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Perceivable
WCAG 1.4.13
Level AA

What is Content on Hover or Focus?

Additional content shown on hover or focus must remain dismissible, hoverable, and persistent.

The content should not vanish before users can read or reach it.

Keyboard users.
Mouse and touch users.
Users who need persistent help text or tips.

Improves Accessibility
Better Interaction
Better User Experience
Supports Compliance

Good vs Bad Examples

Use the tabs to compare persistent help content with disappearing tooltip behavior.

Persistent hover content

Good example of Content on Hover or Focus.

html

<button aria-describedby="tip">Help</button><div id="tip" role="tooltip">Tooltip content</div>

Why this is correct:

Content can be dismissed without losing focus.
Users can move to the tooltip without it disappearing.
Supports WCAG 1.4.13.

Implementation Checklist

Progress0 / 6 completed (0%)

Hover/focus content is dismissible.
Users can move pointer to the content without it vanishing.
Visible help or tooltips remain persistent while needed.
Content never blocks access to the trigger.
Keyboard and mouse behavior match.
QA tests hover and focus states.

Knowledge Check

Answer Yes or No to test your understanding of hover or focus content.

Score: 0 / 5 · Answered: 0 / 5

Should content shown on hover be dismissible?

Should hover content disappear when the pointer moves to it?

Should keyboard users access the same content?

Does WCAG 1.4.13 cover hover/focus content behavior?

Can hover content block the trigger entirely?