How to Find Your Appliance's Owner's Manual by Model Number

5 min read

Every major brand publishes its owner's manuals for free on its own site, and every one of them starts from the same thing: the full model number. Find that first, then go to the brand's own manual search. The manufacturer's copy is the right revision for your model, which a copy found elsewhere may not be.

Step 1: find the model number

The model number is on a label or rating plate, and the place depends on the appliance. Whirlpool's guide gives the common spots: inside the door on the rim of the opening on a front-load washer or dryer, beneath the lid on the tub rim of a top-load washer, on the left side of the tub frame on a built-in dishwasher, inside the refrigerator compartment on the left on top-freezer and French-door refrigerators (on the right on side-by-sides), and on the frame of the oven or the storage drawer on a range. Bosch calls it the E-Nr, printed on the rating plate; its manual search shows where the plate is for each appliance category. Copy the whole number, including any letters at the end.

Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid and Amana

Whirlpool says to enter the model number in the manual search in the Support section of the brand's website; manuals can be downloaded as PDFs or viewed online. Maytag, KitchenAid and Amana run the same help system. For the service-level tech sheet, see our guide to appliance tech sheets.

GE Appliances

GE's Owner's Manual & Installation Instructions page asks for your model number and returns the owner's manual, use and care manual, installation information and energy guides. GE notes that some manuals include several languages, so print only the pages you need.

LG and Samsung

LG's support home has a User Manuals & Documents option that asks for your model number. Samsung's Manuals & Software page lets you search by model code or product name, or choose your product category, to reach the downloads for your model.

Bosch and Frigidaire

Bosch's Owner Manuals, Spec Sheets & CADs search takes the model number (E-Nr) and returns the documents for it. Frigidaire lists them on each product's page, under Guides & Manuals: the Complete Owner's Guide, installation instructions and specification sheets.

Speed Queen and Navien

Speed Queen sends you to its document portal, where your washer's or dryer's model number brings up the owner's manual, installation manual and warranty documents. It says printed literature can be requested for machines with serial numbers 1903000000 through 2312999999; outside that range only PDFs are available. Navien publishes its user's information and installation manuals on its Brochures, Manuals & Documents page.

Why use the manufacturer's copy

Third-party manual sites republish manufacturers' documents without a licence, and the copy you find may be for a different revision of your model. The brand's own site matches the document to your exact model number, and it is free.

FAQ

Where do I find the model number on my appliance?

On a label or rating plate whose location depends on the appliance: for example inside the door rim of a front-load washer, on the left side of the tub frame of a built-in dishwasher, or inside the refrigerator compartment. Whirlpool and Bosch both publish location guides.

Are manufacturer owner's manuals free?

Yes. Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana, GE, LG, Samsung, Bosch, Frigidaire, Speed Queen and Navien all publish owner's manuals for free on their own sites.

Can I get a printed Speed Queen manual?

Speed Queen says printed literature can be requested for machines with serial numbers 1903000000 through 2312999999. Outside that range, only PDF versions are available.

Sources

Documents this guide was checked against. How we verify.

Always unplug an appliance and shut off its water supply before servicing. This guide is informational and not a substitute for a qualified technician.