Create Hover (Hidden) Messages in Word

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[Drcard:))]

Create Hover (Hidden) Messages in Word

Overview:

A Screen Tip is a text box that opens with a message when the mouse pointer hovers over the icon or text. Microsoft Word© calls these Tool Tips as most users use this function to identify icons in the ribbon. Word allows the user to create their own Tool Tips, but these custom Tool Tips don’t have to be about tools and can be placed anywhere in the document. The reader will only see the pop up message when the mouse hovers over the trigger text, thus the message is hidden until the reader desires further information by hovering the mouse pointer. The following will explain how to create these custom tool tips and examples of using them.

Notice: This works on all versions of Word since 2010 with slight changes in exact location of the controls. These instructions were written with Word 2019.

 

Create Custom Tool Tips in Word:

In order to create and use custom tool tips, that function must be turned on. Usually it is on by default, but you can easily test to see if it is on by hovering the mouse pointer over an icon in the Ribbon at the top of an open document. If a tool tip text box doesn’t open when you hover for at least a count of 5 on a control icon in the Ribbon, this function must be turned off. If off, go to File > Options > Display and make sure Show document tooltips on hover is checked to turn this function on.

1. Select in the document where you want the visual text to be placed. The visual text will be the text that is seen in the document. When the mouse pointer hovers over this visual text, the pop up message will appear. The visual text can be one word, more than one word, in the middle of a sentence, or stand alone.

2. With the cursor at the place you want the visual text, click the Insert tab of the Ribbon. Locate the Explore Quick Parts icon in the Text group by hovering the mouse pointers over the icons in the Text group until the tool tip identifies it. Once you locate the Explore Quick Parts icon, click the down arrow to the right of the icon and select Field. This will open the Field window where the custom tool tip is created.
3. Make sure (All) is selected in the Categories: box. Select AutoTextList from the list in the Field names: box.
4. This will open the Field properties section. In the New value: box enter the word or words that will be the visual text seen in the document. Leave the Format: as (none).
5. In the Field options section, place a checkmark in the box to the left of Tooltip:. In the box to the right of Tooltip: enter the message you want to be in the pop up text box. There is a limit of 250 characters (spaces count as characters). You can copy the message and paste into the Tooltip: box.
6. Press the OK button to finish your custom tooltip. When you hover the mouse pointer over the word or words you entered as the New value the message you entered as a tooltip will display.

Example Uses For Custom Tooltips:

1. Instructions for novice and experienced users in the same document. Instructions for a novice requires more details that bore a more experienced user. Keeping the instructions short for the experienced users while providing more information for a novice user. Example: The text seen on the document would be: Ctrl+] – increase Font. Hold the mouse pointer over the Ctrl+] and the box will open with this statement: Hold down the Ctrl key and press the ] key. This will increase the Font size 1 pt. for each press of the ] key. The experienced user only need which keys to press while the novice needs to know what Ctrl+] means and how to do it.

2. Document that contains a lot of new terms can have the definition of each term as a not seen tooltip. The document is not clutter with definitions some may not need, yet readily available for those that do need to learn that term. Students are more apt to hover and read a quick definition than look the term up elsewhere, thus increasing their understanding.

3. One use I like is for Family Trees. The Family Tree shows all the relatives names on a single page. Hovering over a name displays all the vital dates and family info about that relative. Pages of data from a single page.

HTH, Dana:>>

HTH, Dana:))

• This topic was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Drcard:)).

3 users thanked author for this post.

maysj18, TechTango, windbg

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THANK YOU for a very simplified and easy to follow instructions!

Question:

How can I edit inside the hidden text box to align ex. “two sentences one underneath the top one?” When I and copy & paste … half of the 2nd sentence is on the top line , .. breaking it up … I am trying to edit it so I see 2 separate sentences (one on top .. one beneath)

Is there a way to elongate the box?

I hope I was as clear on my question as You were on Your instructions!

 

THX Again!

Mike.

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Fantastic, thanks for the tip. It works great!

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Mike wrote:

ow can I edit inside the hidden text box to align ex. “two sentences one underneath the top one?” When I and copy & paste … half of the 2nd sentence is on the top line , .. breaking it up … I am trying to edit it so I see 2 separate sentences (one on top .. one beneath)

Actually, that is easy to do, but remember the box has a 250 character limit so two very long sentences may not work.

Here’s how:

In the document with the text Press Alt + F9 keys to change the hoover word to the Field’s coding which will look like this:
{AUTOTEXTLIST \t “Your first sentence here. Your second sentence here”}
You can see the sentences you entered into the ToolTips.
Place the cursor between the first and second sentences. Add spaces between the two sentences until the second sentence has to move to the next line. Press Alt + F9 to switch between the hover word (where you you check how your message looks) and Field coding where you can add or delete the extra spaces until you get it like you want.

If after switching back from the Field coding after adding spaces and things appear all messed up, is due to the Tooltip exceeding the 250 character limit. The spaces are characters and count in the total.

HTH, Dana:))

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Awesome instructions. Thank you!

Any tips on how to get tooltips to show up in MS word online?

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Bonnie wrote:

Any tips on how to get tooltips to show up in MS word online?

If you are referring to Word on the Web or an open Word document on a Web page the field codes that Word uses to make ToolTips is not functional as the browser that the document appears in can’t handle the field codes. Some browsers such as Chrome have extensions that can add ToolTips to the web page including posted Word documents.

For Chrome the extension is ToolTip Editor available at the following link:

Tooltip Editor

Also, if you like that Word tip there are many more tips such as:
Word

Change Font Size in Word Quickly – Keyboard…………………………………. W – 1
Change the Default Format of Lines and Shapes in Word………………….. W – 3
Control Page Numbering in Word…………………………………………………… W – 8
Create a Floating Message in Word………………………………………………… W – 12
Create Awesome Signs Using Word………………………………………………… W – 14
Create Hover (Hidden) Messages in Word……………………………………….. W – 17
Create Tables Quickly in Word……………………………………………………….. W – 20
Decrease Keystrokes and Mouse Clicks in Word……………………………….. W – 21
Detailed Measurements in Word……………………………………………………. W – 23
Edit PDFs with Microsoft Word………………………………………………………. W – 24
Fractions in Word…………………………………………………………………………. W – 27
Left and Right Align on the Same Line in Word………………………………… W – 30
Make a Macro Without Coding in Word…………………………………………… W – 31
Mirror Image of Text in Word………………………………………………………… W – 35
Paste Clean in Word with One Click………………………………………………… W – 38
Precision Selection in Word…………………………………………………………… W – 40
Quick Parts the Permanent Clipboard in Word…………………………………. W – 42
Replace Text with Images in Word…………………………………………………. W – 44
Unlock Word’s Coded Symbols Library……………………………………………. W – 46
Use Word Shapes as Picture Frames………………………………………………. W – 48

Which is a section of my free book called Windows 10 Home Users Companion which can be downloaded at this free hosting site. Being a free hosting site means ads may pop up when you go to download. Ignore the ads and download the PDF.

PDF – Windows 10 Home Users Companion

Enjoy

HTH, Dana:))

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Thank you for the above. I’m trying to add the hover message in a smart art graphic and notice the ‘Field’ is not an option for me to select (greyed out). Is that possible? Also, i’ll be saving the final document as pdf. Is it better to add from adobe, and is it possible from adobe editor? Thank you in advance.

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Nicolle Browne wrote:

I’m trying to add the hover message in a smart art graphic and notice the ‘Field’ is not an option for me to select (greyed out). Is that possible?

A Field can’t be inserted into a graphic, but you can achieve the same results with a layered approach. Insert the graphic with the Smart text you want. Make sure the layout is Behind the text and the Move with text button is unchecked. Move the cursor to the text in the Smart art that you want the hover message for. Follow the directions for entering a Field with a short word for the New value that will appear in the document which will be on top of the smart art text. Now you have the Field word on top of the Smart art word. Highlight this Field word (which highlights the field). You can increase the size of the Font so the field area totally covers the text the smart art. While this field is highlighted click the Font group on the Home tab to open the Font window. In the Font window click Text Effects button to open the Format Text Effects box. In the Format Text Effect box select Text Fill which will open those settings. For Transparency move the slider to make 100 % Transparent and OK your changes to save your settings. This will make the Field word disappear, but since the Field is on top of the graphic it still works.  Placing the pointer over what appears to be the smart text will really be over the field word and the hover message will appear. Ask if you need more detailed instructions.

 

Nicolle Browne wrote:

Also, i’ll be saving the final document as pdf. Is it better to add from adobe, and is it possible from adobe editor? Thank you in advance.

If you save as a PDF these Field code hover messages will not work. I understand that the full adobe app can add hover messages, but I have never used adobe to do that and that would be a separate function unlike the field codes used in Word.

HTH, Dana:))

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How can people know there is a hidden message? Is there a way to modify the formatting so those who see the underline will hover over it and see what is written? Otherwise, people won’t know about the additional text. Thank you.

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Patricia wrote:

How can people know there is a hidden message? Is there a way to modify the formatting so those who see the underline will hover over it and see what is written? Otherwise, people won’t know about the additional text. Thank you.

The concept is not letting the field block or alter the appearance of the graphic. This is why we set the AutoText to 100% transparent. Instructions below the graphic tell the reader what to do. Example: Hold the mouse pointer 2-3 seconds over a specific part of the graphic (such as the clown’s nose). I’ve created a photo albums with group pictures where the instructions tell the viewer to hold the pointer over the nose of an individual to see the name and other information about that person… hidden hover messages on a photo. If you desire, you can place symbol (such as the many emojis) in the field as the AutoText and leave it visible or partially visible. The concept is that the AutoText for the field is text and you can do anything to that AutoText that you can do to text.

HTH, Dana:))

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Thanks for this useful instructions.

I am wondering if the hover messages can be printed. We are thinking of creating a visual matrix but adding some information as hover messages so as not to clutter the graphic but would want readers to know where that information is coming from so would add a reference next to a symbol and would like to print when the doc is printed. Is this possible?

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Stefania Greci wrote:

I am wondering if the hover messages can be printed.

Yes, but it doesn’t look pretty. These hover messages are Tooltips to a Field code. When you toggle the field code (Alt + F9) it will show the actual Field coding which includes your hover text. Example: For the hover message Will this show up the filed code would look like this:
{AUTOTEXTLIST \t “Will this show up”}
The display text will not show at all.
If this printing the actual field code to see the hover text is acceptable to you:
In Word go to File > Options
Select the Advanced tab
Scroll down to the Print options
Place a checkmark next to Print field codes instead of their values
Click OK

Word can’t print the hover messages as they display when holding the mouse over the trigger area directly, but you can achieve a printed document that appears to show the hover messages. This would be a separate document just for printing and Not the document with the hidden messages. You can have one document with the hidden hover text and a second document showing where and what text is in the hover boxes. This can be done by adding text boxes containing the hidden hover text in the same Font and size at the same place the hover text box appears. If you decide this way and need help, let me know.

HTH, Dana:))

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What if I need more than 250 words or characters?

I am adding a definition of a Greek word that has a lot of information even after briefing it out. Thanks for your help.

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Okay, now I’ve made a hover tool tip in a Word document…thank you very much for that. Now, how  do I edit or delete that tool tip? thanks.

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Edwin wrote:

Now, how  do I edit or delete that tool tip? thanks.

See post-2477997 above for the edit instructions.
To delete the Tool Tip, delete the Field. Highlight the Field including the beginning and ending brackets ({}) and press the Delete key.

HTH, Dana:))

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Carlos wrote:

What if I need more than 250 words or characters? I am adding a definition of a Greek word that has a lot of information even after briefing it out. Thanks for your help.

Sorry for being late in answering this question as I was out of town and off line in November.
The 250 character limit can’t be exceeded as a tool tip; however you can use a different method…link to another place in a document for the definition or other information about the word or phrase. I will write detailed instructions and post later, but here is the short version:

Go to the end of the document.
Insert a Bookmark for that word/phrase
Enter the definition or other information with no 250 word limit.
Go back to the word/phrase, highlight, and select to Insert a Link. Link to within the document to the Bookmark you made above. Add Click word for more information as the Screen Tip for the link. You can also Modify the FollowedHyperlink style to remove the Hyperlink underline. I would leave the word/phrase a different color or Font style to stand out and indicate further information is available.

HTH, Dana:))

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You have no idea how grateful I am for all your guides! I decided to create an account today just to thank you! You save me SO much time. Other resources recommend VBA or scripts right off the bat, but I learned quickly how that can veer off the rails when you have so many other users in your document.

Anyway, you’re the best! I too work in medical research, by the way–so yay us!

1 user thanked author for this post.

Drcard:))

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Thank you for taking the effort to thank me. I like hearing that my writings are helping others and now that you have joined this forum I hope you will enjoy it which is filled with knowledgeable people that are kindly willing to help others without seeking any reward.

If you ever need help or want answers, this is the place to ask. I post most of my new ‘guides” here.

maysj18 wrote:

I too work in medical research, by the way–so yay us!

Computers are just another tool used in medicine to help people and just like any tool, the better you know how to use that tool the better the results for the patient.

HTH, Dana:))

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