diff --git a/QuickLook/App.xaml.cs b/QuickLook/App.xaml.cs
index 838e774e7..e623b1d1e 100644
--- a/QuickLook/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/QuickLook/App.xaml.cs
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public partial class App : Application
 
     private bool _cleanExit = true;
     private Mutex _isRunning;
+    private ExplorerTooltipSuppressor _tooltipSuppressor;
 
     static App()
     {
@@ -268,6 +269,7 @@ protected override void OnExit(ExitEventArgs e)
         PipeServerManager.GetInstance().Dispose();
         TrayIconManager.GetInstance().Dispose();
         KeystrokeDispatcher.GetInstance().Dispose();
+        _tooltipSuppressor?.Dispose();
         ViewWindowManager.GetInstance().Dispose();
     }
 
@@ -362,6 +364,7 @@ private void RunListener(StartupEventArgs e)
         PluginManager.GetInstance();
         ViewWindowManager.GetInstance();
         KeystrokeDispatcher.GetInstance();
+        _tooltipSuppressor = new ExplorerTooltipSuppressor();
         PipeServerManager.GetInstance();
     }
 }
diff --git a/QuickLook/Helpers/ExplorerTooltipSuppressor.cs b/QuickLook/Helpers/ExplorerTooltipSuppressor.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..da2bfea4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/QuickLook/Helpers/ExplorerTooltipSuppressor.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+// Copyright © 2017-2026 QL-Win Contributors
+//
+// This file is part of QuickLook program.
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+using QuickLook.Common.NativeMethods;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Windows.Forms;
+
+namespace QuickLook.Helpers;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Keeps Explorer's tooltips (file info tips) from covering the preview.
+/// </summary>
+/// <remarks>
+/// Explorer's tooltips are topmost windows, so an info tip scheduled for the file under the mouse shows up on
+/// top of the preview that opened in the meantime. Whenever such a tooltip overlaps a visible QuickLook window,
+/// it is dismissed; everywhere else Explorer's tooltips are left alone. Runs on its own thread so it reacts
+/// immediately even while the UI thread is busy loading a preview.
+/// </remarks>
+internal sealed class ExplorerTooltipSuppressor : IDisposable
+{
+    private const uint EVENT_OBJECT_SHOW = 0x8002;
+    private const int OBJID_WINDOW = 0;
+    private const int CHILDID_SELF = 0;
+    private const uint TTM_POP = 0x041C;
+    private const string TOOLTIP_CLASS = "tooltips_class32";
+
+    private static readonly uint CurrentProcessId = (uint)Process.GetCurrentProcess().Id;
+
+    private SynchronizationContext _context;
+
+    public ExplorerTooltipSuppressor()
+    {
+        using var ready = new ManualResetEventSlim();
+        var thread = new Thread(() => Run(ready))
+        {
+            IsBackground = true,
+            Name = "QuickLook.ExplorerTooltipSuppressor",
+        };
+        thread.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA);
+        thread.Start();
+        ready.Wait();
+    }
+
+    public void Dispose()
+    {
+        _context?.Post(_ => Application.ExitThread(), null);
+        _context = null;
+    }
+
+    private void Run(ManualResetEventSlim ready)
+    {
+        _context = new WindowsFormsSynchronizationContext();
+        SynchronizationContext.SetSynchronizationContext(_context);
+
+        User32.WinEventProc proc = OnWindowShown; // keep a reference so it is not collected
+        var hook = User32.SetWinEventHook(EVENT_OBJECT_SHOW, EVENT_OBJECT_SHOW, IntPtr.Zero, proc,
+            0, 0, User32.WINEVENT_OUTOFCONTEXT);
+
+        ready.Set();
+        Application.Run();
+
+        User32.UnhookWinEvent(hook);
+        GC.KeepAlive(proc);
+    }
+
+    private void OnWindowShown(nint hWinEventHook, uint eventType, nint hwnd,
+        int idObject, int idChild, uint idEventThread, uint dwmsEventTime)
+    {
+        if (idObject != OBJID_WINDOW || idChild != CHILDID_SELF || hwnd == IntPtr.Zero)
+            return;
+
+        try
+        {
+            GetWindowThreadProcessId(hwnd, out var pid);
+
+            if (pid == CurrentProcessId)
+            {
+                // a preview opened: dismiss the tooltips already showing underneath it
+                if (!IsTooltip(hwnd))
+                    DismissOverlappingTooltips();
+            }
+            else if (IsTooltip(hwnd) && IsExplorer(pid) && OverlapsPreview(hwnd))
+            {
+                Dismiss(hwnd);
+            }
+        }
+        catch (Exception e)
+        {
+            KeyboardLog.Write($"TooltipSuppressor: {e.GetType().Name}: {e.Message}");
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void DismissOverlappingTooltips()
+    {
+        var tooltips = new List<nint>();
+        EnumWindows((hwnd, _) =>
+        {
+            if (IsWindowVisible(hwnd) && IsTooltip(hwnd))
+                tooltips.Add(hwnd);
+            return true;
+        }, IntPtr.Zero);
+
+        foreach (var tooltip in tooltips)
+        {
+            GetWindowThreadProcessId(tooltip, out var pid);
+            if (pid != CurrentProcessId && IsExplorer(pid) && OverlapsPreview(tooltip))
+                Dismiss(tooltip);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void Dismiss(nint tooltip)
+    {
+        PostMessage(tooltip, TTM_POP, IntPtr.Zero, IntPtr.Zero);
+    }
+
+    private static bool OverlapsPreview(nint tooltip)
+    {
+        if (!GetWindowRect(tooltip, out var tip))
+            return false;
+
+        var overlaps = false;
+        EnumWindows((hwnd, _) =>
+        {
+            GetWindowThreadProcessId(hwnd, out var pid);
+            if (pid == CurrentProcessId && IsWindowVisible(hwnd) && !IsTooltip(hwnd) &&
+                GetWindowRect(hwnd, out var window) && Intersects(tip, window))
+            {
+                overlaps = true;
+                return false;
+            }
+            return true;
+        }, IntPtr.Zero);
+
+        return overlaps;
+    }
+
+    private static bool Intersects(RECT a, RECT b)
+    {
+        return a.Left < b.Right && b.Left < a.Right && a.Top < b.Bottom && b.Top < a.Bottom;
+    }
+
+    private static bool IsTooltip(nint hwnd)
+    {
+        var className = new StringBuilder(64);
+        GetClassName(hwnd, className, className.Capacity);
+        return className.ToString() == TOOLTIP_CLASS;
+    }
+
+    private static bool IsExplorer(uint pid)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            using var process = Process.GetProcessById((int)pid);
+            return string.Equals(process.ProcessName, "explorer", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+        }
+        catch
+        {
+            return false; // exited meanwhile
+        }
+    }
+
+    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
+    private struct RECT
+    {
+        public int Left;
+        public int Top;
+        public int Right;
+        public int Bottom;
+    }
+
+    private delegate bool EnumWindowsProc(nint hwnd, nint lParam);
+
+    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
+    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
+    private static extern bool EnumWindows(EnumWindowsProc callback, nint lParam);
+
+    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
+    private static extern uint GetWindowThreadProcessId(nint hwnd, out uint processId);
+
+    [DllImport("user32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode)]
+    private static extern int GetClassName(nint hwnd, StringBuilder className, int maxCount);
+
+    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
+    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
+    private static extern bool IsWindowVisible(nint hwnd);
+
+    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
+    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
+    private static extern bool GetWindowRect(nint hwnd, out RECT rect);
+
+    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
+    [return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
+    private static extern bool PostMessage(nint hwnd, uint msg, nint wParam, nint lParam);
+}
diff --git a/QuickLook/Helpers/KeyboardLog.cs b/QuickLook/Helpers/KeyboardLog.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b92d2d510
--- /dev/null
+++ b/QuickLook/Helpers/KeyboardLog.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+// Copyright © 2017-2026 QL-Win Contributors
+//
+// This file is part of QuickLook program.
+//
+// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+using QuickLook.Common.Helpers;
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Concurrent;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Text;
+using System.Threading;
+
+namespace QuickLook.Helpers;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Diagnostic log for the keyboard pipeline, written to QuickLook.Keyboard.log in the data folder.
+/// Only QuickLook's own keys and anomalies are logged, never other keystrokes.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class KeyboardLog
+{
+    private const long MAX_SIZE = 512 * 1024;
+
+    /// <summary>Preview phases slower than this block switching to the next file and get logged.</summary>
+    private const long SLOW_PREVIEW_PHASE_MS = 100;
+
+    private static readonly string LogPath = Path.Combine(SettingHelper.LocalDataPath, "QuickLook.Keyboard.log");
+
+    // Bounded so that a stuck disk can never make the keyboard hook wait or grow memory.
+    private static readonly BlockingCollection<string> Queue = new(new ConcurrentQueue<string>(), 1000);
+
+    static KeyboardLog()
+    {
+        new Thread(WriteLoop)
+        {
+            IsBackground = true,
+            Name = "QuickLook.KeyboardLog",
+            Priority = ThreadPriority.BelowNormal,
+        }.Start();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Never blocks; safe to call from inside the low-level keyboard hook.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void Write(string message)
+    {
+        Queue.TryAdd($"{DateTime.Now:yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.fff} [T{Thread.CurrentThread.ManagedThreadId}] {message}");
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Logs a preview phase that ran on the UI thread only when it was slow enough to delay
+    /// the next selection change, naming the plugin and file type, never the file name.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static void WriteIfSlow(string phase, long elapsedMs)
+    {
+        if (elapsedMs >= SLOW_PREVIEW_PHASE_MS)
+            Write($"Slow preview {phase}: {elapsedMs} ms");
+    }
+
+    private static void WriteLoop()
+    {
+        var batch = new StringBuilder();
+
+        foreach (var line in Queue.GetConsumingEnumerable())
+        {
+            batch.AppendLine(line);
+            while (Queue.TryTake(out var more))
+                batch.AppendLine(more);
+
+            try
+            {
+                Directory.CreateDirectory(Path.GetDirectoryName(LogPath)!);
+
+                var file = new FileInfo(LogPath);
+                if (file.Exists && file.Length > MAX_SIZE)
+                {
+                    File.Delete(LogPath + ".old");
+                    File.Move(LogPath, LogPath + ".old");
+                }
+
+                File.AppendAllText(LogPath, batch.ToString());
+            }
+            catch
+            {
+                // logging must never take QuickLook down
+            }
+
+            batch.Clear();
+        }
+    }
+}