WPS Shape Comment lets you add and adjust graphic annotations in PDF files; 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 |
| Membership requirement | WPS membership required | Applies when editing PDF files |
| Version availability | No version-specific limit listed | Follow the current app interface |
About This Feature
Overview
Shape Comment is used in WPS PDF to mark key areas, directions, and review notes with graphic annotations. From the Comment tab, you can open Shape Comment, choose a line, arrow, rectangle, ellipse, polygon, cloud, or custom shape, and then drag on the page to draw it.
Core capabilities include:
- Add shape comments: Insert lines, arrows, rectangles, ellipses, polygons, clouds, and custom shapes on a PDF page.
- Adjust shape properties: Select an existing shape to change its color, line width, transparency, size, and position.
This feature is useful for document review, layout marking, teaching notes, and process explanations. Shape comments appear as annotations and do not directly rewrite the original body content.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Windows device |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office |
| Network | A network connection is not required for local annotation actions, but it is needed for download, installation, and account services |
| Other | You need to be able to open PDF files, and PDF editing requires an account with the required benefits |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Installation method | Download the Windows installer and complete the setup with the installation wizard |
| Post-install check | Open WPS PDF, load any PDF file, and confirm that the Shape Comment entry is available on the Comment tab |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | Provides a Shape Comment entry in the PDF Comment tab. You can insert lines, arrows, rectangles, ellipses, polygons, clouds, and custom shapes, then adjust color, line width, transparency, size, and position. | Microsoft 365 provides drawing and ink tools that let users draw with pens and highlighters. Ink objects can then be selected, moved, copied, recolored, and rotated. | Google Docs mainly adds shapes through its Drawing feature. It supports document-embedded drawings, but it is not a dedicated PDF shape annotation workflow. | Notion provides callouts and page styling tools for highlighting information and organizing page structure, rather than PDF shape annotation tools. | Adobe Acrobat provides shapes, lines, and freeform drawings in its commenting and review workflow for marking up PDF files. |
| Official Source | — | Draw and write with ink in Office | Learn how to use drawings & markups | Style & customize your page | Add comments in callouts in Acrobat |
Advantage: The entry is built directly into the PDF commenting workflow.; It includes several common shape types and property adjustments in one place.
Overall Conclusion
If your main task is adding graphic marks directly on PDF pages, WPS and Adobe are closer to that workflow. If your focus is general document drawing, page emphasis, or collaborative page layout, Microsoft, Google, and Notion fit their own document scenarios more closely.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable For | Main Need | How Shape Comment Helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Contract review | Legal and administrative teams | Mark key clauses and indicate revision directions | Use arrows, rectangles, or clouds to highlight important areas |
| 2 | Design feedback | Designers and product teams | Point out positions and ranges clearly on a page | Use ellipses, rectangles, and custom shapes for area notes |
| 3 | Teaching explanation | Teachers and trainers | Add visual explanations to PDF handouts | Use lines, arrows, and polygons to support explanations |
| 4 | Process feedback | Project members | Show process directions and issue points in a document | Use arrows and clouds together to express flow and comments |
| 5 | Layout checking | Editors and proofreaders | Identify layout issues quickly | Use rectangles and ellipses to frame problem areas |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free Users | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Basic PDF features | Available | Available |
| PDF reading | Available | Available |
| PDF editing and conversion tools | Limited | Available |
| PDF editing scenarios that include Shape Comment | Requires membership | Available |
| Cloud storage | 1 GB | 20 GB |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Usage Scenario | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You mainly read PDFs and only need basic viewing tasks | Free | Suitable for basic PDF reading and routine use |
| You regularly add shape comments, edit PDFs, and convert files | WPS Premium | Better suited to workflows that need complete PDF editing capabilities |
How to Subscribe
- Go to Subscribe to WPS membership
- Sign in to your account, choose a suitable plan, and complete the payment
Source: WPS Office pricing page