WPS Reading Mode on macOS provides a more focused viewing experience in collaborative spreadsheets; this guide covers 1 core task, with 1 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 1 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 1 | 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
Reading Mode is a viewing feature for collaborative spreadsheets in WPS Office for macOS. It helps reduce accidental changes while keeping spreadsheet content visible for review. After you switch to this mode, you can view the sheet but cannot edit its content directly, which is useful for browsing shared data, checking details, and reviewing information before making changes.
Core capabilities include:
- Turn on Reading Mode from the mode menu at the top of the page.
- Prevent direct editing while the sheet is in reading mode.
- Return to Edit Mode when you need to make changes.
This feature fits shared spreadsheet review, data checking, and meeting presentation scenarios. It helps when you need to read first and edit later, or when you want to avoid accidental changes in a collaborative sheet.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A macOS device that can run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office |
| Network | A stable internet connection is recommended when opening online collaborative spreadsheets |
| Other | You need access to the collaborative spreadsheet and the required viewing permission |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Check after installation | Launch WPS Office, open a collaborative spreadsheet, and confirm that the Edit Mode/Reading Mode entry is visible at the top of the page |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | In collaborative spreadsheets, you can switch to Reading Mode from the top of the page. After switching, the sheet remains visible but cannot be edited directly. | Word offers Read Mode to hide writing tools and menus for more focused document reading. | Google Drive sharing lets owners assign Viewer access so a file can be viewed without editing. | Notion lets users lock a page so it becomes read-only and helps reduce accidental changes. | Acrobat offers Read Mode to hide toolbars and task panes and expand the reading area for PDFs. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: WPS lets you switch between reading and editing states directly inside the collaborative spreadsheet interface. | Compared with WPS: Microsoft Read Mode is centered on document reading rather than collaborative spreadsheet viewing. | Compared with WPS: View-only access depends on sharing permissions instead of a quick in-page mode switch. | Compared with WPS: Page locking focuses on preventing changes to pages or databases rather than switching spreadsheet view states. | Compared with WPS: Adobe Read Mode is designed for PDF viewing, so the file type and workflow differ from collaborative spreadsheets. |
| Official Source | — | Read documents in Word | Share files from Google Drive | Collaborate in a workspace | Viewing PDFs and viewing preferences |
Overall Conclusion
WPS Reading Mode is well suited to collaborative spreadsheet review when you want to read content first and decide later whether to edit it. Compared with document reading views, permission-based view-only access, or page locking, it focuses more on quick mode switching within the same spreadsheet interface.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable For | Main Pain Point | How Reading Mode Helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reviewing shared reports | Team members | It is easy to change cells by mistake while browsing data | Switch to Reading Mode to review content only |
| 2 | Presenting a sheet in meetings | Presenters | Accidental clicks can affect the display during a presentation | Keep the sheet in a stable viewing state |
| 3 | Checking spreadsheet details before editing | Reviewers | Information needs to be checked before any change is made | Review in Reading Mode, then switch back to Edit Mode if needed |
| 4 | Cross-team spreadsheet viewing | View-only participants | Some users only need to read data, not edit it | Use Reading Mode for focused browsing |
| 5 | Long-form spreadsheet reading | Daily users | Frequent scrolling can lead to accidental actions | Reading Mode helps reduce unintended edits |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free Users | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Switch to Reading Mode | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Basic spreadsheet viewing | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Other advanced office features | Depends on the specific feature | More advanced capabilities are available depending on the plan |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Scenario | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Daily collaborative spreadsheet viewing | Free | Reading Mode itself is available for basic viewing needs |
| Reading Mode plus more advanced office features | WPS Premium | Suitable if you also need additional advanced capabilities beyond this feature |
How to Subscribe
- Subscribe here: Get WPS Premium
Source: WPS Office pricing page