If you’re used to pressing Ctrl + 5 to add a strikethrough to a cell in Excel, you may have noticed something odd after switching to the new version of Microsoft Teams: instead of formatting your text, the shortcut suddenly kicks you back to the OneDrive tab showing your recent files. This Excel strikethrough shortcut issue has frustrated several users working with Excel files embedded inside Teams, and it turns out the problem is isolated to the new Teams interface rather than Excel itself.
The Problem: Ctrl + 5 Redirects to OneDrive Instead of Applying Strikethrough
In the classic version of Teams, opening an Excel file and pressing Ctrl + 5 while a cell was selected worked exactly as it does in the standalone desktop version of Excel — it applied a strikethrough format instantly. After Microsoft rolled out the redesigned Teams client, users reported that the same key combination no longer applies formatting. Instead, it navigates away from the spreadsheet entirely, jumping back to the left-hand OneDrive panel that lists recently opened files.
Testing by affected users has narrowed down exactly where the bug occurs:
- Opening a brand-new Excel file inside the new Teams client and pressing Ctrl + 5 still triggers the unwanted OneDrive redirect.
- Opening a regular Excel file on the desktop (outside of Teams) and pressing Ctrl + 5 works perfectly — the strikethrough appears as expected.
- Switching back to the old version of Teams restores the normal Ctrl + 5 behavior.
This pattern strongly suggests the issue is a keyboard shortcut conflict specific to the new Teams shell, where Ctrl + 5 has likely been reassigned to a Teams-level navigation command (switching to the OneDrive tab) that overrides Excel’s own shortcut when the spreadsheet is embedded in the Teams window.
Workarounds While the Shortcut Conflict Persists
Until Microsoft addresses this behavior, there are two reliable alternatives for applying strikethrough formatting to text in Excel while working inside Teams:
1. Use the Ribbon menu. Go to the Home tab in the Excel ribbon, then look in the Font section for the strikethrough icon — the letter “S” with a line through it. Clicking it toggles strikethrough formatting on the selected cell or text, just like the keyboard shortcut would.
2. Use the right-click context menu. Select the text or cell you want to format, right-click, and choose Strikethrough from the pop-up menu. This is often the fastest option if your hands are already on the mouse.
It’s also worth noting the shortcut difference between operating systems, since this can add to the confusion:
- Windows: Ctrl + 5 toggles strikethrough on and off.
- Mac: Cmd + Shift + X toggles strikethrough on and off.
Both are designed to work as toggles — press once to apply, press again to remove — but neither shortcut is guaranteed to function correctly when Excel is opened inside the new Teams client rather than as a standalone application or through a browser tab.
Reporting the Bug to Microsoft
Since this appears to be a genuine software conflict rather than user error, the most effective long-term fix is to report it directly to Microsoft rather than relying on workarounds indefinitely. Windows 10 and 11 include a built-in Feedback Hub app that allows users to submit detailed bug reports. When filing a report about this issue, it helps to include:
- The exact steps to reproduce the problem (opening an Excel file inside the new Teams, then pressing Ctrl + 5)
- The expected behavior (a strikethrough should appear on the selected text)
- The actual behavior observed (redirection to the OneDrive recent-files tab)
Detailed reports like this give Microsoft’s engineering teams the reproduction steps they need to identify and patch the conflict in a future Teams update.
Final Thoughts
The Excel strikethrough shortcut problem in the new Microsoft Teams is a clear example of how interface redesigns can accidentally override familiar keyboard commands. While Ctrl + 5 currently gets hijacked by Teams’ navigation instead of formatting your cell, you’re not out of options — the Ribbon button and right-click menu both apply strikethrough reliably, regardless of which Teams version you’re using. If you rely on this formatting often, consider submitting feedback through the Feedback Hub so Microsoft can prioritize a fix, and in the meantime, bookmark the Ribbon method as your go-to workaround for smooth spreadsheet editing inside Teams.