Show Formulas in WPS on macOS lets you switch between displaying formulas and calculated results in a worksheet; this guide covers 2 core tasks, with 2 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 2 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 2 | 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 |
About This Feature
Overview
Show Formulas is a built-in WPS Sheets feature on macOS that displays formula expressions in cells instead of calculated results. When enabled, it helps you review formula logic, check references, and troubleshoot worksheet issues more efficiently. When turned off, the worksheet returns to the normal result view.
Core capabilities include:
- Switching formula display on or off from the Formulas tab for menu-based operation.
- Switching formula display with a keyboard shortcut for faster review.
This feature is useful for financial review, spreadsheet training, worksheet auditing, and formula troubleshooting. It changes only how formulas are displayed and does not change the formulas themselves or their calculation results.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Mac device that can run WPS Office for macOS |
| App version | The latest version of WPS Office for macOS is recommended |
| Network | No required connection for local formula viewing; internet is needed for download and installation |
| Other | Open a WPS spreadsheet that contains formulas, and make sure the shortcut is used in the active worksheet window |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Installation method | Download the macOS installer, follow the setup prompts, and launch WPS Office |
| Post-install check | Open a spreadsheet with formulas and confirm that Show Formulas is available on the Formulas tab |
Source: WPS download page
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | WPS Sheets can switch an entire worksheet between formula display and calculated results, with both a ribbon entry and a shortcut. | Excel can switch between displaying formulas and results from the Formulas tab with Show Formulas, and Microsoft also documents the keyboard shortcut CTRL + `. | Google Sheets officially documents the FORMULATEXT function, which returns a formula as text from a referenced cell. | Notion formulas are designed for database properties, built-ins, and functions inside Notion databases rather than spreadsheet-wide formula display. | Adobe Acrobat supports calculation rules for PDF form fields, but it does not provide a spreadsheet-style worksheet view for showing all formulas. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: WPS provides a worksheet-level formula display mode that is convenient for reviewing many formulas at once. Advantage: It supports both a tab command and a shortcut for quick switching during audits. | Compared with WPS: Excel also supports worksheet-level formula display, with similar ribbon and shortcut access in its documented workflow. | Compared with WPS: Google Sheets documentation here focuses on returning a formula from a referenced cell instead of toggling a full-sheet formula view. | Compared with WPS: Notion is better suited to database formula design than worksheet-wide formula inspection. | Compared with WPS: Acrobat focuses on PDF form calculations rather than spreadsheet formula review. |
| Official Source | — | Display or hide formulas | FORMULATEXT function | Intro to formulas | Configure form field calculations in Acrobat |
Overall Conclusion
If your main goal is to inspect spreadsheet formulas across a worksheet, WPS provides a direct and practical workflow for that task. Microsoft Excel offers a similar worksheet-level approach, while Google, Notion, and Adobe focus more on cell-level formula text, database formulas, or PDF form calculations.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable for | Main challenge | How Show Formulas helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Financial statement review | Finance teams | Large worksheets need quick formula verification | Turn on Show Formulas to inspect formula logic across the sheet |
| 2 | Training and demos | Teachers and trainers | Learners need to see formulas instead of results | Display formulas directly during explanation |
| 3 | Spreadsheet auditing | Team collaborators | It is hard to understand formulas created by others | Switch to formula view and review references cell by cell |
| 4 | Formula troubleshooting | Analysts | Unexpected results are difficult to trace | Toggle between formulas and results while checking problem cells |
| 5 | Template inspection | Template creators | Key formulas must be checked before sharing | Review the worksheet in formula view before publishing |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Show Formulas toggle | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Shortcut to switch formula display | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Basic spreadsheet editing | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Additional advanced office and value-added features | Available within the free plan scope shown on the pricing page | Available according to the subscribed plan |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Use case | Recommended plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday formula viewing and checking | Free | Show Formulas can be used directly for this workflow |
| Long-term use with broader advanced office needs | WPS Premium | Suitable if you also need additional premium features beyond basic spreadsheet review |
How to Subscribe
- Membership page: Subscribe to WPS Premium
Source: WPS Office pricing page