Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 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: Helpful Pop-up Screen Tips.

Helpful Pop-up Screen Tips

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 22, 2016)
This tip applies to Word 2000, 2002, and 2003


3

Suppose you wish to create pop-up screen tips similar to the ones you see in Help files, where the cursor turns to a hand, and when the user clicks the link, a pop-up screen tip appears (as opposed to a link to another page). Ordinarily, just inserting a hyperlink would work. However, the cursor would then move to the target of the hyperlink.

For instance, let's say you wish to create a pop-up screen tip for the word "hyperlink" in the following sentence:

A hyperlink is useful when navigating in Word.

Follow these steps:

  1. Make sure the ScreenTips option is selected under Tools | Options | View.
  2. Select the word "hyperlink".
  3. Choose Bookmark from the Insert menu. Word displays the Bookmark dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  4. Figure 1. The Bookmark dialog box.

  5. Give the bookmark a name, such as BK1, and click on Add.
  6. While the word "hyperlink" is still selected, press Ctrl+K. The Insert Hyperlink dialog box appears. (See Figure 2.)
  7. Figure 2. The Insert Hyperlink dialog box.

  8. Click the ScreenTip button. Word displays the Set Hyperlink ScreenTip dialog box. (See Figure 3.)
  9. Figure 3. The Set Hyperlink ScreenTip dialog box.

  10. Type the text you want to use for your screen tip and click on OK.
  11. Click the Place in This Document button, at the left side of the screen. Word displays a list of locations in the middle of the dialog box.
  12. In the list of locations, choose the name of the bookmark you created in step 4, then click OK.

When you're finished, you will have a hyperlink that essentially goes nowhere. When you hold the mouse over it, a yellow screen tip will pop up with your message. If the user clicks on this hyperlink (or Ctrl+click, in some versions of Word), it will change color, flash, and the cursor will go to the beginning of the bookmark.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (657) applies to Microsoft Word 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Helpful Pop-up Screen Tips.

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. ...

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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 three minus 3?

2017-02-19 05:42:46

mslonik

Sadly the mentioned screentips are not retained (maintained) after exporting a document content to .pdf.


2016-12-22 11:11:56

Michael McKeithen Sr.

Excellent, well done. Thanks for the help!


2016-10-27 12:30:20

cg

How do I increase the size of a screentip. The definition in the screentip text box is getting cut off.


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