WPS Handout Master is a presentation feature for setting a consistent handout page layout and display elements; it includes 5 core tasks, with 5 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 5 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 5 | 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
Handout Master is a built-in feature in WPS Presentation on macOS for setting a consistent layout, display elements, and background style for printed handouts. After you enter Handout Master view, you can centrally adjust slides per page, handout orientation, slide size, placeholders such as header, footer, date, and page number, as well as background-related settings such as colors, fonts, and effects.
Core tasks include:
- Open Handout Master view: enter the dedicated editing workspace for handout layout.
- Adjust page setup: set handout orientation, slide size, and slides per page.
- Manage placeholders: control whether headers, footers, dates, and page numbers appear.
- Change background settings: apply consistent colors, fonts, and effects to handouts.
- Exit Handout Master: return to the normal editing view after setup.
This feature is useful for training handouts, meeting materials, classroom printouts, and other scenarios where a consistent printed handout layout is needed.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Mac device that can run WPS Office for macOS normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office for macOS |
| Network | No mandatory network connection is required for local handout master editing; downloading, installation, and account-related actions require network access |
| Other | Open a presentation in WPS Presentation before using this feature |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Check after installation | Launch WPS Office for macOS, open a presentation, and look for the Handout Master entry under the View tab |
Source: WPS download page
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | Provides a Handout Master view for setting slides per page, handout orientation, slide size, placeholders, and background styles in one place. | PowerPoint provides Handout Master to edit handout layout, headers and footers, and background, with changes applied to all printed handout pages. | Google Slides supports browser-based presentation creation, collaboration, templates, and presenting, but the official product page does not describe a dedicated handout master workflow. | Notion Presentation Mode turns page sections into slides with divider blocks and focuses on presenting page content rather than printed handout layout editing. | Adobe Acrobat supports printing multiple PDF pages per sheet for output layout, but it does not provide a presentation handout master editing view. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: one editing view combines page setup, placeholders, and background settings for presentation handouts. Distinct: it fits directly into the presentation editing workflow before printing. | Compared with WPS: Microsoft also offers a direct handout master workflow and is suitable for users who work mainly in PowerPoint. | Compared with WPS: Google Slides focuses more on online collaboration and presenting, while official information gives less detail about centralized handout layout editing. | Compared with WPS: Notion is more suitable for page-based presenting and does not focus on printed handout layout controls. | Compared with WPS: Adobe is stronger for PDF print output, while WPS is closer to presentation handout layout editing. |
| Official Source | — | Create or change a presentation handout | Google Slides product page | Presentation mode | Print multiple pages per sheet |
Overall Conclusion
If you need to adjust printed handout structure and display elements directly inside a presentation workflow, WPS Handout Master is a practical fit. If your work is centered on browser collaboration, page-based presenting, or PDF print output, the other products may fit those workflows better.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable for | Main need | How Handout Master helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Training handout printing | Trainers | Need a consistent number of slides on each page | Use Page Setup to adjust slides per page |
| 2 | Meeting material distribution | Project teams | Need a unified handout direction and layout | Set handout orientation and slide size in Handout Master |
| 3 | Classroom handout preparation | Teachers | Need date and page number information on printouts | Use placeholder settings to control header, footer, date, and page number |
| 4 | Branded handout output | Marketing and admin staff | Need a consistent visual style across handouts | Use background settings to unify colors, fonts, and effects |
| 5 | Final handout review | Presentation editors | Need to return to normal editing quickly after setup | Use Close to exit Handout Master after checking the layout |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Item | Free users | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Handout Master setup | ✅ | ✅ |
| Core Office editing features | ✅ | ✅ |
| More advanced PDF and extended tools | Partially limited | Broader access |
| Cloud storage and added benefits | Basic allocation | Higher allocation or more benefits |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Scenario | Recommended plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Regular presentation editing and handout layout adjustment | Free | The core Handout Master workflow is available for everyday use |
| Need broader value-added tools and a fuller office toolkit | WPS Premium | Suitable if you also use more advanced tools and added membership benefits |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership page: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page