Onboarding
Canva’s overlay tooltip points out tools mid-project
Canva's mobile editor shows a large, translucent overlay tooltip that circles one tool, such as Ungroup or Effects, while a user is mid-design.
At the time of the screenshot, Canva's mobile app pointed out tools with an overlay tooltip while a user was editing. A translucent purple shape covers the lower half of the screen, a white circle spotlights one button in the toolbar (Ungroup on a text element, Effects on an image), and two lines of copy explain it: "Give it that 'wow' effect! Remove your background, add a filter or see what your photo looks like all mocked up on a device." Users tap anywhere to close it, or tap the circled button to try the tool.
Why it works
✅ Distinctive design: the curved, see-through overlay looks nothing like a standard tooltip, and the design underneath stays visible.
✅ Contextual: instead of a walkthrough at first login, Canva introduces a tool when the user has selected something it applies to, so the tip is useful the moment it appears.
✅ Easy to skip: "Tap to close" works anywhere on the screen. Users don't have to find and hit a small close button.
More on this pattern: mobile app onboarding and contextual onboarding.
