How to Show or Hide MouseOver ScreenTips in Excel

Written by

Editorial Team

Reviewed by

Laura Tsitlidze

Last updated on July 29, 2023

This tutorial demonstrates how to show or hide ScreenTips in Excel.

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Show ScreenTips

In Excel, small windows that display descriptive text when you hover on a button are called ScreenTips, and Enhanced ScreenTips are larger windows that display more descriptive text. You can choose to show or hide them based on preference. To show ScreenTips, follow these steps:

  1. In the Ribbon, go to File > Options.

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  1. The Excel Options window pops up. Go to General > User Interface options.
    For ScreenTip style choose Show feature descriptions in ScreenTips. Click OK.

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Now when you hover over a button in Excel, feature descriptions are shown as ScreenTips.

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Hide ScreenTips

  1. To hide ScreenTips, in the Ribbon, go to File > Options.

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  1. In the Excel Options window, go to General > User Interface options.
    Under ScreenTip style, choose Don’t show ScreenTips. Click OK.

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Now ScreenTips won’t display when you rest the pointer over a button.

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Choosing Don’t show feature descriptions in ScreenTips instead of Don’t show ScreenTips hides Enhanced ScreenTips. You only see the command name and, maybe, a keyboard shortcut when hovering over a button.

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Note: ToolTips are messages that may appear when you select cells with data validation rules applied. Like ScreenTips, they display messages that help users understand a worksheet. Unlike ScreenTips, ToolTips: (1) are user-defined as a data validation option; (2) require a cell to be clicked (not just hovered over); and (3) are not shown or hidden with user interface options.

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