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Google Sheets: Add Strikethrough When Checkbox is Checked

by Tutor Aspire

You can use the custom formula function in Google Sheets to add a strikethrough to specific cells when a checkbox is checked.

The following example shows how to use the custom formula function in practice.

Example: Conditional Formatting Based on Checkbox

Suppose we have the following list of basketball team names in Google Sheets:

Now suppose we know that the following teams have been eliminated from the playoffs:

  • Mavs
  • Warriors
  • Hawks
  • Suns

Suppose we’d like to create a checkbox that, when checked, each of the teams that have been eliminated will have a strikethrough applied to their team name.

To do so, we need to first insert a checkbox by selecting cell C2, then clicking the Insert tab, then clicking Checkbox.

The following checkbox will appear:

Next, click cell A2, then click the Format tab, then click Conditional formatting:

In the Conditional format rules panel that appears on the right side of the screen, type the following cells in the box called Apply to range:

A2,A5,A7,A10

Then click the Format cells if dropdown, then choose Custom formula is, then type in the following formula:

=C$2=TRUE

Note: It’s important that you include the equal sign (=) at the beginning of the formula, otherwise the conditional formatting won’t work.

Then, in the Formatting style box, click the icon that has a strikethrough symbol (to the right of the underline symbol).

Lastly, click Done.

Now when you check the checkbox in cell C2, a strikethrough will be applied to each team that has been eliminated from the playoffs:

Google Sheets checkbox strikethrough

Each of the teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs now have a strikethrough applied to their team name.

Additional Resources

The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Google Sheets:

Google Sheets: How to Sum If Checkbox is Checked
Google Sheets: Conditional Formatting with Multiple Conditions
Google Sheets: Conditional Formatting if Another Cell Contains Text

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