Guide

“Some formula symbols might not display correctly” means you are missing a font file.

Kingsoft’s Linux blog is clear: read the font names in the dialog (often Symbol, Wingdings, Wingdings 2/3, MT Extra), install those faces, run fc-cache, fully quit WPS, and retry. Do not confuse this with a startup failure.

Spreadsheet formulas that depend on symbol fonts

Confirm the symptom

If Writer actually opens and a dialog lists fonts, you are on this page. If the dock icon vanishes, go to will not open instead.

Install only the named fonts

Copy licensed fonts you are allowed to use into ~/.local/share/fonts/ (single user) or /usr/share/fonts/ (all users). Community repos exist that bundle the classic symbol set — check the license before you copy Microsoft’s files from a Windows partition.

fc-cache -f -v
fc-list | grep -i wingdings

Fully quit every WPS window (Writer, Spreadsheets, Presentation) and reopen. If the dialog lists fewer names, you are winning. Repeat for leftovers.

Why WPS asks

Equations and some bullets were historically drawn with Windows symbol fonts. Linux distros do not ship those faces. The suite can still run; your integral sign may look like a tofu box.

Snap confinement

If fc-list shows the font for your user but Snap WPS still warns, the sandbox may not see ~/.fonts. Prefer system-wide install or the official Deb.

Install path recap: Linux download.

CJK and Arabic on the same Ubuntu box

Formula fonts do not replace Noto CJK or a Naskh family. Install those separately. Languages.