WPS Task Pane is a right-side support panel in WPS Docs on macOS for showing, hiding, and switching common side panels; it includes 3 core tasks, with 3 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 3 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 3 | Matches the number of Free rows in the index |
| Membership-related items | 0 | Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index |
About This Feature
Overview
Task Pane is a right-side support panel in WPS Office for Mac within WPS Docs. It helps you show or hide common tools in one place, including Styles and Formatting, Selection Pane, Properties, Beautification Assistant, and Help Center.
Core tasks include:
- Show or hide the Task Pane from the View tab.
- Turn on the Task Pane from WPS Docs preferences.
- Switch between feature panels inside the Task Pane and manage which items appear.
This feature is useful when you edit long documents, review layout details, select objects, or need quick access to support tools. It also supports search intent such as how to use task pane on macOS.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| OS | A macOS device that can run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office for Mac |
| Network | No required internet connection for basic show or hide actions; online content inside the pane may require internet access |
| Other | You need to open a WPS Docs document and access the top menu bar |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Post-install Check | Launch WPS Office for Mac, open any document, and confirm that the Task Pane entry is available under View |
Source: WPS download page
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | Provides a right-side Task Pane in WPS Docs that can be shown or hidden and used to switch among panels such as Styles and Formatting, Selection Pane, Properties, and Help Center. | Word provides a Navigation Pane for browsing by headings, pages, and search results, and it also supports document reorganization. | Google Docs provides a document outline on the left side to detect headings and jump to sections in a document. | Notion provides a sidebar for organizing pages, collapsing sections, searching content, and switching across workspace areas. | Acrobat provides an All tools pane on the right side and a preference to keep its last expanded or collapsed state. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: combines multiple document support panels in one right-side pane; Distinct: you can control visibility from both the View entry and preferences. | Compared with WPS: the official Word page focuses on navigation, search, and document reorganization rather than a combined document task pane with formatting and properties panels. | Compared with WPS: the official Google Docs page focuses on heading-based outline navigation and document structure browsing. | Compared with WPS: Notion's sidebar is centered on workspace and page organization rather than document formatting support inside a word processor. | Compared with WPS: Adobe's right-side pane is focused on PDF tool access and pane state behavior rather than a combined writing support pane. |
| Official Source | — | Use the Navigation pane in Word | View document outlines, rulers, & non-printing characters | Navigate with the sidebar | Close the All tools pane in Acrobat Reader |
Overall Conclusion
Task Pane is a practical fit when you want ongoing access to formatting, object selection, properties, and help tools while editing a document. If your main need is document navigation, Microsoft Word and Google Docs focus more on headings, pages, and outlines in their official guidance. For workspace organization, Notion is closer to a knowledge management sidebar, while Adobe centers its pane on PDF tools.
Use Cases
| # | Scenario | Target Users | Core Pain Point | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quickly show the right-side support panel | Everyday document users | Need to open the side tool area temporarily | Select Task Pane under View |
| 2 | Control pane visibility from preferences | Users who prefer a fixed workspace layout | Want to adjust pane visibility from settings | Open File → WPS Docs Preferences → View and select Task Pane |
| 3 | Switch between support panels | Layout and review users | Need to move between several support tools | Use panels such as Styles and Formatting, Selection Pane, and Properties |
| 4 | Check online content loading | Users who need online resources | Online content in the pane does not load | Reconnect to the internet and reopen the related panel |
| 5 | Manage visible Task Pane items | Users who want a cleaner interface | Too many panel items affect efficiency | Use Manage Task Pane to adjust visible items |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Feature | Free User | WPS Member |
|---|---|---|
| Show or hide Task Pane | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Basic document support panels in Task Pane | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Other advanced WPS Office benefits | Available within the free plan scope | More advanced features and higher quotas may be available, depending on the pricing page |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Use Case | Recommended Plan | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| You only need Task Pane for basic document work | Free plan | The feature description does not indicate a membership requirement for Task Pane |
| You also need broader advanced office capabilities | WPS Member | A membership can be useful when you want additional advanced features beyond this pane |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page