WPS Auto Hide Content is a privacy feature for collaborative spreadsheets that masks content in protected ranges; 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 |
| Supported mode | Collaboration mode | Used in online collaborative spreadsheets |
About This Feature
Overview
Auto Hide Content is a privacy protection feature in WPS Spreadsheet collaboration mode. It is used to hide cell content inside protected ranges so that unauthorized collaborators do not directly see sensitive data.
Core capabilities include:
- Turn on Auto Hide Content from the right-click menu so selected cells display as
●. - Open the feature from the Collaboration tab through Protected Range settings.
- Configure ignored header rows, assign who can view hidden content, or turn off the hidden state for an existing range.
This feature is useful for team data collection sheets, approval records, and shared business tables where edit access and view access need to be separated.
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 | An internet connection is required to enter collaboration mode |
| Other | It is recommended to sign in to a WPS account and have access to the collaborative spreadsheet |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Installation method | Download the Windows installer and follow the on-screen setup steps |
| Post-install check | Open WPS Spreadsheet, open a collaborative file, and confirm that the Collaboration tab and protected range entry are available |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | In collaboration mode, WPS can hide content inside protected ranges, display masked cells as ●, and allow designated users to view hidden content. | Excel supports worksheet protection, editable ranges, and hidden formulas. Microsoft also states that worksheet protection is not intended as a security feature. | Google Sheets supports protected sheets and ranges and can hide sheets, but Google states that protection should not be used as a security measure and hidden sheets can still be accessed by viewers. | Notion provides page sharing, access levels, guest access, and database permissions, with a focus on page- and database-level access control. | Adobe Acrobat Pro supports redaction to permanently remove sensitive content from PDFs, which is suited to document distribution rather than live spreadsheet collaboration. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: WPS combines masked display, designated viewer control, and ignored header row settings inside a collaborative spreadsheet workflow. | Compared with WPS: Excel focuses on preventing edits or hiding formulas, and the official guidance does not describe a comparable masked cell-content view for collaborative spreadsheet ranges. | Compared with WPS: Google Sheets can restrict editing, but Google explicitly notes that sheet protection is not a security measure and hidden sheets are still accessible to viewers. | Compared with WPS: Notion is strong for page and database permissions, but it does not provide a spreadsheet-style masked cell display for protected ranges. | Compared with WPS: Acrobat is suited to final PDF redaction, not real-time visibility control inside a collaborative spreadsheet. |
| Official Source | — | Protect a worksheet | Protect, hide & edit sheets | Sharing & permissions settings | Redact sensitive content in PDFs in Acrobat Pro |
Overall Conclusion
If you need to hide content directly inside a collaborative spreadsheet while continuing data entry and permission management, WPS is a practical fit for that workflow. The other products focus more on edit restrictions, page-level sharing, or document redaction before distribution.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable Users | Main Challenge | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team data collection | Project managers, data coordinators | Collaborators need to fill in a sheet without directly seeing sensitive fields | Turn on Auto Hide Content for sensitive ranges and assign viewers |
| 2 | Approval record collaboration | Finance, HR, administration teams | Shared sheets may contain amounts or identity details that should not be openly visible | Enable hidden content in protected ranges and keep authorized viewers only |
| 3 | Keep headers visible | Sheet owners and maintainers | Data should stay hidden while field names remain visible for context | Use Ignore first N rows to keep header rows visible |
| 4 | External collaborator participation | Cross-team contributors | External users need to enter data without seeing historical sensitive records | Use designated viewer settings to limit who can see hidden content |
| 5 | Restore normal display later | Document owners | The team may need to review original values after the task is complete | Turn off Auto Hide Content for the range |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free Users | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Basic use of Auto Hide Content | Available | Available |
| Basic PDF features | Available | Available with a broader feature set |
| Cloud storage | 1 GB | 20 GB on some plans |
| Template downloads | Limited | More template benefits |
| Advanced tools and some AI features | Partly limited | More access or broader usage limits |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Use Case | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You mainly need Auto Hide Content in collaborative spreadsheets | Free plan | The feature description shows no membership restriction for this workflow |
| You also need more cloud storage, templates, and advanced tools | WPS Premium | Better suited to broader office work over time |
| You need shared subscription management for a team | Team-oriented plan | Easier to assign and manage benefits across multiple users |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page