On-screen help that is displayed when the mouse is moved over an icon, file name or other object (without clicking). The word "balloon" in the term name comes from cartoon-style dialogs, but most balloon help shows its text in a rectangle. The help may provide a definition or show the object's properties such as location or content. See
speech balloon.
Image Characteristics
In this example, after selecting Open Files, moving the mouse over the name of an image, the balloon help shows the file's contents. The balloon window may be round or square.