phrase you want to format.
    -Open text formatting: Tap the Text Format or Text Effects control above the keyboard.
    -Apply strikethrough: Choose Strikethrough, then send the message.
    This formatting is designed for iMessage and may not appear the same when the message is sent through another messaging standard.
  • 2. Can You Use Strikethrough in a Regular Text Message on iPhone?
    Native strikethrough formatting is available for iMessage, but it is not a universal formatting feature for regular SMS or other messaging standards. If the formatting option is unavailable in the conversation, you can use a simple visual workaround such as placing dashes or tildes around the text. Keep in mind that this only imitates strikethrough and does not create a real formatting style.
  • 3. How Do You Remove Strikethrough Text on an iPhone?
    The way you remove strikethrough depends on where it was applied.
    -In Notes: Select the struck-through text, open the formatting controls, and tap Strikethrough again.
    -In iMessage before sending: Select the formatted text and turn off the strikethrough option in the text formatting controls.
    -In a PDF: Select the strikethrough annotation in your PDF editor and choose the available delete or remove option.
    For PDF review workflows, removing the annotation is better than trying to erase the line manually.
  • 4. Is Strikethrough in Apple Notes the Same as Strikethrough in a PDF?
    No. In Apple Notes, strikethrough is a text formatting style applied directly to the selected text. In a PDF, strikethrough is normally a text markup annotation placed over existing content.
    A PDF annotation can usually be reviewed, commented on, edited, or removed later, which makes it more suitable for document review and approval workflows. Apps such as PDFelement provide dedicated strikethrough annotation tools for this purpose.
  • 5. How Do You Strikethrough Text on an iPad?
    The process on iPad is similar to iPhone and depends on the app.
    -In Notes: Select the text, open the formatting controls, and choose Strikethrough.
    -In iMessage: On supported versions of iPadOS, select or enter the message text, open the text formatting controls, and choose Strikethrough.
    -In a PDF: Open the document in a PDF annotation app such as PDFelement, select the strikethrough tool, and mark the text you want to review.
Audrey Goodwin
Audrey Goodwin Sep 15, 26
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12 years of talent acquired in the software industry working with large publishers. Public speaker and author of several eBooks on technical writing and editing.