How to get tooltips on macOS?

Standard tool tips (default behavior) is always on

There is No system setting to enable/disable

It appears when you hover over supported UI elements

Whether they show depends entirely on the app

➡️ If you’re not seeing tool tips in a specific app, that app simply doesn’t provide them.⬅️

Enable macOS Hover Text (system-wide help overlay)

This is the closest thing to a system-wide tooltip system.

How to enable Hover Text

A - System Settings

B - Accessibility

C >> Turn on Hover Text

drrichard wrote:

how do you get tooltips on the mac os 26? There are no text info help when hovering the pointer!

The concise answer is "you don't".

The feature you seek is either implemented by the code developer, or not: TipKit | Apple Developer Documentation

Experienced contributors provided several valid suggestions for you to consider. There are various add-on third party apps that may also convey what you seek but I have nothing in particular to recommend.

Ctrl-click in the Toolbar and you should see these options (depending on the app):

I don't know there is any way to turn on and off the tooltips, though.

drrichard wrote:

unfortunately, does not work on Control center icons and I need to know the icon name,

Not Hover text, but ToolTips.

Tooltips are not universal...

so we are taking about the Control Center...

What is it in Control center you have an issue with recognizing(?)

Can you not simply click on it for some reminder if it is an issue?

or as suggested don't use it if — "I frequently forget what some of the icons the buttons mean."

System Setting >> Menu Bar >> Add controls

Partial list with Detailed Names / Functions

drrichard wrote:

Thanks for the info. Hover text, unfortunately, does not work on Control center icons and I need to know the icon name, which it doesn't have. I guess that the ones I don't do frequently are useless to have in the panel. Also, some of them look alike. I guess Apple should include Tooltips on these icons.

For what it is worth Control Center I have never found a practical use for it....

There are redundancy built ie other ways to accomplish the same thing— use what works for you, I wouldn't spin out on things that don't work for you...

you can file a bug report / submit your Apple Feedback here:  Product Feedback - Apple

drrichard wrote:

Sorry, but I am talking about tooltips. I would like to see the purpose of a button in the Control Panel. I frequently forget what some of the icons the buttons mean.

Is this in reference to the Control Center? Try the edit and make some changes and compare you results

Use Control Center on Mac - Apple Support

drrichard wrote:

Can you tell me what the smaller icons on this screen do?

I am sorry but I am not going to hold your hand here.

Do some house cleaning

If all these got loaded up by default, I would remove everyone of them...and start with a clean slate if it is an issue.

The edit controls button— clearly spells out what each and every icon does if in doubt—use it:

further—

submit your feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple

— Suggest a user setting to remove this Control Center from the Menubar.

Contact the corporate office Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple

Call Customer Support (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

or on line https://getsupport.apple.com/

Outside the USA—Contact Apple for support and service by phone

See a list of Apple phone numbers around the world.

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

drrichard wrote:

Apparently I cannot with replies to all the entires since I have entered "too many posts." I am not asking for hand holding, just useful tools and Apple does not reply or enact anything feedback in since 1985.

You are asking in the wrong place— this is a user to user support community and can do nothing further.

I just click on them to find out what they do.

Voice Control, Timer, Stopwatch, Reduce Transparency, magnifier, ? , Screen Capture, Screen Recording, ?, contrast, Dark mode, Smart Invert, print.

? May be third-party widget.