WPS Select & Translate lets you translate selected text inside WPS PDF on Windows; this guide covers 2 core tasks, with 0 available without membership and 2 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 2 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 0 | Matches the number of Free rows in the index |
| Membership-related items | 2 | Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index |
| Version limit | None specified | The feature description states no version limit |
About This Feature
Overview
Select & Translate is a text translation feature in WPS PDF for Windows. It is designed for reading PDF files and checking translations directly after you select text.
Core capabilities include:
- Translate selected text with a follow panel: after you turn it on, selected text in a PDF shows its translation in a floating panel.
- Adjust translation options: you can set the translation engine, source language, target language, and translation font size.
It is useful for reading foreign-language materials, understanding terms and paragraphs quickly, and reviewing multilingual content. It helps reduce switching between a PDF reader and external translation tools, so you can check translations in the current reading flow. Its practical advantage is that the entry is available on the PDF ribbon, and translation settings are available in the same feature path.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Windows device that can run WPS Office |
| App version | The latest version of WPS Office is recommended; no version limit is specified for this feature |
| Network | An active internet connection is needed for online translation |
| Other | You need to open a PDF file; for scanned PDFs, run OCR first when text cannot be selected |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Check after installation | Open WPS PDF, open a PDF file, and confirm that the Select & Translate entry is available on the Home tab |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | In WPS PDF, you can turn on the follow panel from the Home tab, select text, view the translation in a floating panel, and adjust the translation engine, source language, target language, and font size. | Microsoft Word can translate selected text and full documents. Microsoft states this feature is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers and Office 2021, and it requires an internet connection with connected experiences enabled. | Google Docs can translate a document into a new copy. Google’s official help focuses on full-document translation rather than built-in instant translation for selected text. | Notion AI can translate an entire page or a piece of content, and it can also work with files such as PDFs inside the Notion workspace. | Acrobat can send a PDF to Adobe Express for translation, with options to translate all pages, one page, or specific text, then download the translated PDF. |
| Official Source | — | Translate text into a different language | Translate documents or write in a different language | Everything you can do with Notion AI | Translate text using Adobe Express in Acrobat |
Advantage: It is built around PDF reading with a floating result panel for selected text.; Translation settings stay in the same workflow.
Overall Conclusion
WPS is a practical fit when you need to understand selected text while reading a PDF. Microsoft, Google, Notion, and Adobe also provide translation features, but their official workflows focus more on full documents, workspace content, or sending the file to another environment. For quick in-context translation inside a PDF reading session, WPS keeps the steps shorter.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable For | Main Challenge | How WPS Helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reading foreign-language papers | Students and researchers | You need to switch tools often to understand terms or paragraphs | Turn on the follow panel and select text to view the translation directly |
| 2 | Reviewing overseas contracts or manuals | Office users and business users | You need to understand specific clauses quickly | Use Select & Translate on key sentences and paragraphs |
| 3 | Changing translation direction | Multilingual users | The default language direction does not match the current file | Change the source and target languages in translation settings |
| 4 | Improving reading visibility | Users who read for long periods | The translation text size is not comfortable on the current screen | Adjust the translation font size in settings |
| 5 | Working with scanned PDFs | Users handling image-based documents | Text cannot be selected directly for translation | Run OCR first, then use Select & Translate |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Open and read PDFs | ✅ | ✅ |
| Use basic PDF features | ✅ | ✅ |
| Edit PDF files | Limited | ✅ |
| Use the Select & Translate workflow described in this guide | Requires relevant PDF editing membership access | ✅ |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Usage Scenario | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You only read PDFs occasionally and do not need editing or translation tools | Free | It covers basic viewing needs |
| You need Select & Translate together with PDF editing workflows | WPS Premium | The feature description states that PDF editing membership is required |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page