The official iPhone User Guide is free on Apple’s website at support.apple.com/guide/iphone. Open that address in Safari on your iPhone or in any browser on a computer, pick your iOS version from the Select version menu, then tap Table of Contents or type a topic in the search field. There is no printed manual to order from Apple. The website is the current home of the guide.
This article covers Apple’s iPhone User Guide as it appears in October 2026, when the version menu runs from iOS 12 through iOS 27. It also covers Apple’s model-by-model manuals page, the Tips app, and the older Apple Books copy of the guide.
What You Need
- An internet connection and a web browser. The guide works on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows PC.
- Your iOS version (the version of the iPhone’s operating system), so you read steps that match your phone.
- No Apple Account sign-in. Apple’s online guide opens without one.
How to Open the iPhone User Guide Online
- Open Safari, or any other browser.
- Type support.apple.com/guide/iphone in the address bar and go to the page. The page is titled iPhone User Guide.
- Tap Select version near the top and choose the iOS version on your iPhone. The page reloads for that version.
- Tap Table of Contents to browse by chapter, or tap Search this guide and type a word or phrase, such as “screenshot” or “Face ID”.
- Tap a topic to read Apple’s steps. Use the Next link at the bottom of a page to keep reading in order.
How to tell it worked: the page shows “iPhone User Guide” at the top, and the Select version menu shows the iOS version you picked. To go back to the newest version, choose it from the same menu.
How to Pick the Right Version of the Guide
Menus and button names change between iOS versions, so a step written for iOS 27 may not match a phone running iOS 18. Check your version first. Apple’s article on finding the software version on your iPhone gives this path:
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Tap About. The iOS version is listed on this screen.
- Go back to the guide and choose the same main number under Select version. For example, a phone on iOS 18.6 uses the iOS 18 guide.
If your iPhone runs something older than iOS 12, the online menu has no matching version. Use the oldest version listed as a rough reference, or check the documents on your model’s manuals page, described below.
How to Keep the Guide One Tap Away
You can save the guide in Safari so you don’t have to type the address again. Apple’s page on bookmarking a website in Safari describes two options.
- Bookmark: with the guide open, open Safari’s page menu and choose the option to add a bookmark, pick a location, then tap Save. Our guide to bookmarking a website in Safari on iPhone has the full steps.
- Home Screen icon: open the Share options, scroll down, tap Add to Home Screen, then tap Add. Apple notes the icon appears only on the device where you add it. See how to add a Safari link to your Home Screen for details.
Both are easy to undo. Delete the bookmark from your bookmarks list, or remove the icon from the Home Screen like any other icon. Neither one saves the guide for offline reading. You still need a connection to load the pages.
How to Find Manuals for Your iPhone Model
The User Guide is organized by iOS version, not by phone. For documents tied to one model, use Apple’s manuals page.
- Go to Apple’s iPhone Manuals and Downloads page.
- Tap your model in the list. Tap Show more if you have an older iPhone that isn’t shown at first.
- Not sure which model you have? Tap How to identify your iPhone model on that page. It opens Apple’s list of models with their model numbers and descriptions.
- Under Documents, open what you need. For the iPhone 17 Pro, for example, Apple lists the iPhone User Guide, a Repair Manual, and an Info document.
Each model page also shows the year the phone was introduced and a Tech Specs link. The documents listed can differ from one model to the next, so an older iPhone may show a shorter list.
How to Learn With the Tips App
The Tips app is built into the iPhone and gives short lessons instead of a full manual. According to Apple’s Tips app page, you open Tips, tap a collection, then tap a tip. Collections cover things like navigating the iPhone and editing photos, and Apple adds new tips regularly.
- Save a tip: open it and tap the save button. It goes to a collection called Saved tips.
- Share a tip: open it, tap the share button, and send it with Messages, Mail, or AirDrop.
- Get tip notifications: go to Settings > Notifications > Tips and turn on Allow Notifications. Turn the same switch off to stop them.
Some iOS versions also show user guides inside the Tips app. Apple’s iOS 17 guide says to scroll to the bottom of Tips to browse guides for other Apple devices. The current Tips page doesn’t describe that section, so it may look different or be missing on your phone. The website works either way.
Can You Download the iPhone User Guide in Apple Books?
Sometimes. The iOS 16 version of the online guide says you can also download the guide from Apple Books “where available.” The iOS 18 and iOS 27 versions of the same page don’t include that line and point only to the website. So treat Apple Books as an option for older editions, not a sure way to get the newest one.
To check, open the Books app, use its search, and type iPhone User Guide. Look for a result with Apple listed as the author and the iOS version you want in the title. If one is offered, tap Get. You may be asked to confirm with your Apple Account. The book is then saved in your Books library. To keep it apart from your other reading, you can create a new collection in the Books app for manuals.
An earlier version of this article showed these steps in iOS 8, when the app was called iBooks. The app has been redesigned since then, so the exact buttons on your phone can differ. A Books copy is also fixed to one iOS version, so it won’t match your phone after a major update.
Troubleshooting
- The steps don’t match your screen. The guide is probably set to a different iOS version. Check Settings > General > About, then change Select version.
- Your iOS version isn’t in the menu. The menu starts at iOS 12. For an older phone, use the iOS 12 guide as a reference and expect some differences.
- A topic disappears when you switch versions. Features that didn’t exist in an older iOS version have no page in that version of the guide. Switch back to a newer version to read about them.
- The guide is in the wrong language. Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap the country or region name (for example, United States), then choose another one.
- You can’t find the guide in Books. It may not be offered for your iOS version or in your country or region. Use the website instead.
- You can’t find Add to Home Screen. Apple says to scroll to the bottom of the share options, tap Edit Actions, and add it there.
- The page won’t load. The guide needs an internet connection. Check Wi-Fi or cellular data and try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the iPhone User Guide free?
Yes. Apple publishes the iPhone User Guide on its support website at no charge, and you can read it in any web browser without signing in.
Does the iPhone come with a printed manual?
Apple publishes the full iPhone User Guide online instead of as a printed book. The website is where Apple keeps the complete, current instructions for every supported iOS version.
Which version of the iPhone User Guide should I read?
Read the version that matches the iOS version on your iPhone. Find it in Settings under General, then About, and choose the same number in the Select version menu at the top of the guide.
Is there a separate user guide for each iPhone model?
No. The iPhone User Guide is written for an iOS version and covers every iPhone that runs it. Each version includes a page listing compatible models. Model-specific documents, such as repair manuals, are on Apple’s iPhone Manuals and Downloads page.
Can I read the iPhone User Guide on a computer?
Yes. The guide is a regular website, so it opens in a browser on a Mac or Windows PC. That is handy when you want to follow steps on the phone while reading on a bigger screen.
Does Apple have user guides for other devices?
Yes. Apple’s Manuals and Downloads pages also cover iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and other products, with a similar list of documents for each model.
Next Step
Open the guide, set it to your iOS version, and add it to your bookmarks. If you are setting up a new phone, start with our guide on how to turn on an iPhone 17 and set it up. You can also browse our iPhone guides, or see how to change the iPhone search engine to Google in Safari.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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