Have you ever put away a manual for an appliance, cell phone, or other device only to never see it again?
That’s usually not a big deal until you find yourself with something that won’t work and can’t figure out how to fix it. The truth is, we don’t put much weight into manuals until we need them.
According to a survey by Allstate Protection Plans, 95% of respondents reported having had a major appliance stop working, while collectively, they have spent over 29,000 years on in-home repairs. Yet, half the respondents only look at a manual “when they need to learn how to use a certain function or troubleshoot an issue.” Thanks to the internet, online instruction manuals make those easy-to-misplace paper originals a thing of the past. Here’s how you can find a manual online for free.
Gather Product Info Before You Begin Your Manual Search
Regardless of which site or tool you use to search for a manual, you will need to identify the product using info like the brand name, model number, and serial number. So, before you begin your manual search, gather this info. Sometimes, manufacturers place this information in the most inconvenient places! For example, on a stove, you may have to look in several places (for a sticker or metal plate) before you find the model and serial number. Here are product placement options for stoves:
- Inside the warmer drawer (if your stove has one)
- On the side or behind the stove door
- Under the cooktop
- Behind the stove, on the back
Obviously, manufacturers recommend that consumers keep owners’ manuals for as long as they have the product — but, honestly, how many of us are THAT organized?
Once you discard the product, toss the manual. If you lose it, no worries—here’s how to find it online.
A Note About Searching Google for Manuals
While Google is a well-loved search engine, using it to search manuals online could prove cumbersome. Even typing in all the identifying info you’ve gathered may bring up third-party sites in the search results. These sites may require several steps to access/download your manual. If you have to search for manuals with Google, be sure to enter your information following this template (including the brackets) in the search box: site:[manufacturer’s website][device name] user manual.
OneLaunch Users Can Search for Manuals with the Manuals App
If you’re a OneLaunch user, the Manuals App, which can be found in the Apps Library, makes it easy to search for online manuals. To access the Manuals App, click the plus sign in the OneLaunch dock, then on the Manuals App. 
Doing so will pin the app to the dock. Now, all you have to do to use the app is click on the icon on the dock. Next, type the brand name and model # in the search boxes and tap the Search for Manual button. The OneLaunch Manuals App will send you the appropriate site for the manual you searched for.
Search for Manuals on Aggregator Sites
Another alternative is what’s called an aggregator site, which is an online library that uses technology to collect and repost content. Aggregator sites collect particular information (in this case, instruction manuals) from other source sites and post PDFs or doc files of the manuals they find on their own site, making it easier to search for something. Here are three examples of free manual aggregator websites.
ManualsLib.com
With over 7 million, ManualsLib.com is our list’s most extensive manual library. Here, you can find manuals for 5,719,000+ products from 134,770 brands. To search for a manual on this site, simply start typing the brand name in the search box on the homepage. A drop-down list with related manuals will appear as you type. Select the user manual you need, and you’ll instantly see a PDF broken into individual pages.
FreshManuals.com
At FreshManuals.com, you can search more than 4.3 million product manuals. This site boasts 2,885,374 models from 100,092 brands. Again, to search, you need to start typing your product name in the search box. Like Manualslib.com, this website will display a drop-down list with all the user manuals that match. Click on the one you want. Here, you must click Open PDF to view the manual contents. The cool thing about this site is you can create a “manuals drawer” where you can save all of your household manuals in one neat and tidy spot in the cloud.
Manuals Online
A search through the 700,000 products on the Manuals Online website differs from the other sites on our list. Instead of typing in your brand/product name, select a category from the 20 options in the drop-down menu next to the search box. Here are a few categories:
- Baby Care
- Household Appliances
- Lawn & Garden
- Cell Phone
- Medical Equipment
- Power Tools
- Outdoor Cooking
- Video Game
Next, you must either select the brand or, if you know the brand, type it into the search box. Tap on the product user manual you want to view (online or PDF version). You can also start your search by product type, then select the beginning letter of your product’s brand name from the alphabetical list.
The site is supported by ads, but on our visit, we appreciated that the display ads were relevant!
Find Car Manuals through Car Manufacturer Websites
While we recommend using the above resources for instruction manuals for things like appliances, cell phones, and other goods, go straight to the manufacturer’s website for cars. For example, if your car is a Ford F150, you’ll visit Ford.com (select Support & Services, Owner Manuals). Regardless of what company built your vehicle, you must have information such as the VIN, model and year. Enter your car’s information where appropriate. Select the manual you need. To help with your search, here are several automaker websites:
- Buick
- Chevrolet
- Ford
- Lincoln
- Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Ram, Wagoneer
- Nissan
- Tesla
- Toyota
- Volkswagen
Today, finding a manual online is simple through OneLaunch, aggregator sites, or even direct manufacturer websites. So, save time and head straight for your computer the next time you lose a manual.
Photo 186721515 | Manuals | Radiokafka | Dreamstime.com
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