Unlocking WPS Office on Chromebook: A Comprehensive Guide

WPS Office is a versatile suite that provides robust office applications for users on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows. Its intuitive interface encompasses tools for word processing, spreadsheet management, and presentation design while supporting various file formats, including those associated with Microsoft Office. If you’re interested in using WPS Office on your Chromebook, follow this guide to get started.

Enabling Linux on Your Chromebook: A Step-by-Step Approach

For Chromebook users with devices that support virtualization, running Linux applications is readily achievable. To begin, locate the clock icon on your Chrome OS taskbar. Click on it, and then select the gear icon to access Chrome OS settings.

Once in the settings menu, scroll down to the Advanced section. Click the arrow to expand it, and navigate to the Developers category.

In the Developers section, find and click on the Linux development environment option. Activate it by selecting the Turn on button, which initiates the setup of a Linux LXC container.

After successfully enabling Linux, return to the Chrome OS dashboard and launch the Terminal app. Within the terminal, find and select the Penguin icon to open the command-line interface of your Linux container.

To ensure your Linux environment is equipped with the latest updates, run the following commands:

sudo apt update

This command updates the software sources, and afterward, you can upgrade all packages by executing:

sudo apt upgrade -y

This upgrade may take several moments, but once completed, your Linux container will be ready for software installations, including WPS Office.

Installing WPS Office on Chrome OS Using Flatpak

The most efficient method to install WPS Office on Chrome OS is via the Flathub app store utilizing Flatpak technology. Begin by launching the Terminal again. Once it’s open and you’ve selected Penguin, use the following command to install Flatpak:

sudo apt install flatpak

With Flatpak now set up, you’ll need to add the Flathub repository. Enter the following command in the terminal:

flatpak --user remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Now that you’ve integrated the Flathub app store, proceed with the WPS Office installation using the following command:

flatpak install flathub com.wps.Office

After the installation concludes, you can find WPS Office under the Linux apps menu on your Chromebook.

Alternative Installation: Using the DEB Package

For those who prefer installing WPS Office directly via a downloadable DEB package, first launch the Terminal and select Penguin. Use the wget command to download the WPS Office package:

wget https://archive.org/download/wps-office_11.1.0.11708.XA_amd64/wps-office_11.1.0.11708.XA_amd64.deb

Once the DEB package is downloaded, you can install it using the following command:

sudo apt install ./wps-office_11.1.0.11708.XA_amd64.deb

When prompted, press ‘Y’ to confirm the installation of the software. This process should complete in a matter of moments, and once installed, WPS Office will also be accessible from the Linux apps section of the Chrome OS app menu.

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined above, you can seamlessly integrate WPS Office into your Chromebook ecosystem, unlocking the functionality needed for effective document creation and management. Whether through Flatpak or a DEB package, getting started with WPS Office has never been easier. Enjoy your enhanced productivity on Chrome OS!