Overlays / The visual dictionary

Text selection menu.

Editing actions associated with selected text.

Also calledselection toolbaredit menu

See it in context

UI illustration

What it is

A text selection menu exposes commands such as Copy, Look up, or Translate near a selected passage. Prefer native selection behavior when possible so platform editing conventions remain familiar.

When to use it

Use while selecting or editing text.

Know the difference

A text selection menu acts on a text range; a context menu can act on any object.

Across platforms

WebiOSiPadOSAndroidmacOSWindowsLinuxvisionOS

iOS · iPadOS · macOS · visionOS

Use the native platform presentation and terminology; adapt density and interaction to touch, pointer, remote, or spatial input rather than copying a phone-sized view.

Web · Android · Windows · Linux

On the web, manage keyboard focus and dismissal explicitly. Android and desktop implementations should use the equivalent native surface when available.

Go to the source

Primary documentation for the pattern and its platform conventions.

WAI-ARIA — Menu and menubar pattern

FROM NAME TO NEXT BUILD

Put it into words.

Choose a device and an effect, then copy the whole description.

Building forPhone modelAnimation effectBrowse the effect library

Create a text selection menu. Highlight a text range and position a compact Copy, Look up, and Translate menu nearby. Use accessible labels, appropriate keyboard behavior, and a responsive layout.

Your copied description includes the component, device context, and selected animation timing.

See it in context

What it is

When to use it

Know the difference

Across platforms

iOS · iPadOS · macOS · visionOS

Web · Android · Windows · Linux

Go to the source

You might also mean…

Context menu

Rich text