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How can I create a CSS-only tooltip that appears on hover?

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How can I create a CSS-only tooltip that appears on hover?

Asked on Apr 23, 2026

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To create a CSS-only tooltip that appears on hover, you can use the `:hover` pseudo-class to display a hidden element containing the tooltip text. Here's a simple example to illustrate this concept.

<!-- BEGIN COPY / PASTE -->
    <div class="tooltip-container">
      Hover over me
      <span class="tooltip-text">Tooltip content</span>
    </div>

    <style>
      .tooltip-container {
        position: relative;
        display: inline-block;
        cursor: pointer;
      }

      .tooltip-text {
        visibility: hidden;
        width: 120px;
        background-color: black;
        color: #fff;
        text-align: center;
        border-radius: 5px;
        padding: 5px;
        position: absolute;
        z-index: 1;
        bottom: 125%; /* Position above the text */
        left: 50%;
        margin-left: -60px;
        opacity: 0;
        transition: opacity 0.3s;
      }

      .tooltip-container:hover .tooltip-text {
        visibility: visible;
        opacity: 1;
      }
    </style>
    <!-- END COPY / PASTE -->

Additional Comment:

The tooltip is initially hidden using "visibility: hidden" and "opacity: 0".
On hover, the tooltip becomes visible with "visibility: visible" and "opacity: 1".
The transition effect is achieved with "transition: opacity 0.3s" for a smooth fade-in effect.
Positioning is controlled using "position: absolute" and offsets to align the tooltip correctly.
Ensure the container has "position: relative" to keep the tooltip positioned correctly relative to the text.

✅ Answered with CSS best practices.

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How can I create a CSS-only tooltip that appears on hover?

Asked on Apr 23, 2026

Answer

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