Glossary · Safety information
Instructions for use (IFU)
Also known as: IFU, instructions, user instructions
In technical documentation, instructions for use (IFU) are the information provided by the manufacturer to support the correct and safe use of a product, covering its intended use, installation, operation, maintenance and disposal, and the residual risks users must manage.
- Technical documentation
- Standards
In one sentence
Instructions for use (IFU) are the manufacturer’s information for correct and safe use of a product, from installation and operation to disposal.
Example
The IFU for an AGV explain the intended use and load limits, how to commission the safety laser scanner fields, daily checks, charging, fault recovery and how to decommission the vehicle.
Explained in context
Context cards connect this term with others to answer one question. Also in British English and German.
- Cognitive load and split attention: why figures, labels and text belong togetherTransitional topicWhat does cognitive load theory say about combining figures and text in instructions, and what follows for technical documentation?UKDeutsch
- Mental models and concept information: why readers need to know how it works before they actTransitional topicHow does research on mental models support placing concept information before task information in technical documentation?UKDeutsch
- Cognitive psychology in technical communication: theory, application and the bridges between themTransitional topicWhat is the difference between cognitive psychology as theory and its application in documentation, and how do the two fit together?UKDeutsch
- Working memory and procedure steps: why "seven plus or minus two" is the wrong ruleTransitional topicDoes working memory research justify a fixed maximum number of steps in a procedure, such as seven plus or minus two?UKDeutsch
- Instructions for use: one manual or a set of information products?Do "instructions for use" mean one user manual or a collection of documents?UKDeutsch
- Betriebsanweisung: one German word, many operator documentsWhat is a Betriebsanweisung, and how does it differ from the manufacturer’s operating manual?UKDeutsch
- Internal and external technical documentation: what "external" really meansDoes "external documentation" mean documentation that is published?UKDeutsch
How it applies
- Technical documentation: IEC/IEEE 82079-1 sets principles for content, structure, form and the information management process: the audience is analyzed, information is correct, complete, concise and comprehensible, and safety-related information is integrated where it is needed.
- Machinery law: The Machinery Regulation requires instructions for every machine and, from January 20, 2027, allows them to be supplied in digital form, with a paper copy free of charge on request at the time of purchase.
- Machine safety: Instructions describe the intended use and reasonably foreseeable misuse, and tell users how to manage residual risks. They do not replace safeguards.
- Formats: Operating manuals, maintenance manuals, quick guides and in-product help are all parts of the IFU and must stay consistent.
Instructions for use (IFU) vs. instructions for use (AI Act)
Product IFU address operators, installers and service staff and focus on safe handling. Instructions for use (AI Act) address deployers of high-risk AI systems and must also state accuracy, limitations, human oversight measures and log handling. For AI in machinery, both sets of content are needed and are best combined in one information for use set.