Google can be a great resource for finding a PDF copy of the user’s manual, user’s guide, or operating instructions when you’ve lost or misplaced the original. Instead of stressing where you put the instructions for your device, simply fire up your web browser and get a new copy. This can also be useful if you picked up an item through eBay or a garage sale.
1. Go to Google.
2. In the search box, input the make and model of the item that you are looking for, followed by filetype:pdf. Start out being specific, for example, if I wanted to find the User’s Guide for a Casio camera, I would input the following into the search box:
casio exilim camera ex-S12 filetype:pdf
If you don’t see the manual, go with a less specific query by removing the model number. You may also need to add additional terms to your search such as “user’s guide,” “user’s manual,” or “operating instructions.”
3. In the result set, look for the desired guide or manual. When found open the desired PDF, or better yet, download it and save it in a folder that you will keep your guides and manuals.
This works well for electronic devices such as routers, mp3 players, blu-ray players and televisions, but you can use it to find manuals for dishwashers, microwaves, watches and clocks, etc.
