How to cross out (strikethrough) text in a PDF

Cross out text in four steps

• Open your PDF in a local editor by dragging it onto the page or picking the file. It loads in the browser and stays on your device.
• Select the line tool from the toolbar.
• Press the mouse at the start of the text, drag a straight line through the middle of the words, and release at the end. Cover a whole phrase in one pass, or strike a single word at a time.
• Download the marked-up PDF. The strikethrough is saved right into the file.

Why the line tool, not a text edit

A strikethrough is just a horizontal mark running through the center of the letters, so drawing a straight line is the most direct way to make one. Keep the line level and aimed at about the mid-height of the text for a clean look.

If you would rather the words disappear and be replaced, that is a different job. You can edit the existing text in place, where the editor reuses the document's real embedded font so the change blends in, or you can white out the old text and type over it. Crossing out is for when you want the original words to stay readable but visibly marked as struck.

Tips for a clean strikethrough

• Aim the line through the vertical middle of the letters rather than the baseline, so it reads as a strikethrough and not an underline.
• For a long passage, draw one continuous line across the whole block instead of stitching together many short segments.
• Use undo and redo freely to fix a line that came out crooked or off-center.
• Zoom in before drawing on small text so you can place the line precisely.
• If you only need to flag text rather than strike it, the highlight tool is a softer alternative.

Important: a strikethrough is markup, not redaction

Drawing a line through text does not delete the underlying words. The original characters are still in the PDF, sitting directly beneath your line, and anyone can still select, copy, or search them. For review notes, contract markup, editing drafts, or showing a reader what has been cut, that is usually exactly what you want.

It is not the right tool for hiding sensitive information. True redaction permanently removes the underlying text and image data so it cannot be recovered, which is a destructive operation. If your goal is to conceal a Social Security number, account number, or other private detail before sharing, a visible cross-out, or even a solid black box laid on top, is not safe, because the data still exists in the file underneath. For that, use dedicated redaction software that actually strips the content.

For everyday markup, such as striking a clause, marking a line item as removed, or signaling an edit to a colleague, a drawn strikethrough is the correct and honest choice, and you can do it here for free without your file ever leaving your computer.