WPS Columns on Windows: Introduction

WPS Columns is a page layout feature in WPS Writer for arranging document content into multiple columns; it includes 4 core tasks, with 4 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.

At a Glance

Metric	Value	Notes
Core tasks	4	Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index
Available without membership	4	Matches the number of Free rows in the index
Membership-related items	0	All topics in this guide are available directly
Version recommendation	Use the latest WPS Office version	Helps ensure the full page layout entry is available and stable

About This Feature

Overview

Columns is a page layout feature in WPS Writer that lets you arrange body text into one column, two columns, three columns, or a custom multi-column layout. It is useful for notices, briefs, newsletter-style pages, and long text that benefits from side-by-side reading.

Core tasks include:

Preset columns: Quickly switch the whole document or current content to a common column layout.
Custom columns: Set more column styles, separator lines, and apply range options.
Partial-text columns: Apply columns only to selected text without changing other paragraphs.
Column break control: Start a new column at a specific position for better text flow control.

This columns layout feature helps create a denser reading structure within limited page width and works well for document formatting on Windows.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Windows device that can run WPS Office normally
App version	The latest WPS Office version is recommended
Network	Columns is a local formatting feature and does not require a constant internet connection for everyday use
Other	You need to open or create a WPS Writer document and have permission to edit it

Download & Installation

Item	Details
Official Download	WPS Office Free Download
Installation method	Download the Windows installer and follow the on-screen steps
Post-install check	Open WPS Writer, then check the related Page or Page Layout tab for the Columns entry

Source: WPS download page

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	In Writer, you can use preset columns, custom columns, partial-text columns, and column breaks to control where the next column starts.	Word supports columns for the whole document, selected text, custom formatting through More Columns, and column breaks.	Google Docs lets you add or remove columns in a document and add column breaks; the official help page is for computer use.	Notion supports drag-and-drop page columns and adjustable column width, which is more about page composition than traditional paged document columns.	Acrobat lets you select text in a PDF by column, which is useful for copying or reusing multi-column content, but it is not a writing-focused page layout entry.
WPS Advantages	Advantage: WPS keeps preset columns, custom columns, partial-text columns, and column break control in one Writer workflow for continuous editing and formatting.	Compared with WPS: Word also provides a full set of document column tools with clear desktop layout paths.	Compared with WPS: Google Docs supports document columns, but its official help notes that this feature is not available on mobile devices.	Compared with WPS: Notion columns are better suited to modular page layout and are not centered on traditional document page formatting.	Compared with WPS: Acrobat is more focused on selecting and reusing existing PDF content than on live document column formatting during writing.
Official Source	—	Create multiple columns in Word; Insert a column break	Add or delete columns in a document	Format your page	Reusing PDF content

Overall Conclusion
If you want to format a traditional multi-column document in WPS Office on Windows, WPS Columns provides a practical set of controls from quick presets to more detailed layout adjustments. Compared with modular page builders or PDF selection tools, it is closer to everyday writing, editing, and page formatting work.

Use Cases

#	Scenario	Target Users	Core Pain Point	Solution
1	Newsletter-style formatting	Editors, communications staff	Long text is harder to read in a single wide column	Use preset columns to switch quickly to two or three columns
2	Flyer and one-page layout cleanup	Administrative and marketing users	The page contains a lot of information and feels crowded	Use custom columns to adjust column count, spacing, and separator lines
3	Partial content formatting	Teachers, students, and office users	Only part of the document should use columns	Select the text first, then apply columns only to that selection
4	New column position control	Users who need precise formatting	Automatic text flow does not start a new column where expected	Insert a column break at the exact position where the next column should begin

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Feature	Free User	WPS Member
Basic Writer column formatting	✅ Available	✅ Available
Advanced PDF editing and conversion	Basic capabilities are available; more advanced tools depend on the current plan page	✅ More advanced tools are available
Cloud storage	1GB	20GB
Template downloads	Limited	More content available

Source: WPS Office pricing page

Recommendations

Use Case	Recommended Plan	Reason
Everyday document formatting and occasional use of columns	Free plan	The columns feature itself is available directly and works well for regular writing and layout cleanup
Frequent work with more PDF tools, more cloud storage, or broader benefits	WPS Member	Better suited to users who regularly handle multiple types of office files

WPS membership center: Subscribe now
On the purchase page, you can review the currently available plans, billing periods, and benefit details.