spec 2 linked patterns checked
WAI-ARIA APG Tooltip Pattern
Defines tooltips as focus or hover-triggered information popups, with focus remaining on the trigger, Escape dismissal, blur dismissal, pointer-out dismissal, and open-while-hovering behavior.
Read with a purpose
What this source can teach
Use this source to check a technical or accessibility requirement against its exact wording and scope.
- Start with the original. Open the source and find the guidance or example relevant to your task.
- Trace the connection. Use the claim notes below to see how this site applies the source to specific patterns.
- Check the setting. Compare the source's platform, people, and constraints with your own decision.
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 focus and hover triggering, focus staying on the trigger, and Escape dismissal behavior. |
| 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 interaction contract where focus remains on the trigger and the popup is dismissed by Escape, blur, or pointer out. |
Comparisons supported by this source
- Tooltip vs popover vs inline message vs icon-only ambiguous action
APG supports focus and hover triggering, focus remaining on the trigger, and Escape dismissal.
- Tooltip-only required information vs tooltip vs inline message vs disclosure details vs popover
Supports the tooltip boundary as focus or hover-triggered content where focus remains on the trigger and Escape, blur, or pointer-out dismisses the popup.
Evidence Role
This source is treated as spec evidence. Its value comes from the specific claims and setting described above.
Publisher: W3C WAI. Last checked: .