spec checked

ARIA tooltip role

Documents tooltip role behavior, aria-describedby ownership, automatic focus or hover display, Escape dismissal, non-focusable tooltip content, and why tooltips cannot contain interactive elements.

Open source

Pattern Decisions This Source Supports

Pattern Supported decision Required contract Claim note
Tooltip Choose tooltip when the target already has a usable name and needs only a short supplemental description on focus or hover. The owning element keeps focus while the tooltip is visible. Supports aria-describedby ownership, automatic display, and the no-interactive-content boundary.
Tooltip-only required information Flag this anti-pattern when the tooltip content is necessary to complete the task correctly or avoid a harmful outcome. Users can complete the task without reading a tooltip. Supports the tooltip boundary as noninteractive described content, not a container for required task controls or long instructions.

Evidence Role

This source is treated as spec evidence. Use it to validate the decision rules above, not as a visual style reference.

Publisher: MDN Web Docs. Last checked: .