WPS Fill Color lets you add background color to spreadsheet cells and highlight data areas; this guide covers 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 |
About This Feature
Overview
Fill Color is a cell-formatting feature in WPS Office for Windows spreadsheets. It adds background color to cells so tables are easier to read and important data stands out.
Core tasks include:
- Apply a cell background color from the Fill Color menu on the Home tab.
- Apply fill color directly from the right-click menu.
- Set fill color from the Patterns tab in the Format Cells dialog box.
This feature is useful for table styling, data grouping, and visual emphasis.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Windows PC that can run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office |
| Network | No mandatory internet connection is required for local fill color editing |
| Other | You need to open or create a WPS spreadsheet file and have permission to edit it |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Check after installation | Open WPS Office, open a spreadsheet, and confirm that the Fill Color entry is visible on the Home tab |
Source: WPS Download Center
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | Lets you add background color to spreadsheet cells from the Home tab, the right-click menu, and the Format Cells > Patterns path. | Microsoft Support explains table shading for selected cells, rows, columns, or full tables through the Shading menu in Word and related apps. | Google Sheets supports changing cell fill color from the toolbar and also mentions alternating colors in spreadsheet formatting. | Notion officially supports text color, highlights, and block color styling, but the cited help page does not describe spreadsheet-style cell fill color. | Adobe Acrobat help focuses on PDF form field settings and PDF editing, not spreadsheet cell fill color workflows. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: WPS provides 3 common entry points inside spreadsheet editing, making it easier to apply color through either toolbar, context menu, or dialog-based formatting. | Compared with WPS: Microsoft's cited guidance centers on table shading in document-style tables rather than a spreadsheet-focused workflow. | Compared with WPS: Google emphasizes toolbar-based spreadsheet formatting, while the WPS feature page also includes right-click and dialog access paths from the same editing flow. | Compared with WPS: Notion focuses more on page content and block styling than traditional spreadsheet cell fill operations. | Compared with WPS: Adobe's cited documentation is oriented to PDF forms and field settings instead of spreadsheet cell background formatting. |
| Official Source | — | Add or remove shading in a table | Edit & format a spreadsheet | Style & customize your page | Configure PDF form field settings in Acrobat |
Overall Conclusion: For spreadsheet cell background formatting on Windows, WPS offers direct in-app access paths that fit common editing habits. Other products cover related formatting in their own content types, such as document tables, page styling, or PDF forms.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable users | Main issue | How Fill Color helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Separate data areas | Spreadsheet editors | Different data blocks are hard to distinguish | Apply different fill colors to different ranges |
| 2 | Highlight important values | Finance staff, operations teams, students | Key numbers do not stand out enough | Add background color to important cells |
| 3 | Improve table layout | Everyday office users | The table lacks visual hierarchy | Use a consistent color scheme for readability |
| 4 | Mark items temporarily | Reviewers and approvers | Items to revisit need quick visual marking | Apply color directly from the right-click menu |
| 5 | Adjust formatting in one place | Users who want more control | Quick tools are not always enough for detailed changes | Use the Format Cells dialog box to set pattern color |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Basic spreadsheet editing | ✅ | ✅ |
| Basic cell fill color operations | ✅ | ✅ |
| Advanced PDF tools and broader extended features | Partially limited | Broader access |
| Cloud storage | 1 GB | 20 GB, depending on plan |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Scenario | Recommended plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday spreadsheet coloring and basic editing | Free | Fill Color is a standard spreadsheet formatting feature for routine work |
| More tools and more cloud storage in one subscription | WPS Premium | Suitable if you also need broader advanced features and more storage |
How to Subscribe
- Subscribe here: Get WPS Premium
Source: WPS Office pricing page