WPS COM Add-ins on Windows: Introduction

WPS COM Add-ins is an extension management feature in WPS Spreadsheets on Windows; 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

COM Add-ins let you add and manage third-party extension components in WPS Spreadsheets. This is useful when you need to connect external tools or extend spreadsheet workflows with specialized functions.

Core tasks include:

Open the COM Add-ins window from the Developer tab.
Add a COM add-in by importing a .dll or .xlam file and enabling it in the list.
Disable or remove an existing COM add-in from the management window.

This feature is suitable for internal business tools, specialized analysis extensions, and routine desktop add-in management in WPS Office on Windows.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Windows device that supports WPS Office for Windows
App version	It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office with WPS Spreadsheets installed
Network	No mandatory network connection is required when adding a local add-in file; internet access is needed to download and install WPS Office
Other	Access to the Developer tab and a valid `.dll` or `.xlam` add-in file

Source: System Requirements for WPS Office

Download & Installation

Item	Details
Official download	WPS Office Free Download
Check after installation	Open WPS Spreadsheets and confirm that the Developer tab and the COM Add-ins entry are available

Source: WPS download page

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	In WPS Spreadsheets, you can open the COM Add-ins window from the Developer tab, add `.dll` or `.xlam` files, and manage whether they are enabled.	Microsoft documents the COMAddIns collection and notes that loaded COM add-ins are listed in the COM Add-Ins dialog box.	Google Workspace Add-ons integrate third-party apps inside Workspace products through side panels and app-specific entry points.	Notion uses Connections to add external services to a workspace, page, or database with connection management controls.	Adobe Acrobat supports plugins that integrate with Acrobat or Reader as the host environment and extend PDF-related workflows.
WPS Advantages	Advantage: WPS focuses on direct add, enable, disable, and remove actions for installed spreadsheet extensions in one desktop entry point.	Compared with WPS: Microsoft emphasizes the Office host add-in model and COMAddIns collection rather than a spreadsheet-specific local file workflow in this reference.	Compared with WPS: Google focuses on cloud-based Workspace add-ons instead of local Windows COM add-in file management in a spreadsheet app.	Compared with WPS: Notion connections are centered on workspace and page integrations, not local desktop spreadsheet COM add-in management.	Compared with WPS: Adobe plugin development is designed for Acrobat or Reader and PDF workflows, not spreadsheet COM add-ins.
Official Source	—	COMAddIns Property	Google Workspace Add-ons	Add & manage connections	Developing Plugins

Overall Conclusion
If your main task is to load and manage installed extensions in a Windows spreadsheet environment, WPS provides a direct entry point for that workflow. If your team works mainly with cloud add-ons, workspace connections, Office host extensibility, or PDF plugin development, the other products fit those scenarios differently.

Use Cases

No.	Scenario	Suitable for	Main challenge	How this feature helps
1	Enable an internal business extension	Business users	A spreadsheet needs access to an internal tool	Open COM Add-ins from the Developer tab and add the required file
2	Add a specialized analysis extension	Data-focused users	Built-in functions do not cover a specific task	Add a `.dll` or `.xlam` file and enable it in the list
3	Clean up unused extensions	Maintenance users	Too many installed add-ins make management harder	Disable or remove add-ins that are no longer needed
4	Check whether an add-in is active	Support staff	It is hard to confirm the current add-in status quickly	Open the COM Add-ins window and review the list and checkboxes
5	Train new users on the extension entry point	New users	The add-in management entry is not obvious	Use the Developer tab as the central access point

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Capability	Free	WPS Premium
COM Add-ins entry and basic management	Available	Available
Basic PDF features	Partial access	Broader feature access
Cloud storage	1 GB	20 GB
Templates	Limited downloads	More template benefits

Source: WPS Office pricing page

Recommendations

Scenario	Recommended plan	Why
You only need to add, disable, or remove COM add-ins in spreadsheets	Free	The feature description does not show a membership requirement for this workflow
You also need broader PDF, template, or cloud storage benefits	WPS Premium	A membership plan is more suitable for broader office feature needs

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