WPS Columns helps you arrange document text into multiple vertical sections on iOS; this guide covers 1 core task, with 1 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 1 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 1 | Matches the number of Free rows in the index |
| Membership-related items | 0 | No indexed task in this guide requires membership |
About This Feature
Overview
Columns in WPS Office help divide a document page into two or more vertical sections for newsletter-style layouts, academic formatting, handouts, and other multi-column writing needs. In wps office on iOS, you can open the Columns area from Tools under the Home tab and choose a preset layout directly.
Available column types in this workflow include One, Two, Three, Left, and Right.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Device | An iPhone or iPad that can install and run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office for iOS |
| Network | A network connection is not required just to apply columns, but it is recommended for downloading, signing in, or collaboration |
| Other | You need to open a WPS Writer document to use this feature |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Installation method | Open the official WPS download page and go to the iOS download entry, or install WPS Office from the App Store |
| Post-install check | Open a document, go to Tools → Home, and confirm that the Columns area is available |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | WPS provides preset column layouts on iOS, including One, Two, Three, Left, and Right, making it practical for quick mobile document formatting. | Microsoft Word officially supports creating multiple columns for a whole document or selected paragraphs, with additional formatting through More Columns. | Google Docs officially supports adding and removing columns and column breaks, but this feature is not available on iPhone or iPad and requires a computer. | Notion supports drag-and-drop page columns and resizing on supported larger-screen layouts; on phones, right-side column content is shown below the left column content. | Adobe InDesign officially supports creating and managing text frame columns for advanced layout control. |
| Official Source | — | Create multiple columns in Word | Add or delete columns in a document | Format your page | Create and position text frames in InDesign |
Advantage: WPS lets iOS users apply preset document columns directly in the mobile editing flow.
Overall Conclusion
WPS is well suited to users who need how to use columns in WPS on iOS for quick document formatting on a mobile device. Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign offer broader desktop layout controls, while Google Docs and Notion are more dependent on desktop or larger-screen workflows for column-based layout editing.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable For | Main Challenge | How Columns Help |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brief layout editing | Content editors | A single long text block feels dense | Use two or three columns to make the page more compact |
| 2 | Academic summary formatting | Students and researchers | The document needs a journal-like reading structure | Use two columns to organize the main text |
| 3 | Handout or test paper layout | Teachers and trainers | The page needs better space distribution | Use Left or Right layouts to separate primary and secondary content |
| 4 | Mobile revision on the go | Mobile office users | Basic layout changes are hard to finish away from a computer | Apply a preset column type directly on iOS |
| 5 | Shared document cleanup | Team members | A collaborative file needs a more consistent page structure | Use a fixed column layout to keep formatting aligned |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Item | Free Users | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Basic document columns | Available | Available |
| Core document editing in WPS Office | Available | Available |
| Some advanced features and value-added services | Depends on the feature | More items may be available depending on the subscription plan |
Source: Why do I need to pay for WPS Office?; WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Usage Scenario | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You only need to set columns and do basic editing | Free | The column feature in this guide has no membership restriction |
| You also need more advanced features or added services | WPS Premium | A paid plan may be more suitable if you use broader WPS features regularly |
How to Subscribe
- Visit the official subscription page to review current plans and subscribe: Subscribe to WPS Premium
Source: WPS Office pricing page