WPS Document Background is a PDF text-formatting feature for adding a background effect to selected text; it includes 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 How-to Index |
| Membership-related items | 2 | Matches the number of membership-related rows in the How-to Index |
About This Feature
Overview
Document Background in WPS Office for Windows is a PDF text-formatting feature that adds or removes a background effect for selected text. It helps emphasize key content and makes important passages easier to identify while reviewing a PDF.
Core tasks include:
- Apply a background effect to selected text after entering text editing mode from the ribbon.
- Apply a background effect directly from the floating toolbar after selecting text.
This feature is useful for contract review, key-point marking, approval notes, and training materials. Before using it, open the PDF, enter text editing mode, and select editable text.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Windows device that can run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office |
| Network | No mandatory network connection is required for local background editing; sign-in and membership verification require network access |
| Other | Open a PDF file with editable text; scanned PDFs usually need OCR before text can be edited |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Check after installation | Launch WPS Office, open a PDF, and confirm that entries such as Edit and Edit Content are available |
Source: WPS download page
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | In PDF text editing mode, WPS can apply a background effect to selected text from the ribbon or the floating toolbar. | Word supports text highlighting and paragraph or word shading, but the official page focuses on document editing rather than in-place PDF text editing. | Google Docs supports text highlight and custom colors for online documents, but the official page does not describe in-place PDF text editing. | Notion supports text and block color or background styling for page content, but it is not presented as a PDF text editing workflow. | Acrobat supports PDF comments, markups, and broader PDF review workflows, along with PDF editing capabilities. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: WPS places document background controls directly inside its PDF text editing workflow, with both ribbon and floating-toolbar access for repeated text styling. | Compared with WPS: the official Microsoft page describes shading and highlighting in Word documents, not a floating-toolbar workflow for PDF text background editing. | Compared with WPS: the official Google page describes highlight and color tools for Docs content, not PDF text editing mode. | Compared with WPS: the official Notion page describes page and block styling, not PDF text background editing. | Compared with WPS: Adobe covers a broader PDF review and markup workflow, while WPS keeps the background action closer to lightweight PDF text formatting. |
| Official Source | — | Apply shading to words or paragraphs | Change the color of text, objects, and backgrounds | Block basics | Add markups |
Overall Conclusion
If your main task is to adjust text background directly inside a PDF and finish emphasis work quickly, WPS provides a more focused path. If your work is centered on online collaboration pages, standard document highlighting, or a broader PDF review system, the other products may fit those scenarios better.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable for | Main pain point | How this feature helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Contract key-point marking | Legal and administrative staff | Important clauses are hard to locate quickly | Add a background effect to selected text to make key clauses stand out |
| 2 | Review note organization | Approvers and project members | Multiple revision points are hard to distinguish | Mark important text with a background effect in editing mode |
| 3 | Training material annotation | Teachers and trainers | Teaching points are not prominent enough | Highlight terms, definitions, or conclusions with a background effect |
| 4 | Document checking | Finance and operations staff | Review items are easy to miss | Use the floating toolbar to mark currently selected text quickly |
| 5 | Post-OCR cleanup | General office users | Important content still needs visual separation after OCR | Apply a background effect to editable text after recognition |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| PDF text editing | ❌ Requires membership to edit PDF text | ✅ Can edit PDF text content |
| Document Background feature | ❌ Depends on PDF editing permission | ✅ Available in text editing mode |
| Basic PDF reading | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Scenario | Recommended plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Only viewing PDFs or occasionally handling standard documents | Free | Suitable for basic opening and reading needs |
| Frequently editing PDF text and applying document background | WPS Premium | PDF editing capability is required for a more complete workflow |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page