How to Strikethrough Text in Discord

Strikethrough formatting puts a line through text in a Discord message, which is useful for showing edits, jokes, or something that is no longer relevant. You do not need to change a setting or install anything: wrap the text in two tildes on each side, then send the message.

What You’ll Need

• A Discord account and access to a text channel, direct message, or other place where you can send messages.
• A keyboard that can type the tilde character (~). On many US keyboards, it is on the same key as the backtick (`), usually to the left of the number 1.
• A current Discord app or Discord in a web browser. The formatting syntax works across Discord’s desktop, web, and mobile clients.

Step-by-Step

1. Open a place where you can send a message. Choose a server text channel or open a direct message. Check that you have permission to send messages there.
2. Click or tap the message box. You can format a whole message or just a few words within a sentence. There is no separate strikethrough button you need to enable.
3. Type two tildes before the text. Enter ~~ with no space between the two characters. For example, to mark the word “cancelled,” begin with ~~cancelled.
4. Type the text you want crossed out. Keep the words directly between the opening and closing tildes. For a phrase, type the full phrase in the middle, including any spaces: ~~this whole phrase~~.
5. Add two tildes after the text. The complete syntax is ~~text~~. For example, type The meeting is ~~cancelled~~ postponed. The word “cancelled” should appear with a line through it after the message is sent.
6. Send the message. Press Enter on a computer, or tap the send button on mobile. Discord renders the markup as strikethrough in the sent message. In the composer, you may see the tilde characters before sending; that is normal.
7. Check the result. Confirm that only the intended words have a line through them. If the tildes appear visibly in the sent message, edit the message and check that both pairs are present, correctly placed, and made from regular tilde characters.

You can use the same syntax for a complete sentence: ~~I will send the old version today.~~ You can also combine it with ordinary text before or after the formatted section. Make sure the opening and closing markers surround only the text you want struck through.

Common Mistakes

• Using only one tilde. Discord needs two at the beginning and two at the end. One on either side will not make the standard strikethrough markup.
• Forgetting the closing pair. Without the final ~~, Discord cannot identify the end of the formatted text. Add the missing pair after the last intended character.
• Putting spaces between the markers and text. Write ~~word~~, not ~~ word ~~. Spaces immediately inside the markers can prevent the formatting from rendering as expected.
• Typing a similar-looking character. A hyphen (-), underscore (_), or backtick (`) is not a tilde. On a US keyboard, hold Shift while pressing the key shared with the backtick; keyboard layouts differ, so use your device’s symbol keyboard if needed.
• Adding a line break between a marker and its text. Keep the opening tildes and the text together, and close the markup within the same message. For a straightforward result, avoid splitting the marked section across multiple lines.
• Expecting the message composer to look exactly like the sent message. The composer may show the raw markup while you type. Judge the formatting after sending, or use the preview if your client displays one.

Tips

• Use a short test in a private message or test channel if you are unsure where the tilde is on your keyboard. You can check the rendering without posting a formatting experiment in a busy conversation.
• Copy the syntax when needed: ~~your text here~~. Replace the words in the middle, but keep both pairs of tildes.
• Combine strikethrough with other Markdown formatting carefully. Discord supports other text markup, but nested or overlapping markers can be harder to read and may not render as intended. Test a combination before using it in an important message.
• Use it to communicate meaning, not as the only way to convey an important change. Some readers may find crossed-out text harder to read, and formatting can look different in third-party clients or accessibility tools. State a critical correction plainly as well.
• Edit rather than repost if you spot a simple typo after sending. Open the message’s edit option, fix the tildes or text, and save the change. The exact way to open message actions varies by device.

Troubleshooting

The tildes are still visible after sending. Edit the message and verify that it has exactly two tilde characters before and after the target text. Check that you did not accidentally type backticks or hyphens. Also remove spaces immediately inside the markers, so the pattern is ~~text~~.

Only part of the text is crossed out. Look for a closing pair that appears too early, or an opening pair placed too late. Move the markers so the entire desired section sits between them. If the text includes punctuation, put the punctuation inside or outside the markers according to whether you want it struck through.

The tilde key does not produce a tilde. Keyboard layouts and mobile keyboards vary. On many US keyboards, press Shift and the backtick key; on a phone, open the symbols or punctuation keyboard and locate ~. You can also copy a tilde from another source, then check that the copied character is not a visually similar symbol.

Formatting works in one place but not another. Try a simple test such as ~~test~~ in a place where you can send messages. Make sure you are sending a normal text message rather than entering the markup into a different field, such as a search box or channel name. If the issue persists, restart or refresh Discord and test again in the web or desktop client.

You cannot send or edit the message. The issue may be permissions or message controls rather than formatting. Check whether you can send a plain text message in that channel. If not, ask a server moderator about channel permissions; if you can send plain text, try editing the message and correcting the markup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Discord strikethrough code?
Place two tildes on both sides of the text: ~~text~~. Discord turns the marked text into strikethrough when it renders the message.

Can I strikethrough only one word?
Yes. Put the word between the pairs of tildes, such as That is ~~wrong~~ right. The surrounding words remain unformatted.

Does strikethrough work on mobile?
Yes. Type the same ~~text~~ syntax in the message box and send it. The main challenge on mobile is finding the tilde on the symbols keyboard.

Do I need to turn on Markdown in Discord?
No. You can use Discord’s supported text formatting by typing its markup directly. No separate strikethrough setting is required.

Can I strikethrough a message after sending it?
Yes. Use the message’s edit option, add the two tildes before and after the text, then save. If you cannot edit it, your permissions or the message controls may be limiting that action.

Why do I see tildes instead of a line through the text?
Usually the markers are missing, misplaced, or are not tilde characters. Check for two regular tildes at each end, no spaces immediately inside them, and then send or save the message again.

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