Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: ScreenTips without Hyperlinks.

ScreenTips without Hyperlinks

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 4, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Mark wants to have a ScreenTip appear when someone hovers the mouse pointer over a word in his document. The problem is, when he tries to create a ScreenTip using the Insert Hyperlink dialog box he can't create a ScreenTip unless he provides a destination (such as a path, bookmark, or URL). Without the destination, the OK button remains grayed out.

This behavior, as described, is built into Word and there doesn't seem to be a way around it. There are several workarounds that could be tried, but perhaps the best solution is to simply create a hyperlink that goes nowhere. Follow these steps:

  1. Select the word or phrase that you want to activate the ScreenTip. (This would be the word or phrase that the person would hover the mouse pointer over in order to have the ScreenTip displayed.)
  2. Choose the Bookmark option from the Insert menu. Word displays the Bookmark dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  3. Figure 1. The Bookmark dialog box.

  4. Give the bookmark a name, such as Bk1, and click on Add.
  5. While the word or phrase is still selected, press Ctrl+K. Word displays the Insert Hyperlink dialog box. (See Figure 2.)
  6. Figure 2. The Insert Hyperlink dialog box.

  7. Click the Place in This Document button at the left side of the dialog box. Word displays a list of locations.
  8. In the list of locations, choose the name of the bookmark you created in step 3.
  9. Click the ScreenTip button. Word displays the Set Hyperlink ScreenTip dialog box. (See Figure 3.)
  10. Figure 3. The Set Hyperlink ScreenTip dialog box.

  11. Type the text you want to use for your ScreenTip and click on OK.
  12. Click OK to dismiss the Insert Hyperlink dialog box.

Now when someone hovers over the word or phrase (from step 1), the ScreenTip appears. If they decide to "follow" the hyperlink, all they do is end up right back at the bookmark you defined in step 3—your original word or phrase.

Of course, the phrase you selected when you created the hyperlink will appear as a link—normally blue underlined text. If you don't want this type of treatment, apply a different format to the hyperlinked phrase or change the characteristics of the Hyperlink style.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (3779) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: ScreenTips without Hyperlinks.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Hiding Errors

If you find the green and red squiggly underlines that Word adds to your document distracting, you might want a quick way ...

Discover More

Embedding an Excel Worksheet

Word and Excel are both integral parts of Microsoft's Office suite of applications. As such, Word allows you to embed ...

Discover More

Detecting an Open Dialog Box

Macros can be used to perform all sorts of tasks within Word. Some tasks can even occur at whatever time interval you ...

Discover More

The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Differences in Behavior of Links

Got some active links in your document? Do you want to have them activated when you click on them, or do you want to ...

Discover More

Closing Documents after a Hyperlink

When you click a hyperlink that takes you to another document, Word dutifully opens the new document in its own window. ...

Discover More

Stopping Word from Accessing the Internet

When you start Word, does it try to access the Internet? It may, depending on how your version of Word is configured. If ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is five more than 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.