WPS Cross-Reference on Windows: Introduction

WPS Cross-Reference is a document-linking feature for referencing headings, captions, bookmarks, and footnotes in the same file; 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

Cross-Reference in WPS Writer on Windows helps you insert references to headings, captions, bookmarks, footnotes, and similar items in the same document, then refresh those references after the source content changes.

Core tasks include:

Insert a cross-reference to a heading, caption, bookmark, or footnote, with options such as full text, label and number, or page number.
Update one reference or all fields in the document so numbering, page references, and displayed content stay in sync.

This feature is useful for papers, reports, manuals, and other long documents that need structured internal references.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Windows device that can run WPS Office
App version	The latest version of WPS Office is recommended
Network	No mandatory network connection is required for local cross-reference editing
Other	Open the file in WPS Writer, and make sure the referenced item already exists

Download & Installation

Item	Details
Official download	WPS Office Free Download
Check after installation	Open WPS Office, launch WPS Writer, and confirm that Cross-Reference is available on the References tab

Source: WPS download page

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	Cross-reference can insert references to headings, captions, bookmarks, and footnotes in the same document, then update fields after edits.	Word supports cross-references to items in the same document, such as headings, figures, and page numbers, and can insert them as hyperlinks.	Google Docs does not present one built-in native cross-reference workflow in the cited official materials; official Marketplace add-ons such as Smart References provide cross-references for headings or numbered list items.	Notion supports page links, block links, and automatic backlinks for connected navigation across pages.	Acrobat supports hyperlinks and internal links that jump to specific locations or page views inside a PDF.
WPS Advantages	Advantage: WPS provides a direct cross-reference entry inside the writing interface and supports common document reference objects for long-form editing and updates.	Compared with WPS: Word also offers a mature cross-reference workflow, but it is part of the Microsoft document environment.	Compared with WPS: Related functionality in Google Docs is more dependent on add-ons than on one native document command.	Compared with WPS: Notion focuses more on workspace linking and page relationships than on traditional caption, number, or page references in a formatted document.	Compared with WPS: Acrobat is stronger for PDF navigation and link editing, while cross-reference authoring usually happens earlier in a word processor.
Official Source	—	Create a cross-reference	Smart References	Smart References	How to add a hyperlink to a PDF

Overall Conclusion: WPS Cross-Reference fits traditional long-document writing when you need to reference headings, captions, bookmarks, or page numbers in one place. Other products cover related navigation scenarios, but their workflows are oriented toward different document or workspace models.

Use Cases

No.	Scenario	Suitable for	Main issue	How Cross-Reference helps
1	Academic section references	Students and researchers	Section numbers and page references can become inconsistent after edits	Insert heading or caption references, then update them before finalizing the file
2	Figure and table references	Report writers	Figure order changes can break references in the body text	Reference caption numbers or full items instead of editing each mention manually
3	Policy and procedure documents	Admin and legal teams	Long files are harder to navigate when clauses refer to each other	Use heading or bookmark references to connect related sections
4	Footnote-related references	Editors and reviewers	Notes can shift during revision	Insert references to note items and refresh fields after changes
5	Manual maintenance	Training and technical writers	Revisions can leave outdated references across the file	Update all fields in one pass to refresh the document

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Capability	Free users	WPS Premium
Cross-reference insertion and updates	✅ Available	✅ Available
Cloud storage	1 GB	20 GB
Templates	Basic templates	More advanced templates
AI tools	Limited access	More AI features and higher usage allowance

Source: WPS Office pricing page

Recommendations

Usage scenario	Recommended plan	Why
Everyday writing and basic internal references	Free	Cross-reference itself is available for regular document work
Users who also need more cloud storage, templates, or broader office extras	WPS Premium	Better suited when document work is combined with storage and additional productivity benefits

WPS membership center: Subscribe to WPS Premium