Tooltips for mobile browsers
To create tooltips on mobile, leverage CSS pseudo-elements and touch events. Enable tooltips on touch using the :active
pseudo-class in CSS instead of hover states:
This way, tapping the element displays the tooltip, similar to the hover effect on desktops.
Full-blown tooltip creation
Robust tooltips: going beyond title
Mobile devices and the title
attribute aren’t best friends. For better accessibility, let's move to HTML data attributes and a sprinkle of JavaScript:
Tooltip positioning: clearing the view
In the mobile world, screen space is gold. So, ensure tooltips do not obstruct content. Use JavaScript to dynamically calculate the tooltip's position, based on the element's positioning:
User interactivity with touchscreens
For touch-friendly tooltips, swap :hover
with ontouchstart
events. Use JavaScript events like touchend
to dictate when to show or hide tooltips. Especially for interactive elements, you may want to trap focus within the tooltip.
The art of crafting mobile tooltips
Embracing mobile variety with media queries
CSS media queries can create responsive tooltips, adjusting to diverse mobile screen sizes. This promotes usability across all devices.
Javascript - the extra mile for mobile
JavaScript can add interactivity to tooltips. A toggle system can reveal tooltips on a tap and hide them a tap beyond their bounds:
Accessibility: Empowering every user
Remember, aria-describedby
and ARIA attributes aid screen readers in identifying tooltips. Utilize focus management to ensure keyboard users do not miss the tooltips.
Rethink tooltips: modal intervention
For critical information, consider modals or pop-ups as an alternative. They are more mobile-friendly for detailed content presentation.
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