WPS Design Mode on macOS: Introduction

WPS Design Mode is used to edit and configure content controls in documents; it includes 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 index
Membership-related items	0	Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index

About This Feature

Overview

Design Mode is a built-in feature in WPS Writer for macOS that lets you edit and configure content controls in a document. It is useful for creating forms, reusable templates, and structured documents with interactive fields.

Core tasks include:

Enter Design Mode: Open Design Mode from the Developer tab to switch the document into a control-editing state.
Edit content controls: Select a control in Design Mode, adjust its properties and settings, and then exit the editing state.

This feature is suitable for form creation, template maintenance, and standardized document editing. It helps separate control editing from normal document use so you can finalize structure before sharing the file.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Mac device that can run WPS Office for Mac
App version	The latest version of WPS Office for Mac is recommended
Network	No mandatory network connection is required for local Design Mode editing; downloading, installation, and account-related actions require internet access
Other	Use this feature in WPS Writer documents and make sure the Developer tab is available

Download & Installation

Item	Details
Official download	WPS Office Free Download
Post-install check	Launch WPS Writer, open a document, and confirm that the Design Mode entry is available on the Developer tab

Source: WPS Download Center

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	In WPS Writer, Design Mode on the Developer tab lets you edit content controls for forms and template documents.	Word provides content controls that can be added and customized for templates, forms, and documents from the Developer tab.	Google Docs supports smart chips, placeholder chips, and dropdowns for lightweight structured input, but not a traditional document content-control design mode.	Notion Forms connects questions to database properties for online information collection and workflow management rather than in-document content-control editing.	Acrobat can create PDF forms and configure form fields for PDF-based collection, rather than editing content controls inside a word-processing document.
WPS Advantages	Advantage: You can switch directly into a document editing state for content controls inside WPS Writer, which fits template review and form setup before distribution.	Compared with WPS: It also supports content controls and a Developer workflow for templates and forms.	Compared with WPS: It focuses more on collaborative online chips and structured inserts than on a dedicated control-editing mode in a word processor.	Compared with WPS: It focuses more on database-backed forms and response workflows than on document template control editing.	Compared with WPS: It focuses more on PDF form creation and field management than on word-processing document controls.
Official Source	—	About content controls	Insert smart chips in Google Docs	Forms	Create PDF forms from scratch

Overall Conclusion: WPS Design Mode is a practical fit when you need to edit content controls directly inside a Writer document and refine template structure before use. If your main workflow centers on web forms, database-driven collection, or PDF form distribution, the other products provide related capabilities for those different scenarios.

Use Cases

No.	Scenario	Suitable Users	Core Need	How Design Mode Helps
1	Build fillable templates	Administrative staff, teachers, office users	Fixed sections and fillable sections need to be separated clearly	Enter Design Mode to edit content controls, then exit to test the final experience
2	Adjust control properties	Template maintainers	Control settings need to be updated efficiently	Select a control in Design Mode and modify its properties and settings
3	Review template structure	Team document owners	Control layout needs checking before delivery	Inspect controls one by one in Design Mode
4	Standardize document input	Internal business users	Free-form input can cause inconsistent formatting	Use content controls to define structured input areas
5	Verify the final form state	Template designers	The document needs to be checked in normal use mode after editing	Click Design Mode again to exit and review the result

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Capability	Free Users	WPS Premium
Design Mode access	Available	Available
Content control editing	Available	Available
Basic PDF features	Available	Available
More PDF and advanced productivity features	Some features are limited	More complete features and higher allowances are available
Cloud storage	1 GB	20 GB

Source: WPS Office pricing page

Recommendations

Usage Scenario	Recommended Plan	Why
Occasional template or form editing	Free	Design Mode itself is available for basic content-control editing
Broader PDF, cloud, or advanced productivity needs	WPS Premium	Suitable if you also need more advanced office features across workflows

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