How Unicode strikethrough works
The strikethrough effect is produced by the Unicode combining character U+0336 COMBINING LONG STROKE OVERLAY. Unlike Markdown tildes, this character is part of the text itself — it attaches visually to the character before it and draws a horizontal line through it. The generator inserts U+0336 after every character you type, making the entire word appear crossed out.
The same principle applies to underline text, which uses U+0332 COMBINING LOW LINE. Both belong to the Unicode Combining Diacritical Marks block (U+0300–U+036F), the same block used for accents and other language marks in everyday writing.
Unicode vs. Markdown strikethrough — what's the difference?
Markdown strikethrough (~~text~~) is a formatting instruction that must be interpreted by a Markdown renderer. It only works on platforms that process Markdown — Discord, Reddit, and GitHub do; Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter do not.
Pasting ~~hello~~ into an Instagram caption will display the tildes literally. Unicode combining characters bypass this entirely — they are already part of the text at the Unicode level, so every app renders the visual effect without interpreting any markup.
Where strikethrough text works
| Platform | Unicode strikethrough | Markdown | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✅ Bio and captions | ❌ Shows tildes | Unicode is the only option | |
| TikTok | ✅ Display name and captions | ❌ | @ handle is ASCII only |
| Twitter / X | ✅ Bio and tweets | ❌ | Unicode renders everywhere |
| Discord | ✅ Display name, status | ✅ Messages and channels | Use Markdown for chat; Unicode for names |
| ✅ | ✅ Posts and comments | Both work in new Reddit | |
| ✅ Contacts, messages | ✅ ~tilde~ strikethrough | WhatsApp uses single tilde | |
| Gmail | ✅ Subject and body | ❌ | Unicode renders in most clients |
When to use strikethrough text
Price comparisons and sales
One of the most practical uses is marking old prices in social captions: W̶a̶s̶ ̶$̶5̶0̶ — now $29. Crossed out text draws the eye directly to the discount without needing an image or design tool.
Humor and sarcasm
Strikethrough implies something is being corrected or retracted — a popular tone for self-deprecating humor. This pattern is everywhere in meme culture and works well in Twitter threads, Reddit comments, and Discord messages.
Showing edits and corrections
Journalists and writers sometimes use strikethrough to show visible corrections in published text — an honest signal that something changed rather than a silent rewrite. Works in email body text and on platforms that support Unicode.
Task lists in social posts
Crossed-out items in a list make completed entries feel satisfying: ✅ D̶r̶a̶f̶t̶ ̶p̶o̶s̶t̶. A commonly used technique in productivity content on Instagram and TikTok.
Underline text — the companion tool
The underline style uses U+0332 COMBINING LOW LINE, the same mechanism as strikethrough. Underline is less common than strikethrough on social media, but works well for emphasis in Discord and Telegram messages where you cannot use a rich text editor. Note that many platforms already underline hyperlinks — using Unicode underline on regular text can create visual confusion with clickable links.
Strikethrough text tips
- Keep it short. Long passages of strikethrough text are visually exhausting. A few words work; an entire paragraph is hard to read.
- Pair it with normal text. The contrast between crossed-out text and clean text is what makes the effect. If the entire line is struck through, you lose the punchline.
- Test before posting. Paste first into the target app and check on mobile. Combining marks occasionally render unexpectedly on older Android builds.
- Use Markdown in Discord chat. For Discord messages, the native ~~ ~~ syntax is cleaner and lighter weight. Save this tool for display names and statuses.
Related guides
- How to add strikethrough text on Instagram, TikTok and Discord — a deep dive into which platforms support which method.
- Fancy Text Generator — 20+ text effects including strikethrough, underline, glitch and more, all on one page.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why use Unicode strikethrough instead of Markdown ~~tildes~~?
- Markdown ~~ strikethrough only works on platforms that render Markdown — Discord and Reddit do, but Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter do not. Pasting ~~text~~ into Instagram just shows the tildes literally. Unicode combining strikethrough (U+0336) works at the text level, so it renders in every app that supports Unicode text.
- Does strikethrough text work in Instagram captions and bios?
- Yes. Instagram renders Unicode combining characters in both captions and bios. One limit: each combining mark counts toward the bio character budget (every combining mark is its own code point). Use strikethrough sparingly in longer bios.
- What about TikTok?
- Yes, TikTok captions and display names support Unicode strikethrough. The @ handle is ASCII-only and cannot use combining characters.
- On Discord should I use this or ~~Markdown~~?
- For Discord channel messages, the native Markdown tilde syntax (~~text~~) is cleaner and renders perfectly across all Discord clients. Use the Unicode strikethrough generator only for display names, server nicknames, or statuses — where Markdown is not processed.
- What is the Unicode combining strikethrough character?
- It is U+0336 COMBINING LONG STROKE OVERLAY. This is a combining diacritical — it has no width of its own and attaches visually to the preceding character. By placing one after every letter, the browser or app draws a horizontal line through the entire word.
- Does strikethrough look different on different devices?
- Slightly. The exact position and thickness of the strikethrough line is determined by the font rendering engine on each device. It will always appear as a horizontal line through the text, but thickness may vary between iOS, Android, and desktop.
- Does strikethrough text work in email subject lines?
- Depends on the email client. Most modern clients (Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook) render Unicode combining characters in both subject lines and body text. A handful of older clients may strip combining marks or display them as separate characters. Test in your own client before depending on it.