Forms are essential to any website. They serve as your direct line to leads, customers, and survey participants. However, many users abandon forms midway—not because of length, but because of confusion. In fact, unclear form labels and unexplained fields are among the biggest reasons users hesitate. Instead of guessing, they often drop off. This is where the Tooltips Add-On for Gravity Forms becomes a game-changer. By offering real-time, contextual help through floating tooltips, this plugin simplifies the user experience and reduces abandonment.
What Does the Tooltips Add-On Do?
At its core, this plugin allows you to add customizable tooltips beside any field in Gravity Forms. These tooltips are brief, helpful popups triggered by hover or click, providing users with the context they need—right when they need it.
Rather than overwhelm users with instructions at the top or bottom of a form, you can embed smart hints directly beside each field. The result? Cleaner layouts, better clarity, and higher completion rates.
Why This Plugin Matters (More Than You Think)
Some may underestimate the power of a tooltip. After all, it’s just a tiny icon with a popup message, right? Not quite.
When a user encounters a vague label like “Monthly Volume” or “Funding Source,” they often pause. Worse, they might skip the question or abandon the form altogether. Tooltips eliminate that uncertainty by offering context without clutter.
According to usability studies by the Baymard Institute, nearly 70% of users abandon online forms because of unclear instructions or confusing fields. That statistic alone makes tooltips not just a nice-to-have, but a must.
Core Features That Make It Worth Using
Here’s why the Tooltips Add-On stands out among utility plugins for Gravity Forms:
Seamless Integration with Gravity Forms
Once installed, it adds a “Tooltip” input option to every field in your form editor. No need for extra coding or setup.
Works with Every Field Type
Whether it’s text inputs, radio buttons, dropdowns, or even pricing fields, the tooltip functionality applies universally.
Customizable Icons and Activation
You can select different tooltip icons (question mark, info icon, etc.) and set whether they appear on hover or on click—making it flexible across desktop and mobile views.
HTML Support for Rich Hints
Want to add links or emphasize text? The tooltip editor supports basic HTML for more robust messages.
Lightweight and Performance-Friendly
It adds no unnecessary bloat. The code is clean, and scripts only load where needed.
Compatible with Page Builders
Regardless of whether you’re building your page with Elementor, Gutenberg, Divi, or WPBakery, this plugin remains fully functional.
Who Needs This Plugin?
You don’t have to be a developer to get value from the Tooltips Add-On. Its benefits are widespread across different use cases.
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Marketers can clarify confusing form fields, improving conversion rates.
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Agencies benefit by offering better form UX to their clients with minimal effort.
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Course creators use it to simplify multi-step registration forms.
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Nonprofits explain sensitive fields, boosting trust during donation processes.
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E-commerce stores use tooltips for custom order forms to reduce buyer hesitation.
If you’re using Gravity Forms to collect information in any meaningful way, this plugin will make your forms smarter.
How to Add Tooltips in 5 Simple Steps
Getting started is quick. Here’s how you can apply tooltips to any field using this add-on:
1. Install the Plugin
Begin by installing the Tooltips Add-On like any standard WordPress plugin. Navigate to Plugins > Add New, upload the ZIP file, and activate it.
2. Edit Your Form
Open an existing form or create a new one using Forms > Add New in the Gravity Forms dashboard.
3. Select a Field
Click on the field where you want to provide additional guidance. You’ll see a new “Tooltip” input area within the field settings.
4. Enter the Tooltip Text
Add a short description, guidance, or even an example to help users complete the field correctly.
5. Save and Preview
Update the form and preview it. You’ll now see a tooltip icon beside the field. On hover or click (depending on your chosen setting), the tooltip will display your custom message.
Real-World Use Cases
Let’s explore a few scenarios where this plugin was used effectively and delivered measurable improvements.
SaaS Lead Forms
A software company added tooltips beside fields labeled “Monthly Spend” and “Number of Users.” This change helped clarify vague inputs and boosted form completions by 21%.
Scholarship Applications
In one education portal, many applicants misunderstood “GPA Format” and “Letter of Recommendation Source.” By inserting tooltips with short explanations, user errors dropped by 35%.
Clinic Appointment Forms
A private clinic used tooltips to explain why they were collecting insurance numbers and what symptoms required elaboration. This led to a smoother onboarding process and increased trust.
Custom Order Forms for E-commerce
For personalized products, customers often hesitated on fields like “Engraving Text” or “Preferred Packaging.” With tooltips offering examples, average order value increased due to more upsells.
Writing Better Tooltips: Quick Tips
The effectiveness of a tooltip often comes down to how it’s written. Here are some writing principles to follow:
Be Brief and Direct
A tooltip isn’t a blog post. Stick to one or two concise lines that clearly explain the field.
Bad Example:
“Please input your email.”
Good Example:
“We’ll send your login details to this address.”
Use Real-Life Examples
Whenever possible, include a sample value. This makes ambiguous fields easier to understand.
e.g., “Typical amount: $500 – $3,000/month”
Avoid Repeating the Label
There’s no point echoing what’s already obvious. Instead, focus on the why or the how.
Match Your Brand Voice
Keep your tone consistent with the rest of your site. Friendly, professional, or even playful—whatever fits.
Pros and Cons: An Honest Breakdown
Let’s evaluate this plugin based on actual usage.
Pros
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Easy to set up with no coding required
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Enhances clarity across all form types
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Boosts user confidence and reduces form abandonment
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Works across all devices and screen sizes
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Supports HTML and styling for advanced customization
Cons
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Only works with Gravity Forms (not WPForms or Formidable Forms)
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Tooltip styling depends on your theme unless overridden via CSS
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Doesn’t include analytics to track tooltip interactions
Still, these limitations are relatively minor compared to the usability gains it delivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add tooltips to multiple fields in the same form?
Yes. There’s no limit. You can add tooltips to as many fields as you like.
Will it work on mobile devices?
Absolutely. Tooltips are responsive. You can even change the trigger to “click” for better mobile behavior.
Can I change the appearance of the tooltip?
Yes, through CSS. You can adjust the icon, position, background color, and font style to better match your site.
Does this plugin affect my site speed?
Not at all. It loads lightweight scripts and doesn’t interfere with form performance.
Final Thoughts: Should You Get It?
If you rely on Gravity Forms, the Tooltips Add-On is a small investment with a big return. It improves user experience, increases form completions, and builds trust—all without bloating your site.
More importantly, it puts control back in your hands. You get to decide where and how to help users without cluttering the form layout.
In short, it’s one of those plugins you install once and wonder how you ever managed without it.
Where to Get the Tooltips Add-On
Ready to upgrade your forms?
You can get the Tooltips Add-On for Gravity Forms directly from Themexplug. With unlimited downloads and instant access, it’s a no-brainer for anyone serious about UX.