diff --git a/src/file.rs b/src/file.rs
index 1ed3ca4106..744d58d3ba 100644
--- a/src/file.rs
+++ b/src/file.rs
@@ -198,6 +198,17 @@ pub fn replace_path<P: AsRef<Path>>(path: P) -> PathBuf {
     }
 }
 
+pub fn touch_file(file: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+    if !file.exists() {
+        create(file)?;
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+    trace!("touch_file {}", file.display());
+    let now = FileTime::now();
+    set_file_times(file, now, now)
+        .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to touch file: {}", display_path(file)))
+}
+
 pub fn touch_dir(dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
     trace!("touch {}", dir.display());
     let now = FileTime::now();
diff --git a/src/hint.rs b/src/hint.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..09dbe115a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hint.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+use crate::config::SETTINGS;
+use crate::dirs;
+use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
+use std::collections::HashSet;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! hint {
+    ($id:expr, $message:expr, $example_cmd:expr) => {{
+        if $crate::hint::should_display_hint($id) {
+            let _ = $crate::file::touch_file(&$crate::hint::HINTS_DIR.join($id));
+            let prefix = console::style("hint")
+                .dim()
+                .yellow()
+                .for_stderr()
+                .to_string();
+            let message = format!($message);
+            let cmd = console::style($example_cmd).bold().for_stderr();
+            info!("{prefix} {message} {cmd}");
+        }
+    }};
+}
+
+pub static HINTS_DIR: Lazy<PathBuf> = Lazy::new(|| dirs::STATE.join("hints"));
+
+pub static DISPLAYED_HINTS: Lazy<Mutex<HashSet<String>>> = Lazy::new(|| {
+    let mut hints = HashSet::new();
+
+    for file in xx::file::ls(&*HINTS_DIR).unwrap_or_default() {
+        if let Some(file_name) = file.file_name().map(|f| f.to_string_lossy()) {
+            if file_name.starts_with(".") {
+                continue;
+            }
+            hints.insert(file_name.to_string());
+        }
+    }
+
+    Mutex::new(hints)
+});
+
+pub fn should_display_hint(id: &str) -> bool {
+    if cfg!(test) || !console::user_attended() || !console::user_attended_stderr() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if SETTINGS
+        .disable_hints
+        .iter()
+        .any(|hint| hint == id || hint == "*")
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+    let displayed_hints = &mut DISPLAYED_HINTS.lock().unwrap();
+    if displayed_hints.contains(id) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    displayed_hints.insert(id.to_string());
+    true
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 3f2cb41c50..ebe6afefeb 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ mod test;
 #[macro_use]
 mod output;
 
+#[macro_use]
+mod hint;
+
 #[macro_use]
 mod cmd;
 
diff --git a/src/output.rs b/src/output.rs
index 8a32dae90e..9712061be6 100644
--- a/src/output.rs
+++ b/src/output.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
-use crate::config::SETTINGS;
 #[cfg(feature = "timings")]
 use crate::ui::style;
-use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
-use std::collections::HashSet;
-use std::sync::Mutex;
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 #[macro_export]
@@ -91,54 +87,6 @@ macro_rules! debug {
     }};
 }
 
-pub fn should_display_hint(id: &str) -> bool {
-    if cfg!(test) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if SETTINGS
-        .disable_hints
-        .iter()
-        .any(|hint| hint == id || hint == "*")
-    {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if !console::user_attended() {
-        return false;
-    }
-    static DISPLAYED_HINTS: Lazy<Mutex<HashSet<String>>> = Lazy::new(Default::default);
-    let displayed_hints = &mut DISPLAYED_HINTS.lock().unwrap();
-    if displayed_hints.contains(id) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    displayed_hints.insert(id.to_string());
-    true
-}
-
-#[macro_export]
-macro_rules! hint {
-    ($id:expr, $message:expr, $example_cmd:expr) => {{
-        if $crate::output::should_display_hint($id) {
-            let prefix = console::style("hint")
-                .dim()
-                .yellow()
-                .for_stderr()
-                .to_string();
-            let cmd = console::style($example_cmd).bold().for_stderr();
-            let disable_single = console::style(format!("mise settings add disable_hints {}", $id))
-                .bold()
-                .for_stderr();
-            let disable_all = console::style("mise settings set disable_hints \"*\"")
-                .bold()
-                .for_stderr();
-            info!("{} {} {}", prefix, format!($message), cmd);
-            info!(
-                "{} disable this hint with {} or all with {}",
-                prefix, disable_single, disable_all
-            );
-        }
-    }};
-}
-
 #[cfg(not(test))]
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! info {
@@ -149,7 +97,7 @@ macro_rules! info {
 
 #[cfg(feature = "timings")]
 pub fn get_time_diff(module: &str, extra: &str) -> String {
-    static PREV: Mutex<Option<std::time::Instant>> = Mutex::new(None);
+    static PREV: std::sync::Mutex<Option<std::time::Instant>> = std::sync::Mutex::new(None);
     let now = std::time::Instant::now();
     if PREV.lock().unwrap().is_none() {
         *PREV.lock().unwrap() = Some(std::time::Instant::now());