diff --git a/lang/en/moodle.php b/lang/en/moodle.php
index 22a17b92f13..1cbc8edda28 100644
--- a/lang/en/moodle.php
+++ b/lang/en/moodle.php
@@ -1826,6 +1826,11 @@ $string['teacheronly'] = 'for the {$a} only';
 $string['teacherroles'] = '{$a} roles';
 $string['teachers'] = 'Teachers';
 $string['textediting'] = 'Text editor';
+$string['textediting_help'] = 'If an HTML editor such as Atto or TinyMCE is selected, text input areas will have a toolbar with buttons for easily adding content.
+
+If \'plain text area\' is selected, a format for text input areas such as HTML or Markdown can be chosen.
+
+The list of available text editors is determined by the site administrator.';
 $string['texteditor'] = 'Use standard web forms';
 $string['textformat'] = 'Plain text format';
 $string['thanks'] = 'Thanks';
diff --git a/user/editor_form.php b/user/editor_form.php
index b0c24cfe5e7..248499c48b5 100644
--- a/user/editor_form.php
+++ b/user/editor_form.php
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ class user_edit_editor_form extends moodleform {
                 $choices[$editor] = get_string('pluginname', 'editor_' . $editor);
             }
             $mform->addElement('select', 'preference_htmleditor', get_string('textediting'), $choices);
+            $mform->addHelpButton('preference_htmleditor', 'textediting');
             $mform->setDefault('preference_htmleditor', '');
         } else {
             // Empty string means use the first chosen text editor.