WPS Auto Hide Content on macOS helps hide cell content in protected ranges during spreadsheet collaboration; this guide covers 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
Auto Hide Content is a privacy feature in WPS Sheets collaboration mode. When it is enabled, cell content inside a protected range is displayed as ●, so unauthorized collaborators cannot directly view the original values.
Core tasks include:
- Turn on Auto Hide Content from the right-click menu for the currently selected range.
- Open Auto Hide Content from the Collaboration tab for centralized protected-range setup.
- Configure ignored header rows, assign who can view hidden content, or turn the hidden state off for an existing range.
This feature is useful for collaborative spreadsheets that contain payroll data, name lists, approval details, or other sensitive business information. It is designed for cases where collaborators still need to participate in the workflow, but not everyone should see the original cell values.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Mac device that can run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office for Mac |
| Network | This feature is used in collaboration mode, so an internet connection is required |
| Other | You need to open a collaborative spreadsheet and have the relevant collaboration or management permissions |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Check after installation | Open WPS Sheets, then open an online collaborative spreadsheet and confirm that the Collaboration tab and protected-range options are available |
Source: WPS download page
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | In collaborative spreadsheets, WPS can hide the displayed content of selected ranges, show hidden cells as ●, let you ignore header rows, and assign who can view the original content. | Microsoft 365 provides Document Inspector to find and remove hidden text, comments, headers, footers, and other hidden information before sharing, which is more focused on document cleanup. | Google Sheets supports protected sheets and ranges to limit editing, and it can hide sheets, but its official guidance states that hiding is not a security measure. | Notion provides page sharing and permission controls for members, guests, and web access, with a focus on page-level access management. | Adobe Acrobat Pro provides redaction tools for PDFs to permanently remove sensitive content before distribution. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: WPS can hide cell display content directly inside a collaborative spreadsheet. Distinct: it also supports assigning viewers and ignoring header rows for data-entry and review workflows. | Compared with WPS: Microsoft officially emphasizes inspecting and removing hidden information rather than dynamically hiding spreadsheet cell content by range during collaboration. | Compared with WPS: Google Sheets mainly limits editing permissions, and its official help states that hiding a sheet is not the same as protecting it as a security measure. | Compared with WPS: Notion is stronger for page-level sharing and permissions, not for hiding spreadsheet cell values inside a selected range. | Compared with WPS: Adobe is designed for permanent PDF redaction before publishing, not for live visibility control inside a collaborative spreadsheet. |
| Official Source | — | Document Inspector | Protect, hide & edit sheets | Sharing & permissions settings | Redact sensitive content in PDFs |
Overall Conclusion
If you need to hide sensitive cell values by range inside a live collaborative spreadsheet while still allowing selected people to view the original content, WPS is a closer fit for that workflow. The other products provide related controls, but they focus more on document cleanup, page permissions, or PDF redaction.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable For | Main Need | Recommended Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hide sensitive columns in a shared form | Team leads, HR, operations staff | Participants should not see all sensitive values | Turn on Auto Hide Content for the target cell range |
| 2 | Keep headers visible in a data collection sheet | Project managers, operations teams | Header instructions should stay visible while data stays hidden | Set ignored rows so only the data area is hidden |
| 3 | Let selected collaborators view hidden values | Spreadsheet owners, reviewers | Only part of the team should see the original content | Assign specific viewers for the hidden range |
| 4 | Protect approval details in an online workflow | Finance, procurement, managers | Amounts or remarks should not be visible to everyone | Enable Auto Hide Content for key ranges in collaboration mode |
| 5 | Temporarily hide and later restore content | Spreadsheet maintainers | Data needs to be hidden for one stage and shown later | Turn Auto Hide Content off in the hidden-range settings |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Auto Hide Content entry | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Hidden display control in collaborative spreadsheets | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| General WPS advanced benefits | Depends on the current account plan | Depends on the purchased plan |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Scenario | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You only need Auto Hide Content in collaborative spreadsheets | Free | The feature information shows no membership restriction |
| You also need broader PDF, template, cloud, or other advanced benefits | WPS Premium | A paid plan can be combined with additional account benefits based on the selected subscription |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page