Tooltip.
A short explanation attached to a control.
See it in context
What it is
A tooltip supplements a label when a control needs brief clarification. It should appear for keyboard focus as well as pointer hover, and it should not contain essential interactive content.
When to use it
Use for short, supplementary descriptions of controls.
Know the difference
A tooltip contains descriptive text; a popover can contain richer content or controls.
Across platforms
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.