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Published: September 11, 2026
Tooltips are easy to add and easy to make unreachable. Use them only for short supplementary information, then hand off their complete interaction rules.
Confirm the content belongs there
Essential instructions and error recovery should stay visible. For each tooltip, name the trigger, concise copy, relationship to the trigger, and content owner.
Cover every input method
Specify pointer hover, keyboard focus, touch behavior, Escape dismissal, and whether the pointer can move over the tooltip without closing it. Avoid icon-only triggers whose purpose is unclear.
Test obstruction and timing
Check zoom, narrow screens, page edges, long translations, keyboard focus, and repeated triggers. Ensure the tooltip does not obscure the trigger or neighboring content and remains available while needed.
Further reading
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Put tooltip behavior beside its approved copy in the component inventory.
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Turn the guidance into a reviewable handoff
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