Airbnb House Manual Template: How Every Appliance Works, One Page at a Time

An Airbnb house manual template works when a guest can find the right instruction while standing beside the appliance. Start with the first few tasks guests face, then give each device or routine a short page: what to find, what to do, and what to do if it does not work.

The manual is for operating the home. Airbnb describes it as day-to-day details such as turning on the hot water or finding an extra blanket, and says confirmed guests can access it in the listing. A welcome book can cover more, including local tips and other guest resources. Here is a copy-ready structure you can adapt to your property.

Airbnb House Manual at a Glance

Build one short section for each guest task, then put the information where it is easiest to use. Airbnb's own manual guidance recommends clear, step-by-step instructions and keeping the content brief.

Use this as a planning list, not a universal rule sheet. If your home does not have an appliance, remove that page. If a detail changes between seasons or stays, add a review date to your host copy so you know when to check it again.

What Belongs in a House Manual?

An Airbnb house manual is a set of day-to-day instructions attached to a listing's Arrival Guide. Airbnb's Help Center instructions say confirmed guests can access details such as how to turn on hot water or find an extra blanket.

Write down the facts that are specific to your home: how to reach the WiFi router, which switch operates the porch light, where spare towels are stored, and what the guest should do when the heating control does not respond. Include the location as well as the instruction. “Turn the fan on” is less useful than “The fan switch is on the right side of the range hood.” Airbnb's house manual guidance for hosts also uses clear, step-by-step directions and calls out WiFi, parking, amenities, and appliance details.

Separate operating instructions from house rules and checkout requests. Airbnb provides separate listing areas for these details, and guests may need different information at different times. The manual can explain how to use the dishwasher; the listing's rules area is where guests should see expectations before they book. Check Airbnb's current fields if the platform changes its layout.

The goal is a usable reference. You do not need to document every object in the home. Start with equipment guests are likely to use, details that are hard to infer, and anything that could cause confusion if used the wrong way.

Copy This Airbnb House Manual Template

Copy the headings below into your working document, then replace every bracketed prompt with a verified detail from your listing. Delete a section if it does not apply. Never leave sample text in the guest-facing version.

Before you settle in

WiFi: Network: [network name]. Password: [password]. The router is [location].

Help during your stay: Message us through [contact method]. For an urgent safety issue, contact local emergency services.

Where things are: Extra towels: [location]. First-aid kit: [location]. Circuit breaker or water shutoff: [location, if appropriate to share].

Heat, cooling, and hot water

Thermostat: Find it [location]. To change the temperature, [steps]. Please leave it at [setting or range, if you have a property-specific reason].

Hot water: [How the system works, if a guest action is needed]. If hot water stops, [safe first step] and message us. Do not ask guests to open equipment panels or handle maintenance.

Kitchen and laundry

Coffee maker: [Where it is]. Add [type and amount] to [location], then press [button]. [How to turn it off or clean it].

Dishwasher: Detergent is [location]. Load dishes [property-specific note]. Select [cycle] and press [start].

Washer and dryer: [Where they are]. Use [settings or detergent notes]. [Dryer lint-filter instruction]. For a problem, stop the cycle and contact us.

Trash and parking

Trash and recycling: Bins are [location]. Sort [local categories] as follows: [instructions]. Collection is [verified schedule, if relevant].

Parking: Use [space or permitted area]. Follow [posted sign or verified building instruction]. Do not park [specific restricted area].

If something is not working

1. Check [safe, simple step].
2. If it still does not work, stop using the item.
3. Message us through [contact method] with the room and item name.

This gives guests a first step without turning the manual into repair advice. For a gas smell, electrical hazard, fire, or immediate danger, the page should point to emergency services and your property-specific emergency procedure. Do not ask a guest to troubleshoot a hazard.

Write Appliance Instructions Guests Can Follow

Give an appliance page the same order each time: identify it, locate the control, describe the normal use, and say what to do when it fails. Airbnb's host guidance on writing a house manual suggests step-by-step directions for appliances and electronics, alongside locations for important items.

The prompts are placeholders, not instructions for a real appliance. Read the label or manufacturer manual and test the steps yourself. A thermostat may have different modes from another model; a guest should not have to guess which one you mean.

If you need a consistent page layout for those directions, Airbnb Host Bundle’s editable guest templates include welcome-book pages you can adapt. The property-specific steps still need to come from your own equipment.

Keep one instruction about one task. If the TV has a streaming remote and a separate soundbar remote, name each remote and explain which one controls volume. If the steps need several screenshots or a safety explanation, link to the manufacturer’s document rather than shrinking the text to fit one page.

House Manual, Welcome Book, or Guidebook?

An Airbnb welcome book is a broader in-home reference a host can use for property details and other guest resources. An Airbnb Guidebook is Airbnb's feature for local recommendations such as restaurants, stores, parks, and attractions. Use the house manual for how the property works, and tell guests where each answer lives.

Airbnb's Help Center describes the house manual as day-to-day listing information. Its separate Guidebook feature is for local recommendations. A printed welcome book can combine property instructions with selected local information, but it should not conflict with the information in the Airbnb listing.

For the broader printed and digital layout, see this guide to an Airbnb welcome book. For neighborhood places, use Airbnb's Guidebook feature and keep addresses, opening hours, and links checked. A manual is easier to maintain when it stays focused on the unit. The Airbnb templates overview shows where welcome books, signs, and other guest materials fit across a stay.

Keep the Manual Accurate and Easy to Find

Review the manual whenever a device, password, contact route, parking arrangement, or waste schedule changes. Before publishing, compare each instruction against the property and follow every step as a guest would.

Use a small change log in your host copy: page, item checked, date, and what changed. The log is for maintenance, not a claim that the information is guaranteed. A seasonal review can catch details such as a heating setting or collection schedule that no longer applies.

Airbnb says the house manual is available to guests with a confirmed reservation. If a detail matters before booking, put it in the relevant listing field instead of assuming guests can already see the manual. For longer stays, Airbnb's monthly-stay guidance advises hosts to check that day-to-day information such as trash disposal is covered. For arrival text, see the Airbnb check-in instructions guide.

If you want a designed set of pages to customize, Airbnb Host Bundle includes a printable welcome book and house signs. Use those pages as a layout starting point, then replace the examples with details verified for your property. The bundle does not maintain the instructions for you.

What Actually Makes a House Manual Useful?

The useful part is matching each instruction to the moment a guest needs it. Put WiFi and arrival essentials first, put an appliance’s steps near its name, and keep the longer explanation in the manual. Airbnb’s own resource guide highlights WiFi, parking, amenities, and appliance steps as possible manual content.

Give every page a check question:

• Can a guest identify the item or place without asking you?
• Does the first action appear before background detail?
• Have you tested the controls and links on the actual property setup?
• Can you update the detail without rewriting unrelated pages?

This is a practical review, not a promise that guests will read every page. Place the most time-sensitive answer where guests already look, and use an in-room label only when it adds a clear cue. Keep the fuller explanation in one source you can update.

Why Trust This Article

We are the Cosmo Suite team behind Airbnb Host Bundle, a collection of editable host templates. This guide uses Airbnb Help Center and Resource Center pages for the platform’s description of house manuals and its examples of guest information. We checked those pages on 14 November 2026. Airbnb can change its tools and policies, so confirm current controls before editing your listing. Read about the team behind this site and the editorial policy. The template prompts are editorial examples and must be replaced with details verified at your own property.

Where Airbnb Host Bundle Fits

A manual is easier to keep current when the page layout is already organized. Airbnb Host Bundle includes a 20-page printable welcome book and a 19-page clickable PDF welcome book, plus signs and checklists. Those are editable layouts, not property-management software or a service that updates guest instructions.

If you want the rest of your guest materials in a matching format, Airbnb Host Bundle’s editable host templates can give you a starting point for the welcome book and signs. Replace any example text, confirm the print size and links, and review the final pages against the listing. The Airbnb guest book ideas guide covers a different page: the one guests can write in during their stay.