How to Strikethrough Text on Discord: A Comprehensive Guide
Discord, the popular platform for communities and friends, offers a variety of text formatting options to enhance your communication. While bold, italics, and underlines are commonly used, strikethrough is another valuable tool to add emphasis, convey humor, or indicate revisions. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of using strikethrough on Discord across different devices and provide tips for effective usage.
## What is Strikethrough Text?
Strikethrough text appears with a horizontal line running through the middle of the words, like this: example. It’s often used to:
* **Indicate deletion or errors:** When correcting a previous message, you can use strikethrough to show what you’re removing.
* **Express sarcasm or irony:** A strikethrough can add a layer of humor to your statements.
* **Show a completed task:** If you’re managing a to-do list within Discord, strikethrough can mark completed items.
* **Emphasize a change of thought:** You can use it to abruptly cancel a previous idea or statement.
* **Add visual flair:** Sometimes, strikethrough simply enhances the visual appeal of your text.
## How to Strikethrough on Discord: The Basics
The most straightforward method to strikethrough text on Discord is by using the **tilde (~) symbol**. This symbol is usually located near the ‘1’ key or the backtick (`) key on your keyboard. Here’s how it works:
1. **Place two tildes before and after the text you want to strikethrough.**
For example, if you want to strikethrough the word “Discord,” you would type: `~~Discord~~`
2. **Send your message.** Discord will automatically format the text with a horizontal line through it.
That’s it! It’s a simple and quick way to add strikethrough to your Discord messages.
## Strikethrough on Discord: Step-by-Step Instructions for Different Devices
While the tilde method is universal, here are detailed instructions for using it on various devices:
### On Desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux)
1. **Open Discord:** Launch the Discord application on your desktop.
2. **Navigate to the Channel:** Go to the specific channel or direct message where you want to send the strikethrough text.
3. **Compose Your Message:** In the message box, type your message.
4. **Apply Strikethrough:** Place two tilde symbols (`~~`) before and after the text you want to strikethrough. For example, `This is ~~wrong~~ correct.`
5. **Send the Message:** Press Enter or click the send button to send your message. The text between the tildes will appear with a strikethrough.
**Example:**
Typing: I thought the meeting was tomorrow, but it’s ~~tomorrow~~ today.
Will appear as: I thought the meeting was tomorrow, but it’s tomorrow today.
### On Mobile (Android & iOS)
1. **Open Discord:** Launch the Discord application on your Android or iOS device.
2. **Navigate to the Channel:** Go to the specific channel or direct message where you want to send the strikethrough text.
3. **Compose Your Message:** Tap the message box to bring up the keyboard and type your message.
4. **Access the Tilde Symbol:** The location of the tilde symbol varies depending on your keyboard app. Typically, you can find it by:
* **Switching to the symbols or numbers keyboard:** Most mobile keyboards have a button to switch to a keyboard with numbers and symbols (often labeled with `?123` or `&%$`).
* **Long-pressing the backtick (`) key:** Some keyboards hide the tilde symbol under the backtick key, requiring a long press to reveal it.
* **Checking the secondary symbols:** Some keyboards have a secondary layer of symbols that can be accessed by pressing a shift or arrow key.
5. **Apply Strikethrough:** Once you’ve found the tilde symbol, place two tilde symbols (`~~`) before and after the text you want to strikethrough. For example, `I ~~hate~~ love Mondays.`
6. **Send the Message:** Tap the send button (usually a paper airplane icon) to send your message. The text between the tildes will appear with a strikethrough.
**Example:**
Typing: This game is ~~easy~~ very challenging!
Will appear as: This game is easy very challenging!
**Troubleshooting on Mobile:**
* **Keyboard App:** If you can’t find the tilde symbol on your default keyboard, consider downloading a different keyboard app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Many keyboard apps offer a wider range of symbols.
* **Copy and Paste:** As a last resort, you can copy the tilde symbol from another source (like a website or another app) and paste it into your Discord message.
### Using Strikethrough with Bots
Some Discord bots might have their own commands or syntax for strikethrough. This is less common, but if you’re using a bot that requires specific formatting, consult the bot’s documentation or help commands to learn how to use strikethrough with that particular bot.
## Examples of Using Strikethrough Effectively
Here are some practical examples of how you can use strikethrough to enhance your Discord conversations:
* **Correcting Mistakes:**
`I meant to say ~~hello~~ goodbye!`
This clearly shows the correction made.
* **Expressing Sarcasm:**
`Yeah, I’m *really* excited about doing laundry. ~~Said no one ever.~~`
The strikethrough adds a humorous undertone.
* **Marking Completed Tasks:**
`To-Do List:
– [ ] Buy groceries
– [ ] ~~Walk the dog~~
– [ ] Finish the report`
The strikethrough visually indicates the completed task.
* **Showing a Change of Mind:**
`I think we should go to the beach… ~~nevermind, it’s raining.~~`
The strikethrough abruptly cancels the previous idea.
* **Adding Emphasis Through Cancellation:**
`This is the ~~worst~~ best day ever!`
The strikethrough emphasizes the contrast and the actual feeling.
## Advanced Discord Text Formatting
Discord’s text formatting goes beyond just strikethrough. You can combine strikethrough with other formatting options for even more expressive communication.
Here’s a summary of the basic Markdown syntax you can use in Discord:
* **Bold:** `**text**`
* *Italics:* `*text*` or `_text_`
* Underline: `__text__`
* Strikethrough: `~~text~~`
* Code: “ `text` “ (inline code) or text (code block)
### Combining Formatting Options
You can combine these formatting options to create more complex text styles. Here are some examples:
* **Bold and Italics:** `***text***` or `___text___`
* **Bold and Strikethrough:** `**~~text~~**`
* *Italics and Strikethrough:* `*~~text~~*`
* Underline and Bold: `__**text**__`
* Underline and Italics: `__*text*__`
* Underline and Strikethrough: `__~~text~~__`
* Underline, Bold and Italics: `___***text***___` or `***___text___***`
* Underline, Bold and Strikethrough: `__**~~text~~**__`
**Example:**
Typing: This is ***~~very important~~*** and __*definitely not*__ a drill.
Will appear as: This is ***very important*** and *definitely not* a drill.
**Important Considerations:**
* **Order matters:** When combining multiple formatting options, the order in which you apply the symbols can sometimes affect the result. Experiment to see what works best.
* **Clarity:** While combining formatting can be fun, avoid overdoing it. Too much formatting can make your text difficult to read.
* **Context:** Consider the context of your message. Overusing formatting can be distracting or inappropriate in serious conversations.
### Code Blocks and Strikethrough
It’s important to note that strikethrough, like other Markdown formatting, will not work inside code blocks. If you enclose text within backticks (“ `text` “ or text), Discord will display the text as code, ignoring any formatting symbols.
For example, typing ~~This will not be strikethrough~~ will display the literal text `~~This will not be strikethrough~~` as code, without applying the strikethrough effect.
## Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
* **Forgetting the Second Tilde:** Make sure you include *two* tilde symbols at the beginning *and* end of the text you want to strikethrough. One tilde won’t work.
* **Spaces Between Tildes and Text:** Don’t add spaces between the tilde symbols and the text. `~~ text ~~` will not work; it should be `~~text~~`.
* **Using the Wrong Symbol:** Double-check that you’re using the correct tilde (~) symbol, not a similar-looking character. It can be tricky on some mobile keyboards.
* **Conflicting Formatting:** Sometimes, other formatting (like code blocks) can override the strikethrough. Ensure there are no conflicting formatting elements around the text you’re trying to strikethrough.
## Accessibility Considerations
While strikethrough can be a useful tool, it’s important to consider accessibility for users with visual impairments. Users who rely on screen readers may not be able to perceive the visual distinction of strikethrough text. Therefore:
* **Provide Alternative Explanations:** When using strikethrough to indicate a correction or deletion, consider adding a brief explanation in plain text. For example, instead of just saying `~~Hello~~ Goodbye`, you could say `I meant Goodbye (not Hello)`. This provides context for users who can’t see the strikethrough.
* **Avoid Overuse:** Limit your use of strikethrough to essential situations where it adds significant value to the communication. Overusing it can make your messages harder to understand for everyone, especially those with disabilities.
* **Consider Color Contrast:** Although Discord’s color themes are designed to provide sufficient contrast, be mindful of how strikethrough text appears against different background colors. Ensure that the strikethrough line is clearly visible.
## Conclusion
Strikethrough is a simple yet powerful tool for adding emphasis, humor, and clarity to your Discord messages. By mastering the tilde symbol and understanding how to combine it with other formatting options, you can enhance your communication and make your Discord interactions more engaging. Remember to consider accessibility when using strikethrough and avoid overusing it to maintain clarity and readability. With a little practice, you’ll be using strikethrough like a pro in no time!