WPS Filter on macOS helps you show only the rows you need in a spreadsheet; this guide covers 4 core tasks, with 4 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 4 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 4 | Matches the number of Free rows in the How-to Index |
| Membership-related items | 0 | Matches the number of membership-related rows in the How-to Index |
| Version limit | None stated | The feature information does not list a version restriction |
| Membership limit | None | The feature information does not list a membership restriction |
About This Feature
Overview
Filter is a spreadsheet feature in WPS Office for Mac that helps you display only the rows that match selected conditions. In collaboration scenarios, it helps team members quickly locate and review the data they need.
Core tasks include:
- Turn on Filter: add drop-down arrows to column headers and enter filter mode.
- Filter data by condition: filter rows by selected values, color, or conditions.
- Use the search box for quick filtering: find target items faster with keywords.
- Clear filters: remove a filter from one column or restore the full data view.
This feature is useful for collaborative review, data checking, category-based viewing, and temporary focus on specific records. Filtering hides rows that do not match the current criteria, but it does not delete data.
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 | Local filtering does not require a network connection; for collaboration, a stable connection is recommended |
| Other | Use an editable spreadsheet file and make sure the data range has clear headers |
Download & Installation
Before using Filter, install WPS Office for Mac and open a spreadsheet file.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Check after installation | Launch WPS Office → open a spreadsheet → confirm that a Filter entry is available on the Home tab or in the data-related area |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | Supports turning on Filter in spreadsheets on Mac, filtering by selected values, color, and conditions, using a search box, and clearing one or all filters. | Excel AutoFilter can find, show, or hide values in one or more columns, and supports choosing specific values or searching within a column. | Google Sheets supports filters by condition, values, color, and search, and also supports filter views for view-specific filtering. | Notion database views support filters based on properties, plus advanced filters with nested AND/OR logic in database views. | Adobe Acrobat supports filtering comments in review workflows, such as filtering by reviewer, time, or comment status, rather than filtering spreadsheet rows. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: combines spreadsheet-style column-header filtering, search, and clear-filter actions in one desktop workflow on macOS; Distinct: the feature information also includes collaboration-related visibility behavior for shared sheets. | Compared with WPS: Microsoft documents strong spreadsheet filtering and search, but the cited page focuses on AutoFilter behavior rather than collaboration visibility settings. | Compared with WPS: Google provides both shared filters and filter views, while WPS follows a more traditional desktop spreadsheet filter path with direct header controls. | Compared with WPS: Notion filtering is built around database properties and saved views, not a classic spreadsheet header-drop-down workflow. | Compared with WPS: Adobe filtering is designed for PDF review comments, so it does not provide spreadsheet-style row filtering in a worksheet grid. |
| Official Source | — | Use AutoFilter to filter your data | Sort & filter your data | Views, filters, sorts & groups | Use Acrobat on the web to review PDFs |
Overall Conclusion: WPS Filter on macOS is well suited to spreadsheet users who want a direct way to narrow visible rows during review and collaboration. Google Sheets is stronger for saved filter views, Notion is better aligned with database-style organization, and Adobe serves a different review-focused use case.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable for | Main pain point | How Filter helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quickly locating records in a shared sheet | Team members | Large tables make target rows hard to find | Turn on Filter and keep only the rows that match the needed criteria |
| 2 | Viewing data by status or category | Project owners | Only one category or status needs review at a time | Filter by selected values in the target column |
| 3 | Narrowing results with keywords | Data reviewers | Manually checking many values is slow | Use the search box in the filter panel |
| 4 | Restoring the full table view | Auditors and reviewers | Multiple filters are active and full data needs to be shown again | Clear one filter or turn off Filter mode |
| 5 | Reducing interference in collaboration | Multiple collaborators | Personal filtering may affect what others see | Adjust collaboration-related filter visibility settings when available |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
The feature information shows that Filter itself has no membership restriction. The WPS pricing page shows that the free plan includes basic Office capabilities and 1 GB of cloud space, while paid plans provide broader advanced benefits and more cloud storage depending on the plan.
| Capability | Free users | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Basic spreadsheet filtering | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Core Office features | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Additional advanced benefits | Limited or partial availability depending on the product page | ✅ Broader access depending on the plan |
| Cloud storage | 1 GB | 20 GB or more depending on the plan |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Use case | Recommended plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday filtering and spreadsheet review | Free | Filter itself is available without membership and fits routine review work |
| Broader advanced features or more cloud storage | WPS Premium | Better suited if you also need expanded benefits beyond basic spreadsheet filtering |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page