WPS Symbol is the special character insertion feature in WPS Spreadsheet on iOS; it includes 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
Symbol is a built-in special character insertion feature in WPS Spreadsheet on iOS. It helps you insert currency symbols, mathematical symbols, and other non-standard characters into the current cell for spreadsheet editing on mobile devices.
Core capabilities:
- Insert special symbols into the current cell for finance, math, and annotation scenarios.
- Browse or search for symbols in the symbol panel to find the character you need.
- Complete symbol entry directly inside spreadsheets without switching to another app.
Typical use cases include financial tables, math-related notes, and special character annotations. It helps reduce copy-and-paste steps for uncommon characters and supports direct symbol entry in mobile spreadsheets. Distinct: the entry is grouped under Insert tools, and the selected symbol is placed directly into the active cell for quick editing on iOS.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | An iPhone or iPad that can run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office |
| Network | No mandatory network connection is required for local symbol insertion; internet access is needed for app download or updates |
| Other | You need to open or create a WPS spreadsheet file and have permission to edit cells |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Post-install check | Open WPS Office, open a spreadsheet, tap Tools, switch to the Insert tab, and confirm that the Special Character entry is available |
Source: WPS download page
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | In WPS Spreadsheet on iOS, you can open the symbol panel from Tools → Insert → Special Character, then browse or search and insert the selected symbol into the current cell. | Microsoft Word provides Insert > Symbol and More Symbols for symbols, special characters, fractions, and international characters, with an official workflow centered on document editing. | Google officially states that Google Docs and Slides support special character insertion, while Google Sheets supports emoji insertion; for Sheets, special characters are typically copied into cells instead of inserted from a dedicated panel. | Notion officially supports slash commands, emoji insertion, Markdown-style shortcuts, and inline equations, but its workflow is built around content blocks rather than a dedicated spreadsheet cell symbol panel. | Adobe Acrobat officially focuses on PDF editing, conversion, signing, and AI-assisted document tasks rather than a dedicated symbol insertion workflow for spreadsheet cells. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: direct symbol insertion for spreadsheet cells on iOS; Distinct: after browsing or searching, you can tap a symbol and place it into the active cell in one workflow. | Compared with WPS: Microsoft's official guidance here is focused on document symbols and special characters, not a dedicated mobile spreadsheet cell entry. | Compared with WPS: Google's official guidance is clearer for Docs special characters and Sheets emoji, so the spreadsheet symbol path is less direct for this use case. | Compared with WPS: Notion is stronger for block-based writing and command-driven editing, but it does not present a direct spreadsheet cell symbol insertion flow. | Compared with WPS: Adobe's official product focus is PDF workflows, so symbol entry in spreadsheet cells is not a primary scenario. |
| Official Source | — | Insert a symbol in Word | Insert emojis and special characters | Using slash commands | Adobe Acrobat |
Overall Conclusion
WPS Symbol is better aligned with mobile spreadsheet entry when you need to place currency, math, or other special characters directly into a cell. Other products cover adjacent scenarios such as document editing, block-based writing, or PDF work, but WPS provides a more focused path for this iOS spreadsheet task.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable Users | Main Need | How Symbol Helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Financial amount labeling | Finance staff, cashiers, admins | Add currency symbols in cells | Insert currency symbols from Tools → Insert → Special Character |
| 2 | Math expression entry | Teachers, students, researchers | Add mathematical symbols in notes or tables | Browse or search math symbols and insert them into the current cell |
| 3 | Special character notes | Operations teams, project members | Add non-standard characters in spreadsheet notes | Insert the required special character directly into the active cell |
| 4 | Multilingual character support | Cross-border teams, translators | Enter characters that are inconvenient on the keyboard | Find and insert the target character from the symbol panel |
| 5 | Quick mobile editing | Phone and tablet users | Finish edits without switching input methods | Complete symbol entry directly inside WPS Spreadsheet |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Feature Area | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol insertion | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Writer, Spreadsheet, and Presentation core components | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Some advanced PDF editing and other advanced tools | May be limited by feature | More advanced tools are generally available |
| Cloud storage | 1 GB | 20 GB on some plans |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Scenario | Recommended Plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You mainly need to insert symbols in spreadsheets and handle everyday editing | Free | Symbol itself is available without membership and fits routine mobile editing |
| You also need broader advanced office features and more cloud storage | WPS Premium | Suitable for users who work across multiple document types and need expanded benefits |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page