Instagram's text system is pure Unicode — whatever Unicode characters you paste, Instagram stores and displays. That means Unicode combining strikethrough (using U+0336, the combining long stroke overlay, after every letter) renders as crossed-out text everywhere on the platform. There is no other way to get strikethrough on Instagram — the app has no native formatting option.
The visual effect: each letter gets a horizontal line through its center, creating the classic 't̶e̶x̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶l̶o̶o̶k̶s̶ ̶c̶r̶o̶s̶s̶e̶d̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶' appearance. It works for crossing out prices, making ironic corrections, creating 'before/after' effects, and adding a darkly humorous aesthetic to your content.
Strikethrough on Instagram — where it works
| Field | Strikethrough works? | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Bio (150 chars) | Yes | Cross out outdated info ('s̶t̶u̶d̶e̶n̶t̶ graduate'), ironic self-description, or aesthetic contrast. |
| Post captions | Yes | Price corrections, ironic commentary, before/after comparisons. |
| Comments | Yes | Humorous corrections, sarcasm, or joining a trend. |
| Story text overlay | Yes (paste method) | Must paste from clipboard — cannot type Unicode directly in Stories. |
| Reels captions | Yes | Same as post captions. |
| Display name (30 chars) | Yes | Crossed-out words in display names look intentionally edgy or ironic. |
| DMs | Yes | Strikethrough in direct messages reads as self-correction or humor. |
Best uses of strikethrough on Instagram
- Price corrections in shopping posts: 'Was $̶5̶0̶ Now $25' — the crossed-out original price with the sale price creates a classic sale visual without needing a design tool.
- Ironic bio lines: 's̶l̶e̶e̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ creating content' or 'p̶r̶o̶c̶r̶a̶s̶t̶i̶n̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ✨ thriving' — self-aware bio humor that resonates with the Instagram audience.
- Before/after narrative: start a caption with a crossed-out old belief or plan, then reveal the updated truth. This structure naturally drives engagement.
- Dark aesthetic bios: strikethrough gives text a grunge or punk edge — 's̶a̶n̶e̶' works as a one-word bio for the dark aesthetic community.
- Trend participation: Instagram periodically has strikethrough text trends in comment sections. Having the generator bookmarked means you can participate instantly.
How to use strikethrough in Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories don't allow typing Unicode directly — the Stories text tool only accepts input from your keyboard, not clipboard-formatted Unicode. The workaround: generate your strikethrough text on our site, copy it, then in Instagram Stories tap the text tool and long-press to paste. The strikethrough text pastes in as a block and renders correctly with the crossing lines.
Alternatively, note that Instagram Stories has its own native strikethrough in the text formatting toolbar (the 'S' button) which applies the visual effect within the Stories editor. This is different from Unicode — it only appears in the Story itself, not copyable elsewhere. For bio and caption strikethrough, Unicode is still the only method.
Troubleshooting strikethrough on Instagram
- Strikethrough text not copying into Instagram bio: Instagram's bio field occasionally strips combining Unicode characters in some app versions. If pasting doesn't work, try typing a single normal character first, saving, then editing to paste the strikethrough text. This sometimes works around a paste-detection issue.
- Strikethrough rendering differently on different phones: the combining character U+0336 attaches visually above the letter. On Android with Samsung's OneUI font (Samsung Sans), the line may sit slightly higher than on iOS. This is a font rendering difference — the character is the same on both.
- The strikethrough line appears too thick/thin: this is determined by the device font, not by the Unicode character. You can't control the line weight — it varies by device and operating system version.
- Instagram showing combining chars as separate marks: this happens in some third-party Instagram viewers or older browser extensions. Instagram's official app renders them correctly.