# Offering help

Source: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/offering-help
Skill: hig-patterns
Snapshot: 2025-02-02

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<!-- hig-doctor:attribution -->
> **Source**: Apple Inc. Canonical content at https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/offering-help.
> This file is a structured index of that content, snapshot 2025-02-02.
> Apple HIG text and imagery are © Apple Inc.; this repository provides organization and cross-referencing for AI agent consumption only.

# Offering help

## Best practices

**Let your app’s tasks inform the types of help people might need.**

**Use relevant and consistent language and images in your help content.**

**Make sure all help content is inclusive.**

**Avoid bloating your help content by explaining how standard components or patterns work.**

## Creating tips

**Use the most appropriate tip type for your app’s user interface.**

**Use tips for simple features.**

**Make tips short, actionable, and engaging.**

**Define rules to help ensure your tips reach the intended audience.**

**If there’s an image or symbol that people associate with the feature, consider including it in the tip, and prefer the filled variant.**

**Use buttons to direct people to information or options.**

## Platform considerations

### macOS, visionOS

**Describe only the control that people indicate interest in.**

**Explain the action or task the control initiates.**

**In general, avoid repeating a control’s name in its tooltip.**

**Be brief.**

**Use sentence case.**

**Consider offering context-sensitive tooltips.**

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For the complete guidance, including worked examples and illustrations, see the canonical page: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/offering-help