Content on Hover or Focus
Content that appears on hover or focus must be dismissible, hoverable and persistent.
Definition
WCAG 1.4.13 sets three requirements for content triggered by hover or focus: it can be dismissed without moving the pointer, the pointer can move onto it without it disappearing, and it remains visible until dismissed or no longer valid.
Craft convention. True because the industry converged on it. Breaking it costs familiarity, not correctness.
The three requirements in practice
- Dismissible: Escape closes it without moving the pointer.
- Hoverable: a small gap between trigger and content must not cause it to close, so keep the hover area continuous or add a short close delay.
- Persistent: it stays until dismissed, the pointer leaves both trigger and content, or the information becomes invalid. No auto-hide timers.
Sources
Where a source establishes something narrower than the popular reading of it, the note says so.
Continue from here
Each link says what the connection is, so you can tell a principle from an alternative from a thing people mix this up with.
Applies when you are designing
Relied on by
Entries that assume this is already in place.
Related concept
Connected closely enough to change how you apply this.
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