T

tab

Don’t use as a verb.

As a noun, use to refer to tabs that show a separate view or subpages on a webpage, dialog box, browser, or menu. For other uses of the term, clarify the meaning with a descriptor, such as the Tab key, a tab character, a tab stop, or a tab mark on the ruler.

For more information, see UI elements.

tablet

OK to use. If you are unable to distinguish between a tablet and a laptop or phone, use device.

tap, double-tap

Use tap to describe selecting, opening, or enabling targets such as buttons, links, list items, or other elements with a finger or pen by tapping it once. Don’t use tap on.

Use double-tap to describe selecting, opening, or enabling targets such as buttons, links, list items, or other elements with a finger or pen by tapping it twice in quick succession. Hyphenate double-tap. Don’t use double-tap on.

For more information, see Interaction verbs.

See also click, double click, double-click, double tap, double-tap, press, press and hold, select, touch and hold.

tap and hold

Don’t use. Tap describes touching and releasing quickly Instead, use touch and hold.

See also tap, double-tap, touch and hold.

tarball

Don’t use. Instead, use tar file.

tar file

Acronym for Tape Archive file.

Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use tar file rather than .tar file.

For more information, see Referring to file types.

target

Don’t use, especially in reference to people. Instead, use intended for, looking for, focused on, and interacting with. Instead of using target file, refer to the specific file or folder, or use destination file or destination folder.

Examples

taskbar

One word. Not task bar or task-bar.

TB, terabyte

Initialism for terabyte. Use uppercase.

One TB equals 1000⁴ bytes in the context of file size or storage capacity, and 1024⁴ bytes in the context of computer memory.

In the noun form, insert a space between the numeral and the abbreviation. Use the preposition of before the unit.

Example

Don’t hyphenate the adjective form.

Example

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

Tbit, terabit

Initialism for terabit.

One Tbit equals 1000⁴ bits in the context of file size or storage capacity, and 1024⁴ bits in the context of computer memory.

In the noun form, insert a space between the numeral and the abbreviation. Use the preposition of before the unit.

Example

Don’t hyphenate the adjective form.

Example

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

Tbps (Tbit/s), terabits per second

Abbreviation for terabits per second.

For more information, see Units of measurement.

See also Tbit, terabit.

TBps (TB/s), terabytes per second

Abbreviation for terabytes per second.

For more information, see Units of measurement.

See also TB, terabyte.

TCP/IP

Initialism for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Use uppercase.

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

terminate

OK to use in developer documentation and for a technical audience. Don’t use as a synonym for close or exit.

text box

Don’t use. Instead, refer to the box by its UI label or use box.

For more information, see Text box.

text file

Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use text file rather than .txt file.

For more information, see Referring to file types.

that

Use to introduce a restrictive or defining clause; clauses beginning with that are generally not set off with commas.

Example

Insert a noun after that for clarity, whenever possible. It is acceptable to omit the noun in UI, tables, or headings where space is limited. If you aren’t sure what noun that refers to, then consider rephrasing.

See also which.

they, their, them

Use they, their, them as gender-neutral pronouns when referring to people of unspecified gender. Don’t use he, him, she, her, or renditions like s/he, he/she, or (s)he for people of unspecified gender.

For more information, see Pronouns and gender and Writing about genders.

third party

Hyphenate as adjectives.

this, that

Insert a noun after this for clarity, whenever possible. It is acceptable to omit the noun in UI, tables, or headings where space is limited. If you aren’t sure what noun this refers to, then consider rephrasing.

thousand, K

Don’t abbreviate thousand as K or k. Spell out the word or denote the entire number.

For more information, see Abbreviations in numbers.

three-dimensional

See 3D.

thru

Don’t use. Instead, use through.

timeframe

Avoid using. Not time frame. Instead, use period, schedule, deadline, or when.

timeline

One word. Not time line or time-line.

timeout, time out

Don’t hyphenate and insert a space as an adjective or a noun. Don’t hyphenate as a verb phrase such as the connection timed out.

timestamp

One word. Not time stamp or time-stamp.

time to live, TTL

Not time-to-live. Abbreviate as TTL after first use.

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

time zone, time-zone

Two words. Not timezone.

Don’t hyphenate and insert a space as a noun. Hyphenate as an adjective.

tl;dr

Don’t use. Instead, use something like To summarize, or rewrite and rephrase the sentence.

toggle

As a verb, it is OK to use toggle in developer documentation and for a technical audience. Avoid using in user documentation and for a general audience; instead use turn on or turn off, switch between, enable, or relevant terminology depending on the context.

OK to use as a noun or an adjective, as in toggle button or toggle switch. A toggle button is a UI element that switches back and forth between on and off options or states.

For more information, see Toggle button and Formatting UI element names.

tool

Use tool, not utility, to describe a function or feature that helps users complete tasks.

toolbar

One word. Not tool bar or tool-bar.

toolkit

One word. Not tool kit or tool-kit.

top left, top right

Don’t use.

See upper left, upper right.

touch

Don’t use. Instead, use tap. However, touch and hold is OK to use.

See tap, double-tap, touch and hold.

touch and hold

When the environment is presumably a touch device, use touch and hold to describe selecting, opening, or enabling targets such as buttons, links, list items, or other elements with a finger or pen by tapping and holding it stationary until a result occurs. Don’t use touch and hold on.

Don’t use tap and hold.

For more information, see Interaction verbs.

See also tap, double-tap.

touchscreen

One word. Not touch screen or touch-screen.

toward

Not towards.

trackball

One word. Not track ball or track-ball.

trackpad

One word. Not track pad or track-pad.

traditional

Avoid using; instead, use a detailed and accurate term whenever possible.

Examples

trojan

OK to use.

troubleshoot

One word. Not trouble shoot or trouble-shoot.

turn on, turn off

Use to describe turning a device on or off. Don’t use power on/power off or start/stop.

OK to use when referring to the action of turning a switch or toggle key on or off.

For more information, see Switch, turn on, turn off, enable.

See also enable, enabled, disable, disabled.

tutorial

OK to use.

For more information, see Procedures.

two-dimensional

See 2D.

type

OK to use.

For more information, see Interaction verbs.

See also enter.

typically

Use to describe something that is standard or expected under normal circumstances. Avoid using as the first word of a sentence, as the meaning of the content can be misunderstood.