How to Create a Digital House Manual Guests Actually Read

Most house manuals don't get read. Here's how to build a digital guide that guests will actually use - visual, mobile-friendly, and available at the moment they need it.

The Problem With Traditional House Manuals

You've probably made a house manual before. Maybe a Word doc. A PDF with photos. A Notion page. A long message with every detail a guest could possibly need.

And guests still message you asking how to work the thermostat.

It's not that your manual is bad. It's that traditional house manuals fail for predictable reasons:

They're too long

You want to be thorough. So you include everything: check-in instructions, WiFi, appliances, house rules, local recommendations, emergency contacts, checkout steps, recycling instructions, pool rules, parking, and that quirky thing about the back door.

Now you have a 15-page document. Guests open it once, get overwhelmed, and never look at it again.

They're in the wrong format

PDFs are built for printing and reading on laptops. Your guests are standing in front of the coffee machine with their phone. They don't want to pinch-zoom through a document to find the one paragraph they need.

They're sent at the wrong time

You send the manual with your welcome message, three days before check-in. Guest skims it, thinks "I'll read this later," and forgets. By the time they arrive, the message is buried and they can't find it.

They require effort to use

To get an answer from a traditional manual, guests have to:

1. Remember the manual exists
2. Find the message or file
3. Open it
4. Scroll or search to the right section
5. Read through text to find the answer

That's five steps. Messaging you is one step. Guess which one they choose.

What Guests Actually Need

Guests don't need a comprehensive document. They need answers at the moment they have questions.

When someone is standing in front of your thermostat at 11pm, confused, they need:

• A visual showing exactly what they're looking at
• Short, clear steps telling them what to do
• Access to it right now, without searching

That's it. Not a manual. Not a PDF. Just the answer, available where they are.

A good digital house manual isn't one big document. It's a collection of small, focused guides - each one answering a specific question, accessible in the moment.

The Elements of a House Manual That Works

If you want guests to actually use your manual, it needs these qualities:

Mobile-first

Assume guests will view it on their phone, standing up, probably a little frustrated. Design for that context. Big text, clear photos, easy to scan.

Visual

Photos beat paragraphs. If you're explaining the lockbox, show the lockbox. If the thermostat has a specific button to press, show the button. Guests should see what they're looking at.

Organized by topic

Don't make guests scroll through a long document. Break information into separate sections or guides: WiFi, check-in, thermostat, appliances, checkout. Let them tap directly to what they need.

Accessible at the property

The best manual is available where the guest is. QR codes placed next to appliances. A link saved to their home screen. Something they can access without digging through messages.

Offline-capable

If your property has spotty WiFi or no cell service, guests need access to your guides anyway. Offline capability matters more than most hosts realize.

Short

Each guide or section should be as short as possible. One question, one answer. If a guest needs to scroll through paragraphs to find what they need, you've lost them.

Options for Creating a Digital House Manual

You have a few approaches, depending on how much effort you want to put in:

DIY: Google Docs or Notion

Pros: Free, flexible, you control everything

Cons: Not mobile-optimized, no offline access, still feels like a document, requires guests to scroll and search

This works if you're just starting out and want something quick. But you'll hit the same readability problems as a PDF.

DIY: Photos in your Airbnb message

Pros: Simple, no extra tools

Cons: Gets buried in the message thread, no organization, no offline access, limited formatting

Better than a wall of text, but not by much.

Dedicated guidebook tools

Several tools exist specifically for vacation rental guidebooks. They vary in approach:

• Touch Stay - Comprehensive digital guidebooks with local recommendations, branding options
• Hostfully Guidebooks - Similar to Touch Stay, integrates with PMS systems
• YourWelcome - Tablet-based solution with upselling features
• Inxtruc - Mobile-first visual guides, focused on step-by-step instructions with photos/video, QR code sharing, offline access

The right choice depends on what you need. If you want a full branded experience with local recommendations, Touch Stay or Hostfully work well. If you want quick visual guides that solve the "how does this work" problem, Inxtruc is more focused on that.

How to Build a Digital House Manual (Step by Step)

Here's a practical approach that works regardless of which tool you use:

Step 1: List your repeat questions

Check your message history from the last few months. What do guests ask about most?

For most properties, the list looks something like:

• WiFi login
• Check-in / lockbox / smart lock
• Thermostat or heating/cooling
• TV and streaming
• Coffee machine
• Parking
• Checkout steps
• Trash and recycling

Start with the top 5. You can add more later.

Step 2: Create a guide for each topic

For each repeat question, create a short guide:

1. Take photos of what guests will see (the router, the lockbox, the thermostat)
2. Write numbered steps - one action per step, no fluff
3. Keep it under 6-8 steps if possible

If a video explains it better (like a tricky lock or a coffee machine with many buttons), use video.

Step 3: Organize your guides

Group your guides into one place guests can access. This might be:

• A Notion page with links to each section
• A Space in Inxtruc with all guides organized
• A simple webpage with links

The key is one entry point that leads to everything.

Step 4: Make it accessible on-site

Print QR codes for your most important guides:

• WiFi QR code near the router or TV
• Thermostat guide next to the thermostat
• Coffee machine guide inside the cabinet or on the counter
• Main guidebook QR code by the entrance or on the fridge

Guests shouldn't have to search for the information. It should be visible where they need it.

Step 5: Update your welcome message

Keep your welcome message short. Instead of including every detail, point guests to your guidebook:

"Everything you need to know about the property is in your digital guidebook: [link]. You'll also find QR codes around the house for quick access to specific guides."

That's it. Short message, one link, clear direction.

Maintaining Your Manual

A house manual isn't a one-time project. Things change:

• You replace the coffee machine
• The WiFi password changes
• You add a new smart lock
• Guests keep asking about something you didn't cover

Set a reminder to review your guides every few months. Update photos when things change. Add new guides when you notice repeat questions.

The hosts with the fewest guest questions aren't the ones with the most comprehensive manuals. They're the ones who keep their guides current and accessible.

Getting Started

You don't need to build everything at once. Start with one guide:

1. Pick your most common guest question
2. Create a visual guide with photos and short steps
3. Print a QR code and place it at the property
4. See if it reduces messages

If it works, make another. Build up your guidebook one question at a time.

If you want a tool that makes this fast, Inxtruc is designed for exactly this workflow. Snap photos or upload them, add steps, get a QR code. Guides work offline and you can organize them into Spaces for each property.

Your first 3 guides are free.

Create your first guide →