Kingsoft Office Software

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Chinese office-software company best known for the WPS Office productivity suite and related cloud services.

Last updated October 14, 2026

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Overview

Kingsoft Office Software, also known in China as Kingsoft Office, is a publicly listed Chinese software company whose principal product is WPS Office. The company develops office-productivity applications for creating, editing, presenting, storing, and sharing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Its product family is used by individual consumers, schools, public-sector organizations, and businesses, with offerings spanning desktop computers, mobile devices, web browsers, and cloud environments. The business grew out of Kingsoft's long-running office-software operation. Kingsoft was established in 1988 and launched an early office suite during the same year. That suite was later developed into the WPS product family and was renamed WPS Office in 2014. For many years the product competed in China with Microsoft Office while adapting its interface, pricing, distribution, and platform support to local users. A significant strategic change came in December 2011, when the office-software operation was separated from Kingsoft as Kingsoft Office Software. The spin-off gave the office business a more distinct corporate identity and allowed it to pursue product and market decisions with greater autonomy within the Kingsoft group. The company placed particular emphasis on mobile distribution. WPS Office reached Android devices earlier than Microsoft's comparable mobile-office offering, helping it build a broader user base in China and overseas markets. Its suite subsequently expanded beyond traditional desktop applications into mobile apps, browser-based editing, online document storage, document collaboration, and subscription services. WPS Office remains the company's best-known brand, while related services include WPS cloud-document functions and the Kingsoft Docs ecosystem. Kingsoft Office Software became a public company on 18 November 2019 through an initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market. The listing made the office-software business a separately traded technology company while it continued to operate as a subsidiary of Kingsoft Corporation. The company has continued to develop productivity tools for both individual and organizational users and has increasingly incorporated artificial-intelligence functions into its products. In 2021, WPS Office became the subject of a United States national-security controversy. An executive order signed during the final days of the Trump administration sought to prohibit the application in the United States over concerns related to data collection. Kingsoft Office Software said the measure was not expected to have a substantial short-term effect on its business. The order was revoked several days later by the Biden administration, although the administration said it would continue assessing risks associated with foreign applications. In 2022, a dispute over access to an online document prompted public criticism in China. A writer said that she had been unable to open a WPS document after a warning indicated that it might contain prohibited content. The incident circulated widely on Weibo and intensified debate about cloud-document monitoring, privacy, and platform responsibility. Kingsoft Office Software said that access by third parties to an online document had been restricted because it violated applicable cyberspace rules, and that connected documents were subject to required review procedures. The document was restored three days later, and the company said an employee apologized after identifying an error by its automated content-screening system. In July 2023, the company introduced WPS AI, an artificial-intelligence tool integrated with WPS Office. The launch signaled a shift toward AI-assisted writing, document processing, and office workflows, although the exact availability and functions of the service vary by product and market. Kingsoft Office Software's current identity therefore combines a long-established office-suite brand with cloud…

History

Kingsoft Office Software traces its product heritage to Kingsoft's founding in 1988 and the release of an early office suite in the same year. That software was developed for Chinese users at a time when personal-computer adoption and demand for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations were expanding. The office product became part of Kingsoft's broader software portfolio and competed with Microsoft Office in the Chinese market. The product identity evolved over time. The office suite was renamed WPS Office in 2014, consolidating the name used for the company's principal productivity brand. WPS Office developed into a multi-application suite covering word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and associated document functions. Rather than remaining limited to desktop software, the product expanded to mobile operating systems, browser-based use, online document storage, and collaboration services. A major organizational milestone occurred in December 2011, when Kingsoft's office-software unit was spun off as a separate company named Kingsoft Office Software. The separation was an important turning point after years of difficulty competing with Microsoft Office in China. As a distinct unit within the Kingsoft group, the company could focus more directly on office-productivity products, platform distribution, and international growth. Its early availability on Android, arriving before Microsoft Office's comparable mobile presence, helped WPS Office attract mobile users and build a presence outside China. Kingsoft's corporate strategy also changed during this period. Lei Jun returned to Kingsoft in 2011 as chairman while also serving as chairman of Xiaomi. Kingsoft increasingly gave operating subsidiaries and joint ventures greater responsibility, a context that supported the office business's development as a more independent company. The company's platform strategy broadened as users moved between computers, smartphones, tablets, and web services. WPS Office became the central branded offering, while cloud-document functions and Kingsoft Docs supported online storage, access, and collaboration. This combination allowed the company to address both individual users and institutional customers, including enterprises and public-sector organizations. Its commercial model has included software distribution and online services, although detailed financial information is not included here because it requires separately verified time-specific sources. On 18 November 2019, Kingsoft Office Software completed an initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market. The listing established the company as a separately traded public technology enterprise while it remained a subsidiary of Kingsoft Corporation. The company faced external scrutiny in 2021 when the United States government moved to restrict WPS Office over national-security concerns related to data collection. The executive order signed on 5 January was later revoked by the Biden administration, which nevertheless stated that the risks of foreign applications would continue to be examined. Kingsoft Office Software said the episode would not have a material short-term effect on its business. In June 2022, an access dispute involving a writer's online document led to criticism of WPS's handling of private files and automated content review. The company explained that access to a connected document had been restricted because of cyberspace-rule requirements and said its review process used encryption intended to protect privacy. After the document was restored, the company attributed the incident to an error by its automated screening system and sent an employee to apologize. In July 2023, Kingsoft Office Software launched WPS AI. The product represented the company's movement into generative and assistive artificial-intelligence features within a mature office suite. It also reflected a wider industry shift in which document creation, summarization, editing, and other productivity tasks are increasingly integrated with AI. Today, Kingsoft Office Software is principally identified with WPS Office and operates across office applications, cloud documents, mobile productivity, collaboration, and AI-enabled services.

2023
WPS AI introduced
[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
Kingsoft Office Software launched WPS AI as an artificial-intelligence tool for its office suite.
2022
Online-document access incident
[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
A document-access dispute brought attention to WPS's content-review practices and was resolved after access was restored and the company attributed the incident to an automated screening error.
2021
United States restrictions and subsequent revocation
[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
A U.S. executive order sought to prohibit WPS Office operations in the country; the order was revoked several days later while security concerns remained under review.
2019
Initial public offering on the STAR Market
[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
Kingsoft Office Software became publicly listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market on 18 November.
2014
Office suite adopts the WPS Office name
[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
The company's office suite was renamed WPS Office, establishing the name used for its principal product family.
2011
Lei Jun returns as Kingsoft chairman
[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
Lei Jun returned to Kingsoft as chairman as the group shifted toward a structure giving subsidiaries and joint ventures greater operating responsibility.
2011
Office-software unit becomes Kingsoft Office Software
[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
In December, Kingsoft separated its office-software unit into the distinct company Kingsoft Office Software.
1988
Kingsoft launches an early office suite
[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
Kingsoft, the predecessor organization behind the later office-software business, was founded and released the first version of its office suite.

Products and positioning

A localized, cross-platform office-productivity and cloud-services provider serving consumers, organizations, and public-sector users, with an emphasis on broad device support, integrated online services, and value relative to international office-software alternatives.

Office productivity suite · 1988
WPS Office
The company's flagship productivity suite, combining word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications. WPS Office is offered across desktop, mobile, and web environments and is designed for individual and organizational document creation, editing, presentation, and sharing. Its long development history in China and early Android availability helped it compete with Microsoft Office and expand into overseas markets.
Cloud document service
WPS Cloud Documents
Cloud-based document functions associated with the WPS ecosystem, allowing users to store, access, and work with files through connected services. The cloud layer extends WPS beyond locally installed applications and supports collaboration and cross-device workflows.
Online collaboration
Kingsoft Docs
An online document and collaboration offering within the Kingsoft office-productivity ecosystem. It is intended for browser-based document work, sharing, and collaborative access, complementing the locally installed and mobile versions of WPS Office.
Artificial-intelligence productivity tool · 2023
WPS AI
An AI tool introduced for WPS Office in July 2023. Its launch positioned the suite for AI-assisted office workflows and document processing, although feature availability and specific functions may differ across products and markets.

Controversies

2022
User complaints over locked documents spark controversy over cloud review and local file permissions
In July 2022, users reported that documents were locked, sparking debate over whether WPS reviews or deletes local files. Kingsoft Office responded multiple times that it does not review, lock, or delete users' local files, explaining that the relevant handling involved online document sharing. This entry records user complaints and the company's response, and does not take the deletion of local files as an established fact.
Source 1 Source 2
2021
U.S. national-security controversy
A U.S. executive order signed on 5 January sought to ban WPS Office operations in the United States, alleging that its data-collection capabilities could create a national-security threat. The order was revoked several days later, although the subsequent administration said related risks would continue to be evaluated.
Source

2023
Launch WPS AIProduct launch
Background
Artificial intelligence was becoming a major direction for productivity-software companies and document applications.
Action taken
Kingsoft Office Software introduced WPS AI for WPS Office in July.
Aftermath
The launch extended the WPS product strategy toward AI-assisted office work and document workflows.
Source
2019
Complete the STAR Market listingOther
Background
Kingsoft Office Software had developed into a distinct office-software company within the Kingsoft group.
Action taken
The company held its initial public offering and became listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange STAR Market on 18 November.
Aftermath
The office-software business became a separately traded public company while remaining a Kingsoft subsidiary.
Source
2014
Rename the office suite WPS OfficeStrategy
Background
The company was consolidating the identity of its long-running office-productivity product.
Action taken
The office suite was renamed WPS Office.
Aftermath
WPS Office became the central product brand associated with the company's applications and related services.
Source
2011
Spin off the office-software businessStrategy
Background
The office business had faced difficulty competing with Microsoft Office while operating within Kingsoft's wider software portfolio.
Action taken
Kingsoft separated the office-software unit in December and established Kingsoft Office Software as a distinct company.
Aftermath
The separation gave the office business a clearer corporate identity and supported greater focus on mobile platforms, international markets, and office-productivity services.
Source

Recent events

2023
Kingsoft Office Software launches WPS AI[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
Product launch · Other
The company introduced WPS AI as an artificial-intelligence tool for WPS Office, extending the suite toward AI-assisted productivity and document workflows.
2019
Kingsoft Office Software lists on the Shanghai STAR Market[1]Kingsoft Office Softwareen.wikipedia.org
Other
Kingsoft Office Software completed its initial public offering and began trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market on 18 November 2019.

Sources16 sources

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