Free Instruction Writing Tool

Good assembly instructions are less about style than about removing every chance to get it wrong. The person reading them is holding a part in one hand and looking for the next step, so each line has to work on its own. These are the rules this tool applies, and you can use them when you write by hand.

Start with the verb. "Insert bolt A into panel 2" is clearer than "Bolt A should now be inserted into panel 2." The reader learns what to do first, and the sentence gets shorter.

Give each step one action. "Attach the legs and flip the table over" is two steps, and the second can't happen until the first is done. Splitting them gives the reader a natural place to check their work. It also makes each step easier to illustrate.

Name the part, not "it". A step that says "tighten it" is only clear if there's exactly one thing it could mean. Use the same ID you use in your parts list, every time. If the source doesn't have an ID, don't make one up. Fix the parts list first.

Keep the numbers exact. Sizes, quantities, torque values and turn counts are part of the instruction. Rewriting should never round them or drop them.

Put warnings before the action. A warning that comes after the step arrives too late, because the reader has already done it. Keep the warning's condition and consequence together: "Don't overtighten bolts A, or the wood may crack" tells the reader what to avoid and why it matters.

Keep it short, but not at any cost. A limit of about 20 words per line is a good target for consumer instructions. Warnings are the exception, and they should run longer rather than lose meaning.

Always check the result. AI can misread a step or get a detail wrong, and only you know your product. This tool checks that warnings weren't dropped and that lines stay within your limit, but it can't confirm that a step is correct. Review every line, and have someone who hasn't seen the product build it from the final text.

When words aren't enough. Some steps are hard to explain however well you write them, such as how a part rotates into place or which way a cam lock turns. Those are the steps where customers get stuck and contact support, and showing the motion usually works better than describing it.

• Manual Clarity Score: Upload a manual and get a score, fixes and the hardest steps.
• Assembly Instructions Generator: Build a step-by-step manual in your browser and export a PDF.

See all free tools for manufacturers